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Helen (2009)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
26 November 2009 (Germany) morePlot:
A talented professor is forced to come to terms with her clinical depression. | full synopsisPlot Keywords:
Professor
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Clinical Depression
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Best Friend
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Ex Husband Ex Wife Relationship
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Electroshock Therapy
more
Awards:
1 win & 3 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(12 articles)
Beauties and Their Beasts in the Horror Genre (From Dread Central. 22 June 2009, 1:22 AM, PDT)
'Stargate' Roars at Canada's Leo Awards
(From CinemaSpy. 12 May 2009, 9:00 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
A Deeper Look At Mental Ilness in the Family moreCast
(Credited cast)| Ashley Judd | ... | Helen | |
| Goran Visnjic | ... | David | |
| Lauren Lee Smith | ... | Mathilda | |
| Alexia Fast | ... | Julie | |
| Alberta Watson | ... | Dr. Sherman | |
| David Nykl | ... | John | |
| David Hewlett | ... | Frank | |
| Leah Cairns | ... | Susanna | |
| Ali Liebert | ... | Donna | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Grace Bauer | ... | Store Employee | |
| Chaz Chamberlain | ... | Man | |
| Jonathan Holmes | ... | Thief | |
| Chelah Horsdal | ... | Kara | |
| Julia Keilty | ... | Psych Nurse #1 | |
| Robin Nielsen | ... | Young Man | |
| Sunita Prasad | |||
| David Quinlan | ... | Dan | |
| Mylene Robic | ... | Psych Nurse #2 | |
| Veena Sood | ... | Defense Attorney | |
| Malcolm Stewart | ... | Wilkins | |
| Ian Thompson | ... | Bus Driver | |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
USA:120 min (Sundance Film Festival)Language:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalFilming Locations:
Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaFun Stuff
Trivia:
Gillian Anderson originally was set to play "Helen" but dropped out of the film due to a scheduling conflict. moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Helen (2009)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Trailer (for real) | fefe07 |
| question | epritch7827 |
| Sounds interesting. | another_fan |
| David Hewlett? | betagirl23 |
| Goran Visnjic is not David Hewlett | fhutchison |
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From a purely clinical standpoint, a purist would likely find that there are number of stylized caricatures, stereotypical performances, and clichés even in this fictionalized family drama even though writer/director Sandra Nettleback undertook her own research into the terrible affliction of what she calls "suicidal depression," in what amounted to a ten year project. Inspired by an article written by a man with severe depression and the suicide of a personal friend of her's more than a decade ago, this movie still contains numerous overtures to the more mainstream viewpoint of mental illness. However, this somewhat long movie continues to build and reveal a depth toward mental illness and its complications leading toward a somewhat more traditional ending. There are some parallels to "Girl Interrupted" (1999), particularly with the relationship developed between the two women in that movie and this movie. The sound track in this movie is superb and really adds a special intimacy and richness to this movie along with nice musical tracks. It is surprisingly Lauren Lee Smith as Mathilda that provides the most intriguing and authentic performance, though Ashley Judd's performance as well as Gorin Visnjic's performance may have suffered a bit more from a script developed by an outsider's view of mental illness rather than their acting ability themselves. This movie taken by a non-professional however, does offer up some of the dramatic aspects of mental illness and refers to a treatment that has been rarely mentioned anymore in mainstream movies on the topic. Overall, this movie deserves wider distribution to the general public as it provides a layperson's look into an important medical issue as well as maintaining a compelling dramatic appeal sufficient to offer the general audience the satisfaction of having experienced a meaningful and worthwhile movie. - Screened at the Sundance Film Festival- Eight out of Ten Stars.