Brilliant, brilliant movie full of paranoia in Hitchcock style

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2010)

My expectations were a prison movie with US marshals on the rampage story, little knowing that it was a psychological jig-saw puzzle. Often offering horror movie and holocaust atmosphere with lashing of blood rather than logic, you enter an on-screen game that references past glories of cinema (WWII movies, horror classics, concentration camps) and throwing them at you like the ever present debris of a storm raging on the outside walls of the institution and with screams of insanity from within, the movie unravels the mystery in our minds. The movie was truly brilliant.
Filmed on an island off Boston (1954) during a fascinating period in history which has been mostly overlooked by film makers (end of war 1945 to 54), it shows an almost forgotten period in time, rich in costumes making you almost think everyone is dressed and ready for church or a funeral. Post-WWII, pre-Kennedy's, pre-rock'n'roll and the end of the Great American Song Book period with up tempo jazz/crooners, it was a period in history that has been left in the dormitory (or mental institution buildings of the movie) for so many years. The world was recovering from the end of WWII; the baby boomers were learning to walk or starting school; the baby boomers were 5 years from bobby socks. It was a rather sedate world that was awaiting the arrival of Rock n Roll.
While watching it, I was constantly thinking Hitchcock and North By North West where Cary Grant questions his sanity against the background of a story that develops on screen - also similar to Vertigo and other Hitchcock where the main character suffers paranoia. In the background, there was an ever present suspenseful sound track reminiscent of again of Hitchcock and the literal cliff hanging scene.
There were some truly disturbing images contrasted with absolute tenderness. In a few spots, I thought Leonardo was playing a weak role but as it works out, he is playing the character's weaknesses and flaws. For a moment, in one scene I thought he showed the facial expressions and mannerisms of a frustrated Jack Nicholson to brilliant effect.
Great support cast including a few look-a-likes and almost circus caricatures. A prison scene shows a character looking like Robert De Niro in "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" but it is not him. The security guards and hospital staff were perfectly picked looking like main street cops and prison guards from 1950's USA. Hilarious and disturbing selection of extras as patients - they were straight from an old horror movie.
Mark Ruffalo plays a different part as a breakaway from his usual rom-com roles. Great to see the past masters like Max Von Sydow and Ben Kingsley. Patricia Clarkson keeps popping up in movies these days as a careworn eccentric and her old world-style glamour. She usually plays the supportive wife, mainstay or consort of a lead but here plays a gutsy character role.
A dazzlingly and macabre revelation was Michelle William's character (Dawson's Creek and mother of Heath Ledger's child) who was amazing as Leo's wife. A truly magnificent role for our sweet Jen Lindley: I kept looking for Dawson. Joey and Pacey; expecting to spot Jack and the baby - all grown up.