Mrs. Henderson Presents

In the opening scene, Mrs. Henderson, a wealthy Brit, leaves the funeral of her husband, shortly before World War II. Before the chauffeur drives her home she takes her rowboat out alone where we see and hear her crying out her grief in the distance. But the loss that affects subsequent plot appears to be the death of her son at the age of 21 in World War I. She visits his grave in a battle field cemetery in France twice during the film, and near the end of the film she delivers a monologue touching on the futility of his death to a group of soldiers .

bereavement

Prime

#primemovie

All us professionals for whom principles of privilege and confidentiality apply to the relationship with client or patient like to think that clients\patients exist in a separate world from that of our social and business contacts. This film contradicts that notion plausibly, even in the small town where it takes place: New York City.

Meryl Streep plays a psychotherapist with "MS, CSW" behind her name on the plaque on the door to her office, which lies next door to her home. She realizes that her son has begun a love relationship with her patient before either of them knows the connection. The patient shows no signs of mental illness but seems to have been seeking support through her divorce. No psychoanalyst, Streep serves facing her patient and supports her in pursuing a love relationship with a younger man. Meanwhile at home she discourages her son's relationship with an older shiksa. Both of them lie to Streep about the extent of the age difference.

We see parts of about six psychotherapy sessions. When Streep realizes her predicament she becomes increasingly anxious during the sessions. Her patient notices and comments on her discomfort. During a later session Streep hides a photograph of her son.

Illustrates the apparent power to influence the outcome of a love relationship stemming partly from the therapeutic relationship and partly from the secret.

To Streep what's best for patient clashes with what is best for child. Which should be her priority? Does she have a choice? In contrast to Prince of Tides where the psychiatrist chooses to transgress a boundary Streep's predicament was thrust upon her.

Could this lead to malpractice suit? Is it so different from sexual misconduct?

Suppose you're the patient: When would you expect your psychotherapist to tell you you're dating her son?

Suppose you're the psychotherapist: What would you do? When? For the psychotherapist to tell her son he's dating her patient would breach confidentiality, so her only ethical options are to wait and see, stop the treatment with no explanation or to tell the patient. Streep seems to do the right thing in seeking advice from another psychotherapist, but there seems to be no right answer.

boundaries | psychotherapy | psychotherapist

Rachel Getting Married

Warning: Reading this could spoil the film.

The film opens with Kym conversing with a staff member and another patient at "rehab" while waiting for her father to take her home where the rest of the family is preparing for sister Rachel's wedding. She even pretends to "make amends" as part of an awkward and insincere toast to her sister at dinner.

Rachel's need for attention leads to conflict with her sister and others. Is this narcissism a personality trait or a manifestation of her addiction?

We watch Kym on the toilet collecting a urine sample for a drug screen. Scenes of two 12 step meetings portray typical rituals, including reading steps one and two and the serenity prayer. In the second meeting Kym seems to share more.

While having their hair done in a beauty salon Rachel overhears a man who had been in rehab with Kym and realizes that Kym had concocted a story about childhood abuse during her earlier treatment.

The turning point for Kym comes when she asks her mother why she would leave her to care for her young brother knowing that she was intoxicated (with Percocet?) immediately prior to her brother's death when she drives the car off a bridge. After leaving her mother's home she very intentionally drives her car off the road. Is this a suicide attempt?

During the remainder of the film Kym appears subdued, stops seeking attention, seems to want to talk to her mother, and in the end returns to rehab. Although this could be the end of her furlough for the wedding I like to think she chooses to return realizing that she has an opportunity to work on her recovery from a more honest and realistic perspective, perhaps sharing responsibility with her mother, rather than blaming herself, for her brother's death.

12 steps | addiction | amends | bereavement | drug testing | meetings | narcissism | recovery | rehabilitation | serenity prayer | suicide | survivor guilt

When Did You Last See Your Father?

A son struggles to resolve his love -- hate relationship with his father during and after his death from cancer.

ambivalence | bereavement

The Sensation of Sight

Warning: Reading this could spoil the film.

Flash back to the climax: English teacher finds a male student has come to class early. The student presents him with several encyclopedia volumes he says belonged to his grandfather. After a brief interchange the teacher looks away, the student puts the barrel of a revolver in his mouth, the camera pans to the teacher, and we hear a gunshot. The teacher tries to deal with this trauma by selling the volumes door to door. The surviving brother of the student buys the first copy. The ghost of the student haunts both brother and teacher from early in the film as they struggle with grief and trauma. Two scenes depict characters discussing whether one can take responsibility for the decision of another to end his life.

bereavement | suicide

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

When he realizes he will be in big trouble with his dad, Ferris's friend stops responding. After Ferris rescues him from apparent suicide by drowning Ferris's girlfriend observes that he seemed "catatonic."

catatonia | suicide

Flightplan

After the crew labels Foster's character, who has admitted taking Klonopin, as delusional, a passenger identifying herself as a "therapist" helps deal with her "denial" related to the deaths of her husband and (presumably) daughter, and the possibility that her husband killed himself.

bereavement | clonazepam | delusion | denial | psychotherapist | suicide

All Quiet on the Western Front

Having discovered his leg has been amputated, a young soldier declares he will kill himself.

suicide

Goodbye Solo

Warning: Reading this could spoil the film.

Unlike the other 110 (so far) movies listed on the suicide page, this one subtly challenges, or at least questions, the generally accepted notion that suicide must always be prevented. As in Meet John Doe the entire film builds toward William's plan to jump to his death, but unlike John Doe's, William's would be rescuer, Solo, chooses in the end to let go, and, in friendship, respecting and honoring William's decision, to be with him near the end rather than attempt to stop what he senses he cannot. From the beginning when Solo realizes that William plans to end his life this ordinary but extraordinary man instinctively tries to connect with William, sticking with him despite William's best efforts to push him away, as he prepares by selling his home, closing his accounts, giving away possessions.

William's isolation, apathy, and brooding evidence resignation or even bereavement rather than depression. We never know why he intends to die, but he appears to believe a young man working at the ticket booth of a theater he frequents will be better off never knowing his identity. Solo rules out terminal illness with assistance from a pharmacist. He never seems to consider seeking professional help or civil commitment.

suicide

The Office - BBC TV

The boss, David Brent, displays all or nearly all the DSM criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder if you just watch enough episodes.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder