Throughout the years, many films and TV shows have tackled these delicate themes with care, handling mental health with precision and refusing to stigmatize these sensitive issues. As our society becomes more understanding of mental health, and as efforts are made to decrease stigma, it makes sense that popular culture does a better job of reflecting reality.
Some, like What About Bob?, are fictional, humorous looks at what it is to live with a mental health condition. Others, like A Beautiful Mind, are well-crafted biographical examinations of the challenges and stigmas faced by previous generations. At best, having accurate portrayals of mental health in movies and TV shows can bring audiences comfort and show them that they are not alone in their journey. Ranked from least great to incredible with all things considered, these are some of the best movies and shows that deal with mental health, providing audiences with the best examples of psychological disorders in television and film.
30
‘Never Have I Ever’ (2020–2023)
Created by Lang Fisher and Mindy Kaling
A semi-autobiographical gem co-created by small-screen legend Mindy Kaling, Never Have I Everis one of the most criminally underrated teen shows on Netflix. Praised as a landmark in the history of South Asian representation in American television, it’s a delightfully fresh take on the coming-of-age genre that’s enjoyable for teens and adults alike.
The show is full of charm, humor, romance, and teenage angst—and, like any accurate teen show worth its salt, also full of themes related to mental health. Children’s and teenagers’ mental health is a topic that not nearly enough movies or TV shows dare to explore, and Never Have I Ever does it with such love and such accuracy that it’s enough to make the whole series worth watching. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
29
‘The Skeleton Twins’ (2014)
Directed by Craig Johnson
Twins, Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig) have been estranged for years, but when both of them attempt to take their lives, they have an unexpected reunion when they end up in the same hospital. As the brother and sister try to navigate through an all-consuming depression, they decide to lean on each other and try to figure out what is wrong in their seemingly happy lives that is making them so unhappy.
The Skeleton Twins is a dark comedy about overcoming depression and suicide, taking two very sensitive subjects and adding a bit of humor to make the mental condition more approachable without coming off as insensitive. While both Hader and Wiig are known for their comedic roles and being members ofSaturday Night Live, The Skeleton Twins gives them the chance to switch it up and demonstrate their dramatic range, ultimately creating two honest and heartfelt characters who bring a certain sense of comfort.
28
‘Ordinary People’ (1980)
Directed by Robert Redford
When a teenager, Conrad (Timothy Hutton), is tormented by guilt after a sailing accident killed his older brother, he attempts to end his life and is sent to a mental health institution. After an extended stay, Conrad returns home and tries to reconnect with his mother (Mary Tyler Moore) and his father (Donald Sutherland), who are both emotionally damaged and struggling to cope with their own grief.
The 1980 drama Ordinary People is a tragic but crucial film about survivors’ guilt and coping with an immense loss. The movie also addresses depression and suicide, which are tied back to the character’s current emotional state, connecting the dots of how they can all connect into one major problem. Even though Ordinary People deals with heavy subjects, it presents them in an uncensored, realistic light that, at the time, was rare to see in other movies and television series.
27
‘United States of Tara’ (2009–2011)
Created by Diablo Cody
Toni Collette stars as a suburban housewife and mother, Tara Gregson, who lives with dissociative identity disorder, which is a condition that causes her to shift between multiple personalities. As Tara tries to keep her condition under control, she is supported by her loving husband, Max (John Corbett), and her kids, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t times when they are concerned about who they will be talking to next.
Showtime’s United States of Tara is a dark and twisted comedy series created by Oscar-winner, Diablo Cody, and also stars Brie Larson, Patton Oswalt, and Rosemarie DeWitt. In fairness, United States of Tara does have a few minor flaws, but overall, it is one of the best representations of dissociative identity disorder that doesn’t present the character in a scary or horror-type manner like audiences are used to seeing. Collette humanizes the disorder with a witty sense of humor and full acceptance that informs viewers that, aside from her condition, Tara is still a normal, average person who deserves respect and empathy from others.
