Good drama that tries a bit too hard in places

Rating: 7/10 (11 February 2005)

This is a fine film. Entertaining, well-acted, but not flawless. It tries a bit too hard to be an Oscar contender when in all actuality it's not high-caliber material. Its 7.0/10 average on IMDb is closer to the score I'd give it than some of the critics who seemed to praise it when it came out. And although Angelina Jolie gives her best performance, it's still not Oscar-quality, and it's always going to be hard to buy an insane mental patient with huge fake lips and breasts. But oh well, that's Hollywood.
Winona Ryder fits the part well. She's always given off dark vibes in all her films, ranging from "Beetlejuice" to "Edward Scissorhands," and gives the impression that she's fascinated by death. So, a bit of wise casting there. I am not by any means a fan of Ryder's work (even here she is grating), but at least in "Girl, Interrupted," that's sort of the point.
Overall this is a good movie if you're looking for entertainment (based on) a true story. It's not a great movie and I don't think it deserved any Oscars but the acting is still rather good and it holds your interest.