Prozac Nation (2001)

A young woman struggles with depression during her first year at Harvard. Based on Elizabeth Wurtzel's novel.

Director:

Erik Skjoldbjærg

Writers:

Elizabeth Wurtzel (based on the book by), Galt Niederhoffer (adaptation),

Stars:

Christina Ricci, Anne Heche, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christina Ricci	...	Elizabeth
Jason Biggs	...	Rafe
Anne Heche	...	Dr. Sterling
Michelle Williams	...	Ruby
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Noah (as Jonathan Rhys-Meyers)
Jessica Lange	...	Mrs. Wurtzel
Jesse Moss	...	Sam
Nicholas Campbell	...	Donald (as Nick Campbell)
Zoe Miller	...	Elizabeth at 12
Sheila Paterson	...	Grandmother
Rob Freeman	...	Mister Cool
Nicole Parker	...	Waitress (as Nicole Parker Smith)
Frida Betrani	...	Julia
Klodyne Rodney	...	Nurse
Ian Tracey	...	Rolling Stone Editor

Storyline

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wurtzel is a teenager accepted into Harvard with a scholarship in journalism. She has been raised by her divorced mother Mrs. Wurtzel since she was two years old, but she misses her father and feels needy and depressive. When she joins the university, she lives with a roommate Ruby and has her sexual initiation with Noah. Her article for the local column in Crimson newspaper is awarded by Rolling Stone magazine. Lizzie becomes abusive in sex and drugs, and her existential crisis and depression increases and she hurts her friends and her mother that love her, while dating Rafe. Mrs. Wurtzel sends her to an expensive psychiatric treatment with Dr. Sterling, in spite of having difficulties paying for her medical bills and therapy sessions. After a long period of treatment under medication, and suicide attempt, Lizzie stabilizes and adjusts to the real world.

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Plot Keywords:

depression | roommate | scholarship | suicide attempt | therapy | 

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Taglines:

Pledge allegiance. Life's a drag.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, drug content, sexuality/nudity and some disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Germany USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 2003 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Generation X

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax Films, Millennium Films, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Elizabeth Wurtzel is writing the piece on Bruce Springsteen, a pack of Morleys, the fictional cigarette brand from the The X-Files can be seen on her desk.

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Goofs

When Elizabeth is moving into her dorm room (in late Summer, 1985), the top LP on the pile she looks at briefly is "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" by Pink Floyd, which was released in September of 1987.

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Quotes

[opening narration]
Elizabeth: Back, back, back. How fucking far back do you go? My mom and dad were divorced before I was two, and from that on my father was almost uninvolved in my life, and my mother much too involved. She wanted to make up for all her mistakes through me.

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Connections

References The X-Files (1993)

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Soundtracks

"Sweet Jane"
Written and Performed by Lou Reed
Used by permission of Screen Gems - EMI Music Inc.

User Reviews

A girl suffers from debilitating depression at Harvard.

I thought that the main problem with Prozac Nation was that it just seemed to lack focus. The movie obviously compressed a lot of details in the book, but I think if it had just focused on the main crisis of the book, the character's descent into depression would have been easier to understand and empathize. As it was, it tried to do that, but it also tried to cram in other things, and I feel that if I hadn't read the book or gone through something similar myself, I would not have understood why Lizzie was so afflicted at this particular point in her life.

I thought the acting was excellent: Michelle Williams and Jason Biggs were great, and Christina Ricci was phenomenal, capturing the entire range of the pain and anger and self-loathing of depression. I thought Jessica Lange put in a good performance, although her bizarre accent and the fact that she in no way resembles the darker and petite Christina Ricci was really distracting. I was simply unable to believe she was her mother, and certainly not a Jewish mother.

If you're a fan of one or more of the actors, I would watch the movie for the sake of appreciating their skill. Or, if you've suffered from severe depression, then watch it and know that there are other people who feel the same way you do and think the same thoughts as you, and who would understand why you feel and act the way you do. Otherwise, skip it. If you don't understand depression before going into the film, it is unlikely that this it will shed any light on the topic for you. It's pretty much impossible to understand unless you've been there yourself.