Mr. Jones, un irresistible seductor

This was Mike Figgis' first film after the rather wonderful and haunting "Liebestraum" and compared to that it's a disappointment.

As others have commented, Gere's acting is magnificent. I have a good friend who is manic depressive and Gere nails the condition absolutely. As others have also commented, this performance is straightjacketed into a contrived Hollywood vehicle with a laughably pat romantic ending. I was unsurprised to discover that the film was taken away from Figgis by the studio, redited, rescored and partially reshot.

A couple of points: of course Lena Olin's character behaves unprofessionally, that's made quite clear in the movie, so pointing it out as a flaw seems a little wide of the mark. What we in fact have is a slightly more subtle than usual rendition of the "psychiatrist is as nutty as the patient" trope - she is shown earlier in the movie to be extremely vulnerable and perhaps irrational after a failed relationship. Meanwhile Gere is extremely charismatic, as manic personalities can be, she is drawn to him out of her own depressed state and the time-honoured Freudian concept of transference does the rest. In addition the choice she makes addresses the notion introduced by Gere's character in the movie - how much is she prepared to give up?

There are also serious questions about "madness" touched on in the film - where does individual personality end and illness begin? To what extent is insanity a logical response to an intolerable situation? Perhaps these were originally to be explored in a little more depth.

I suppose this "accountant's cut" didn't do well enough at the box office for there to be much chance of a director's cut and that's a shame. It seems there is a much better film somewhere in here screaming to be let out....

30 January 2013. Richard Gere offers up a rather penetrating performance of manic-depression and the highs and lows of such a condition. Unlike 28 Days (2000) or Girl Interrupted (1999) there seems to be an imbalance in presentation of the movie itself and its highs and lows in a way that unfortunately distorts the presentation of mental illness. Lena Olin's character as Dr. Bowen, a psychiatrist, M.D. doesn't necessarily offer up sufficient character development to justify the movie's ultimate plot and dynamic interplay with Richard Gere's character as Mr. Jones, unlike perhaps a student intern that would have required much less back story and more consistent with the storyline. The climax of the movie is more of an American romantic drama instead of the more genuine drama that most of the movie itself held onto its integrity. The ending unlike the more Helen (2009) which might be considered stronger in its overall tone and theme, nevertheless is weaker in its depiction of the experiences found with such chemical imbalances.

I am really surprised to see such low ratings for this film. I think it's a great insight of how people who are affected by manic depression feel and how difficult can be the job of physicians in treating them. Moreover Richard Gere's interpretation is a masterpiece. He shows both the vulnerability of an exhausted and sad man in search of understanding and acceptance, and also of course his celebrated coolness and savoir-faire with women in the character's exuberant spells. I found the picture really pleasant, funny at times and shockingly real and dramatic and full of pathos. Despite the numerous clichés (..) and the frequent fades-away which, in my opinion, manifest a little hastiness by the director, I found the picture full of hope. Sometimes we forget the complexity of the human psyche. A man can endure at times ecstatic bliss and at others dreadful despair. I guess it's the price to pay for being extremely sensitive. Or just a little crazy.

In this intense and emotional tale of compassion, rescue and love, director Mike Figgis portrays the antithesis of the Richard Gere he had shown us three years before Mr. Jones' release: A needy, fragile, unstable yet creative and fascinating character versus the sinister, cold-blooded and self-confident officer Dennis Peck in Internal Affairs.

Gere's ability to absorb the script and bring it to life through his inimitable histrionic demeanor has once again amazed me, bringing me into the scene as if I were observing from behind the camera. Another example of a woman assisting a man throughout his struggle is Figgis' Leavign Las Vegas, where Elizabeth Shue chooses to be by Nicholas Cages' side, with the exception of a very sad ending (In this case we had pills instead of bottles). From Final Analysis, Gear switches into the patient's role, making us hold our breath and, needless to say, get a good use out of our handkerchiefs.

I caught this movie last night on TMC. It premiered soon after I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 93 and even though I was glad to finally have a name to my own madness, I was not ready to see it at that point. Many told me about it though and finally, I saw it. It was very, very good. Gere did an exceptional job at portraying the classic Bipolar I individual. (My depression is 95% lows and have had only one or two manic episodes in my life and am well controlled and on meds). The highs are fun but it is pure payback with the lows. Of course, with this being a movie, The Dr. falls for Mr Jones and in the real world, that would lead to termination on her part. In the case of movies though, anything goes and Richard Gere would be hard not to fall for, LOL. Everyone did an exceptional job and it was an exceptional movie. Kudos to all!