should have read the book instead

Rating: Null/10 (6 June 2000)

i don't know how closely this film follows the book, but i'm willing to bet there was some hollywood license taken...they lost me early on when the doctor says things to susanna that no proper doctor would, and then she's put in a cab? if this really happened, ok, but i just didn't buy it--who would put someone vulnerable like that ALONE in a cab with some creepy driver?? unbelievable, to the point of implausibility...there's virtually no security in this facility--the girls are running wild at night, and the most disturbed girl (jolie) has KEYS!?!? PLEASE! then the vanessa redgrave character says things to her that, again, no reputable doctor would ever say to a patient, even in the 60's ("are you sane or are you crazy?")...overall, we don't learn anything about how susanna has come to this point in her life, we just see that her parents are idiots (aha!)... her so-called progress is not demonstrated at all, we just see her observing and interacting with the other girls, and naturally, from being exposed to so many unstable people, she begins to become more unstable herself (probably the most realistic aspect of this film)... there are only 2 reasons to watch this film, the performances (almost make it worth it), and the editing...other than that this film for me was bleak and depressing (not to say that all movies have to have happy hollywood endings)--i could find nothing the least bit redeemable in it whatsoever, and i'm stunned at the glowing reviews here from other viewers--that in itself is a downer!