Freak City (1999)

After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a rebellious young woman is disease-stricken. Upon being admitted to a nursing home, she finds hope in the most unlikely of places...

Director:

Lynne Littman

Writer:

Jane Shepard

Stars:

Samantha Mathis, Natalie Cole, Marlee Matlin

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Samantha Mathis	...	Ruth Ellison
Natalie Cole	...	Eleanor Sorrell
Marlee Matlin	...	Cassandra
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Cal Jackson
Jonathan Silverman	...	Lenny Stanapolous
Estelle Parsons	...	Mrs. Stanapolous
Eve Crawford	...	Nurse Veronica
Janet Lo	...	Nurse Fran
Karen Robinson	...	Nurse Jan
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nola Augustson	...	Evelyn Lissard
Rodger Barton	...	Tom Lissard
Anne Bellamy	...	Grandma
Kurt Brunus	...	John Sorrell
Sergio Di Zio	...	Leo Berman
Rosemary Dunsmore	...	Mary Manmouth

Storyline

Freak City tells the moving story of a young woman, played by Samantha Mathis, who is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and is institutionalized by her family. Alone and feeling abandoned she struggles to regain her sense of dignity and independence by bonding with a wide assortment of fellow patients. Other residents at the home include Jonathan Silverman as a blind man, Marlee Maitlin, a slightly retarded woman, and singer-actress Natalie Cole as a blues singer injured in an accident and left with severe mental and emotional challenges. Working together they share many funny and sometimes bittersweet moments and celebrate overcoming their challenges as a family brought together by circumstance.

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Plot Keywords:

multiple sclerosis | wheelchair | independent film

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 2007 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Grad nakaza

Company Credits

Production Co:

Showtime Networks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

Throughout the movie, Lenny feels around with his hands the way sighted people do. Because of the significant role fingertips play to blind people, they learn to approach objects with backs of their hands in order to protect their fingertips from damage since there's no telling what they might stumble upon.

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Soundtracks

"Go To Work"
Written by Spencer Proffer and Steve Plunkett
Performed by Johnny Spark

User Reviews

This movie touches on an area most of us do not think about.

This movie stars Samantha Mathis and shows the life of someone with MS who is sent to a nursing home after her grandmother dies. Her grandmother had been her care-giver up to that point. It shows the emotional problems that someone in this situation would face because they can still THINK for themselves, but are not physically sufficient any longer. Ruth (Samantha) has to learn to deal with the others around her in the nursing home and ends up with several friends (blind guy, mentally slow roommate, brain damaged singer, and others). She not only learns how to deal with others, but helps them learn to move forward with their lives too.

It was a good movie that touches on a subject that most of us do not like to think about and Samantha gives a good performance. Her co-stars are Jonathan Silverman, Marlee Matlin, and Natalie Cole.