Table of ContentsIntroduction to the filmImpact on critics, audiences and public receptionAnalysis of the filmArt directionNarrationAnalysis of the DSM-5 criteriaReflectionBecause mental illness is so prevalent today, the most impactful informant of mental illness, the media, must be evaluated and analyzed for accuracy. Negligent characterizations of the mentally ill may further contribute to the stigma surrounding mental illness, preventing those who need help from seeking treatment and creating unfounded fear and social discomfort. To this end, the depiction of a mental disorder in the 1997 film For Better or For Worse is examined to determine whether the main character, Melvin Udall, meets the criteria for an obsessive-compulsive or related disorder, and whether the film represents a person. fight against mental illness in an accurate and true light. The film's representation is also evaluated to determine whether the film further stigmatizes or combats the stigma of mental illness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Mental illness is a topic of growing interest for almost everyone, including medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies , various forms of information and media, and of course, people affected by a mental disorder. The lifetime prevalence of any mental illness is 50% and the one-year prevalence is 25% (Sue, Sue, Sue, Sue, 2013). Thus, in any given year, approximately 25% of adults experience a diagnosable mental disorder, and 50% of adults will meet criteria for a mental illness during their lifetime. It is very likely that a person has or will come into contact with mental illness in some form, for example through relationships with people who meet the criteria for a mental disorder, information from media information or films, or in other forms. However, the pervasiveness of mental illness is at odds with the stigma and perceptions that come with it. Only 57% of American adults and 25% of American adults with symptoms of mental illness view others as “caring and sympathetic” toward those described as having a mental disorder (“Stigma of Mental Illness,” 2011). Approximately 75% of Americans and Europeans do not seek treatment for symptoms of mental illness, with the stigma associated with mental illness being the main deterrent (Krans, 2014). Researchers have studied perpetrators of stigmatized forms of mental illness and found that the public gets the majority of its information about mental disorders from the media. In fact, one study concluded that media portrayals of mental illness are so influential that they can invalidate one's own personal experiences of mental illness (Alexander, 2009, 31). Due to the media's powerful ability to shape and create stigmatization of mental illness, depictions of mental disorders, such as those in movies and films, must be analyzed and evaluated to determine their accuracy in depicting suffering humans. of mental health problems likely to influence the perception of these. with mental disorders by the public.Introduction to the filmAs Good As It Gets is an example of the media representation of mental illness. This film was released on December 25, 1997 and was directed by James L. Brooks. Mark Andrus was in charge of the story and worked with Brooks to develop the script. JackNicholson stars as Melvin Udall, Helen Hunt as Carol Connelly and Greg Kinnear as Simon Bishop. This film has thirty-seven nominations and won forty-one awards, including two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes (As Good As It Gets).Melvin Udall is a foul-mouthed, bigoted author who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. This film depicts Udall's relationships with Simon Bishop, a gay artist and Udall's neighbor, and Carol Connelly, the only waitress who tolerated Udall at his favorite restaurant. The film chronicles Udall's changes from a petty and hurtful man to a kinder and helpful neighbor as he struggles to care for Verdell, Bishop's dog after Bishop is attacked in his home and needs to be hospitalized, and how he helps pay for Carol's son's medical care after Carol quits her job to care for Spencer. As good as it can depicts the relationship that develops between three individuals that does not conform to society's typical definition of friendship, and how mental illness affects a person and their relationships with others.Impact on reviews and audiences and audience reception As Good As It Gets It Gets has 7.8 out of 10 stars on the Internet Movie Database and 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. Because this film was released in 1997, when films did not always present mental illness in a favorable light, this film has been considered almost the first of its kind. Early reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website do not mention mental illness or obsessive-compulsive disorder at all, but instead describe this film as a comedy (while giving it a rating of 7.8 stars out of 10). One very enthusiastic reviewer commented on Jack Nicholson's playing, describing it as "simply phenomenal" and describing himself as being "mesmerized by Jack's facial expressions and complex inflections" (As Good As It Gets). Because the majority of reviews date from the film's release, when neutral or positive depictions of mental illness were rare and people with mental disorders were not seen as having functional relationships or the capacity to change, this film was considered a breakthrough. . However, due to the public's growing knowledge of mental disorders and some of their characteristic features, I believe that today's critics would harshly criticize the film for its association of obsessive-compulsive disorder with an unlikeable and unlovable man. unfriendly. Early in the film, there are scenes that portray Melvin Udall as an insensitive and unpleasant man. The audience's first impression of Udall is the elderly grandmother's look of disgust when she spots Udall, who is off camera. The audience's first view of Udall himself is violent: he opens the elevator door and verbally insults a small dog, which he then pushes into the trash chute. This first portrayal of Udall is strongly negative. He is portrayed as being disliked by two characters that viewers relate to and sympathize with: a sweet grandmother figure and a cute little dog. The film's montage also features a conflict between Simon Bishop and Melvin Udall. Simon, whose dog Udall has just thrown into the garbage chute, asks Udall if he has seen Verdell. Udall lies to Bishop, making him appear untrustworthy and deceptive in the public eye. Later, after Verdell returns to Bishop, Udall so continually and rudely interrupts Simon's attempts to confront him that Frank Sachs, Bishop's art dealer, has to be physically restrained from attacking Udall. The editing of this film persistently portrays Melvin Udall as a social outcast throughout the film by combiningscenes that highlight Udall's lack of sociability. Two scenes in which Udall makes homophobic and racist