Prozac Nation

This film is about a young first year Harvard student's life with depression and personality problems.

Christina Ricci's acting is superb in this film. She plays Lizzie very well, she manages to give a full range of emotional expressions. Most of the time, Lizzie's sad, so Christina Ricci had to pull a sad face most of the time. In addition to sadness, there is also joy, ecstasy, intoxication, rage and jealousy. All these emotions are fully and effectively displayed by Ricci.

Jessica Lange acts very well in this film as well. She plays this over-controlling mother with a lot of anger. The scene with her arguing about the medical bills with Christina Ricci is amazing, they both displays brilliant acting skills.

The film is not bad at all, it was a pity that it did not receive a theatrical release.

I believe Erik Skjoldbjærg holds the record for most 'J's in a director's name, but apart from that, he also shows good restraint and a keen eye for narrative and detail in helming 'Prozac Nation.' Basically a period piece set in the mid 80's, the film relates the collegiate memoirs of Elizabeth Wurtzel, who now writes a music column for The New Yorker. Christina Ricci plays the part of Wurtzel and does passably well, though I couldn't help noticing the actual Wurtzel bears more than a slight resemblance to Anne Hathaway.

The film gives a sympathetic account of Wurztel's struggles with substance abuse and depression while being a journalism prodigy and dealing with undergraduate studies at Harvard. Friends and family run out of patience in trying to secure help for her as she tailspins into a suicidal funk. Eventually, she allows herself to be medicated on Prozac, which sort of stands as the anticlimactic resolution of the film.

Jason Biggs does a fine job portraying her first serious lover, and they have a couple very powerful scenes together which I would recommend that people watch if they are at all concerned about heir own tendencies to romantically obsess over other people. Jessica Lange falls a bit into melodrama in portraying Wurtzel's frazzled mother, but Michelle WIlliams gives a very strong performance as Wurtzel's supportive but overwhelmed roommate. Anne Heche turns in a *meh* performance as Wurtzels's shrink. Lou Reed plays himself and in one incredibly frightening scene he gently strokes Ricci's face (don't get too alarmed, it happens in a fantasy sequence).

I find it sort of sadly hilarious that this film, which appositionally refers to America in its title never received a U.S. theatrical run. Americans should probably all watch this movie.

"Prozac Nation" is a case study of clinical depression with Ricci as a Harvard frosh trying to cope with her own identity crisis, poor self esteem, and uncontrollable mood swings; the expectations of an over-compensating divorced mother; the absenteeism of a shallow father; and the sincerity of a love she can't believe is real. The film does a good job of accurately representing the destructive influences of the disease of depression in spite murky flashbacks, a hazy narration by Ricci, and a melodramatic and contrived feel. A showcase for Ricci, who meets the demands of her role, this film's lukewarm reception may have more to do with the lack of understanding of the Jekyll-Hyde nature of the depressed person than a poor presentation of the character. (B)

well if you're one of those rare creatures that would answer with a 'no' then watch this movie you'll understand how hard is get out of a bed when you are depressed, how hard is to find a reason to live and why you just can't explain the way you feel. Cristina Ricci is an amazing actress indeed. portrayed this problem in such an excellent way that gave you the right idea is not a romantic or dramatic, or pathetic point of view at all, just the way it is.

its a simple story with a simple explanation for a complicated issue, the reason why sometimes you can't just look forward a supposed good life, no matter how good you are, how brave you look, or how easy your life looks. there's also issues that actually affect our youngsters this days, and changes during the movies, the Part that Jonathan Rhys Meyers has here is small and looks like non important at all but it is, he's crucial for the whole story to be told, shows the difference between a depression patient and just a messed up kid. An amazing movie made from an Amazing book.

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.