A peek into the soul. 7 movies about human psychology

7. "The Tree of Life"

• 2011
• USA
• Fantasy, drama
• Director: Terrence Malick
• Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Hunter McCracken, Laramie Eppler
• IMDb Rating: 6.8

Waco, Texas, 1960s. A married couple (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain) learn that their middle child has died under mysterious circumstances. Older son Jack (Hunter McCracken) watches his parents change after suffering grief. He grows up to become a respectable architect (Sean Penn), but the mental trauma of his childhood torments him.

This movie shows how the death of loved ones changes the lives of all members in the family, disrupts the process of growing up and makes everyone question their faith in God. Each character will have to live through the bereavement syndrome. "The Tree of Life" by Terrence Malick, a favorite of film critics, took home the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011. The movie became the first American film to win the prize since 2004.

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6. "Collateral Beauty"  

• 2016
• USA
• Drama, melodrama
• Director: David Frankel
• Starring: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Michael Peña, Helen Mirren
• IMDb Rating: 6.8

The death of his daughter and the departure of his wife drive the head of a New York advertising agency Howard Inlet (Will Smith) into a deep depression. He can no longer work normally, and his company is gradually losing clients. To help his business partner, Howard's friend Whit Yardsham (Edward Norton) hires three actors. According to his plan, they should play human incarnations of Love, Time, and Death and thus help Howard cope with the loss and learn to live on.

"Collateral Beauty" is a movie about overcoming pain after the loss of a loved one and fighting depression. The tape shows how you can find hope even in the most hopeless situation.

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5. "The Master"

• 2012
• USA
• Drama
• Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
• Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons
• IMDb Rating: 7.1

Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a Navy veteran who fought in Japan during World War II, returns home. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, which prevents him from living his life in peace. One day, Freddy finds himself on a ship to San Francisco, where he meets the mysterious creator of a religious sect, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who takes him under his wing. Dodd performs psychological tests on Freddie and hopes that he will help bring a new faith to the world.

The psychological drama demonstrates how a deeply traumatized person easily falls under the influence of a charismatic person. The movie won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2012.

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4. "Split"  

• 2016
• USA, Japan
• Thriller, horror
• Director: M. Night Shyamalan
• Starring: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

Kevin (James McAvoy) may seem like an ordinary guy: he goes to work like everyone else, buys groceries and sees a therapist. However, inside Kevin lives 23 different personalities that he can barely control. One day, several sub-personalities conspiring within him kidnap three young girls. The captives soon learn that the purpose of the kidnapping is to feed them to a certain 24th personality that Kevin says is about to break free.

The movie is inspired by the true story of a man named Billy Milligan, who suffered from dissociative identity disorder and had more than two dozen different subpersonalities coexisting inside him, some of which committed serious crimes.

"McAvoy's acting is just superb, I don't think many people could play so many different characters in one picture. Quite a deep movie, for fans of psychological thrillers I recommend it", — Want_chips.

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3. "Silver Linings Playbook"

• 2012
• USA
• Drama, Melodrama, Comedy
• Director: David O. Russell
• Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker
• IMDb Rating: 7.8

Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) returns to his parents after being treated in a mental institution. Bipolar disorder is the diagnosis the doctors gave the man. He wants to start life anew, but Pat gives everything with difficulty. One day he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who has her own bouquet of problems and peculiarities.

The movie shows the difficulties and emotional conflicts within the whole family, not just the main character. "Silver Linings Playbook" won the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence). The picture was also nominated three times for the BAFTA award.

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2. "Stutz"

• 2022
• USA
• Documentary
• Director: Jonah Hill
• IMDb rating: 7.8

Actor Jonah Hill, known for "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Don't Look Up", talks about his relationship with therapist Phil Stutz. The characters discuss mental health, panic attacks, and break down different techniques to help overcome life's challenges.

This picture does not have a classic narrative. The movie will primarily be of interest to those who have never been to a therapist and do not quite understand what effect professional help from a psychologist can have.

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1. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

• 1975
• USA
• Drama
• Director: Milos Forman
• Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson, Brad Dourif, William Redfield
• IMDb Rating: 8.7

In an attempt to hide from an impending prison sentence, Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) pretends to be insane and ends up in a hospital for the mentally ill. Soon the con artist realizes that the cruel orders of the clinic are much worse than a prison cell. Patrick begins to fight against the inhumane conditions of life in the hospital.

The picture tells about different forms of psychosis and demonstrates how one person can change the life of an entire group. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is one of the few films in history to win five major Oscar awards in 1975: the film won Best Picture and also won nominations for Best Director (Milos Forman), Actor (Jack Nicholson), Actress (Louise Fletcher), and Screenplay (Lawrence Hoben, Bo Goldman).

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