26
‘The Aviator’ (2004)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
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The biographical film The Aviator stars Leonardo DiCaprio as famed billionaire, Howard Hughes, as he establishes himself as a prominent public figure who conquers the field of aviation and filmmaking. While Hughes appears to have it all, behind closed doors, he lives with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder that, with time, begins to grow to a level that leads Hughes into a world of loneliness and isolation.
Martin Scorsese‘s The Aviator is a gripping drama that takes a look into one of the most complex and brilliant human beings in American history who also secretly lived with a then-obscure condition. DiCaprio delivers a sensational performance which he prepared for by meeting with patients who live with the condition as well as working closely with UCLA’s Dr. Jeffrey M. Schwartz to ensure an accurate and authentic portrayal of OCD. – Andrea Ciriaco
25
‘As Good As It Gets’ (1997)
Directed by James L. Brooks
In the Oscar-winning movie As Good As It Gets, Jack Nicholson stars as a successful author, Melvin Udall, who lives with OCD and mainly keeps to himself. While Udall needs his daily routine, his world is slowly changed by a series of uncontrollable events including his favorite waitress (Helen Hunt) having to quit to take care of her son and his neighbor (Greg Kinnear), who needs him to look after his dog.
The romantic comedy As Good As It Gets is a raw take on OCD and while it doesn’t sugar-coat the impact it has on those who live with it, it also conveys a certain wholesome tone with a touch of lighthearted humor. The film’s effective portrayal takes its view a step further by showcasing Udall’s behavior when his routine is interrupted, as well as the benefits that can come from accepting help and expanding your horizons to help overcome daily obstacles and challenges. – Andrea Ciriaco
24
‘Moon Knight’ (2022)
Created by Doug Moench
Marvel’s top-notch television series Moon Knight showcases a little-known Marvel hero, Marc Spector. Spector lives with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). This manifests as Marc having at least three alter-egos that have different powers and abilities. He is the avatar of the Egyptian god Khonshu. The talented Oscar Isaac plays each of Spector’s alters.
While the adventure TV show didn’t delve too deeply into the realities of DID, it did showcase how profound childhood trauma can influence mental health into adulthood. Here, Spector is the victim of childhood abuse. Overall, Moon Knight is touching and accurate, especially considering that the lead protagonist’s mental health condition is shown as protecting Spector from this abuse when he needs it most.
23
‘Little Miss Sunshine’ (2006)
Directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton
One of the most tender, sensitive, and delightfully familiar dramedies of the 2000s, Little Miss Sunshinestrikes the perfect balance between being life-affirming and terribly poignant. It follows a family determined to get young Olive into the finals of a beauty pageant, which takes them on a cross-country trip in their VW bus.The film explores themes like family, beauty standards, and middle-class family values, but it also touches on topics as complicated as depression and suicide attempts. It explores all of these things with sensitivity and humor, anchored by powerhouse performances by an ensemble cast featuring the likes of Steve Carrell and Alan Arkin at the top of their games. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
22
‘The Father’ (2021)
Directed by Florian Zeller
Movies that deal with dementia aren’t exactly abundant, but, from the ones that do exist, The Fathermay just be the very best. The movie that earned Anthony Hopkins his second-ever Best Actor Academy Award (and deservedly so, at that) it’s a psychological drama that looks at Alzheimer’s disease with both empathy and boundless originality.
Hopkins’ and Olivia Colman‘s performances boost the movie’s emotional power tremendously. This, coupled with Florian Zeller‘s immensely powerful script and direction, makes for a study of old age that’s as gut-wrenchingly depressing as it is admirably creative. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
21
‘Shame’ (2011)
Directed by Steve McQueen
Starring Michael Fassbender, Shame is a British erotic psychological drama film directed by Steve McQueen and co-written by McQueen and Abi Morgan. Its plot revolves around the carefully cultivated private life of a sex addict, which comes crashing down as his sister (Carey Mulligan) arrives for an extended stay.
Although certainly not everybody’s cup of tea, the divisive Shame provides viewers with an insightful, unconventional take on trauma and its consequences, including how distinct it can look and the ways it can manifest for different people. It is brilliantly acted (Fassbender and Mulligan’s performances elevate the movie to higher grounds), provocative, and even hard to watch at times.
