Mental (2012)

A charismatic, crazy hothead transforms a family's life when she becomes the nanny of five girls whose mother has cracked from her husband's political ambitions and his infidelity.

Director:

P.J. Hogan

Writer:

P.J. Hogan

Stars:

Liev Schreiber, Toni Collette, Anthony LaPaglia

1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Liev Schreiber	...	Trevor Blundell
Toni Collette	...	Shaz
Caroline Goodall	...	Doris
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Barry Moochmore
Kerry Fox	...	Nancy
Deborah Mailman	...	Sandra
Rebecca Gibney	...	Shirley Moochmore
Lily Sullivan	...	Coral Moochmore
Sam Clark	...	Trout
Sophie Lee	...	Jean
Bethany Whitmore	...	Jane Moochmore
Natasha Bassett	...	Kay
Malorie O'Neill	...	Michelle Moochmore
Hayley Magnus	...	Donna
Amanda Woodhams	...	Manda

Storyline

The Moochmore girls are certain they all suffer from some kind of undiagnosed mental illness - because if they're not crazy then they're just unpopular. Their mother Shirley - unable to cope with her demanding daughters and unsupported by her philandering politician husband, Barry - suffers a nervous breakdown. After Barry commits his wife to a mental hospital (telling his constituents that "she's on holiday") he finds himself alone with 5 teenage girls he barely knows. Desperate, he impulsively picks up a hitchhiker named Shaz and installs her in his home as nanny to his daughters.

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Plot Keywords:

nanny | flaming fart

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Nanny

Filming Locations:

Mt. Warning National Park, Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$750 (USA) (5 April 2013)

Gross:

$17,346 (USA) (5 April 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Australia, Story Bridge Films, Zucker Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an interview on Australian television, P.J. Hogan said that Mental is autobiographical, that his own father had his wife committed, hired a hitchhiker to babysit his children - he trusted her because she had a dog - and later found out that she was an escapee.

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Quotes

Shaz: I love ya, ya cunt.
Trevor Blundell: Ya fucking mad bitch.

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Soundtracks

"Amore"
Written and Produced by Stephen Edwards
Performed by Homer Greencastle
Courtesy Source in Sync

User Reviews

Loved it

I have to say in response to another reviewers comments that the fact that they say "muddled plot and complicatedness of the character interactions' causes disappointment only further identifies the lack of knowledge for society around people living with mental health illnesses.

I think that if it is viewed to be muddled and complicated P J Hogan has fully succeeded in communicating the complexity of living with mental illness and the perception society have when interacting with people living with these illnesses.

I thought it was raw and confronting, cushioned by humor. I loved it.