remarks are presented at the beginning of the film; this characterization of Udall's negative stereotypes and unsuccessful social interactions and reinforced throughout the film, in scenes where none of the waitresses are willing to serve Udall, Udall is eventually kicked out of the restaurant and the restaurant erupts in joy, and the comments are insensitive what Udall does about the death of Carol's son. Because Udall is the only character in the film to display these socially undesirable traits, when the audience learns that he suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, Udall's personality is attributed to mental illness. As Good As It Gets presents Melvin Udall and the mental illness he portrays in such a strong and unfavorable light that viewers might not be able to overcome their first impression of a person suffering from obsessive-obsessive disorder. compulsive, no matter how much he may change.Art DirectionAlthough Melvin Udall is portrayed in a detrimental light to people with mental illness, the art direction balances the main character by creating a more comfortable environment for the audience. The film takes place in New York, making Melvin Udall another eccentric New Yorker. The fact that Udall resides in a large and famous city makes him more accessible to the public. If a viewer has visited New York or any other densely populated city, he or she has probably encountered someone who suffers from a mental illness, although one cannot immediately come to that conclusion unless they have been exposed to side by someone who was trying to do it. to avoid cracks in the sidewalks like Melvin does. Nonetheless, Melvin Udall lives in a city meant to symbolize America's acceptance of differences, with Lady Liberty welcoming immigrants of all religions, races, and cultures in the public mind. The aural component of the film also serves as a foil to Udall's character. Although the opening scene ends with Verdall moaning as she slides down the garbage chute, the opening music is bright and joyful. Later in the film, Udall plays an inspirational song on the piano, singing to himself about seeing the bright side of life (29:51). Although the juxtaposed negative portrayal of Melvin Udall and the positive background music may further separate Melvin from the audience, the music serves to highlight the possibility of some goodness in Melvin. Another auditory element that influences viewers' perception of Melvin is his use of language. Melvin often screams and hits the table at the restaurant, startling those around him. These surprising noises unsettle the audience and often overshadow Melvin's large, clean apartment, which is a testament to his success as an author in New York. The As Good As It Gets narrative contains three perspectives. One follows Udall, another Bishop and another Connelly. The film's narrative reflects the relationship that develops between the three characters. Initially, each perspective only overlaps one at a time; As Udall, Bishop and Connelly get closer, the perspectives blur. Later in the film, the first time that Bishop and Connelly's perspectives overlap underscores Udall's separation from the two, the film's final conflict. The final perspective resolves this conflict when Udall and Connelly are shown together, while Melvin lashes out at Carol. The narrative strategy throughout the film also serves to strengthen Udall's character. Scenes in which Udall is viewed negatively by other characters in the film are shown one after another, emphasizing his disgust from several points of view. The assembly sequenceworks with the choice of narrative events that characterize Udall as obsessive-compulsive and offensive at the beginning and throughout the film by pairing similar scenes one after another to launch at the viewer the film's characterization of Melvin Udall, a man obsessive-compulsive. disorder.Analysis of DSM-5 criteriaThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) concerns obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders closely related to anxiety disorders. Disorders related to obsessive-compulsive disorder include body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, trichotillomania (also known as hair pulling disorder), excoriation (or skin picking) disorder ), substance- or drug-induced obsessive-compulsive and related disorder, and other specified and unspecified disorders. obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, 235). Diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder include the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts that occur repeatedly and continuously, which the individual considers unwanted and disruptive, which are countered by other thoughts and actions, which cause anxiety and distress. Compulsions are repeated actions or mental steps that the individual feels compelled to perform in response to obsessions. Repeated behaviors include hand washing, checking and ordering, or mental acts, such as praying, counting, silently repeating words. Compulsions are intended to combat anxiety and distress, even if they are not realistically linked to obsessions. Although obsessions and compulsions differ among individuals, the most common symptoms include cleaning (obsession with contamination and cleaning compulsions), symmetry (obsession with symmetry and compulsive repetition, ordering and counting), forbidden thoughts or socially undesirable (aggressive, sexual obsessions). actions, or religion and complementary compulsions), and harm (obsessions with fear of harming oneself or others and associated verification constraints) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, 235-236). The next criterion for obsessive-compulsive disorder is obsessions and/or compulsions that are time consuming (taking an hour or more per day) or that cause distress or dysfunction in social, occupational, or other functional areas. The symptoms cannot be the physiological effect of a substance or another medical condition. Finally, the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder cannot be better explained by another disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, 237). Melvin Udall only partially meets the first diagnostic criterion for obsessive-compulsive disorder, the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. . The film As Good As It Gets does not characterize any obsession. Viewers are unaware of Udall's mental processes, but despite this, Udall's speech and actions do not appear significantly anxious or distressed. Because Melvin Udall appears to have no obsessions, the compulsions he displays are not responses to attempts to suppress the obsessions. Although Melvin Udall demonstrates examples of compulsions, such as checking and locking his apartment doors repeatedly (3:46), counting to the number five repeatedly (3:55), turning on the lights five times ( 3:59). , and using a new bar of soap after washing your hands several times (4:42), and avoiding walking on sidewalk cracks (10:30), these.