Should Have Been So Much Better

Rating: 5/10 (14 May 2019)

The source material, Susanna Kaysen's memoirs are compelling material, but it was quite poorly adapted. The screenplay becomes bogged down by unnecessary cinematic gimmicks and tacked on scenes which are superfluous to the basic story.
As much as Jolie's performance was praised by fans and critics, it was overblown. There is too much of the Lisa character in the film such that it detracted from Susanna's journey. Lisa's continual escapades and escapes are simply not believable. Why would an institution who's mission is to help these troubled young women continually let Lisa prey on the other patients? How does she escape from padded cells over and over again?

Its gutless filmmaking. The final scene, on the night before Susanna's release is completely unneeded. Its reminds one of the tacked on final scenes in action/adventure movies where the supposedly dead monster has one last gasp. Its a cheap gimmick.

Its a shame for Winona Ryder, who had loved the project for years. She was instrumental in seeing this film made. WInona's nuanced performance is bulldozed by an over exposed Jolie. Even Susanna Kaysen was a detractor of the film. This should have been Ryder's Oscar, but they screwed it up.