Disturbing in the wrong way

Rating: 3/10 (5 October 2019)

I've read some respected film critics refer to this as a powerful character study of a person with a mental illness, or an illustration of how damaged loners can be dangerous to themselves and others if they're left untreated by society. Maybe this is how they read the movie from their educated, middle-class standpoint. Maybe millions of film-goers will think the same. If so, then (once again) I have good cause to worry about the impact this kind of film can have on society's perception of people with mental health problems. Goodness knows, it's bad enough already. So bad that people are being driven further and further into themselves, fearful of saying too much in case of the repercussions: stigmatisation, prejudice, bullying. One thing the film does get right, actually, is that society doesn't seem to care about such people. Unfortunately, content like this will probably make society care even less.
Great acting and cinematography. They're about the only good things I've got to say. Otherwise, it's a poor rehash of stuff that's already been done before and much better. And its exploitation of mental illness and misrepresentation of pathologies are unforgiveable.