Hey folks, Harry here in London... We've been getting reports on PROZAC NATION for quite some time now, but the director Erik Sjorbaerg has actually just finished the film, from what I hear, so this could be one of the first finished film reviews we've seen. His INSOMNIA was brilliant and Wurtzel's book was right on strong material to be working from. Here ya go....
Hello Harry-
I just saw a screening of Prozac Nation and thought I'd send my 2 cents your way. As you know it is based on Elizabeth Wurtzel's book of the same name and is the story of her struggle with depression during her first year at Harvard. I actually worked as a P.A. while the production was shooting in Boston and it was interesting to see the scenes I witnessed being shot on the big screen. I got the sense then that the production was a disorganized affair and that does show in the final film in my opinion. They were obviously working on a limited budget and had no idea how to make that work for their advantage. One day the sun just wouldn't cooperate and shooting practically shut down. They had just one day in Harvard Square, shot footage anyway in a rush, and now the scene in the film looks terrible. The footage is grainy, and they obviously edited out as much as they could as the scene feels rushed and the acting is just plain bad. I know from experience that things like this happen, but if you're organized, you know how to make it work. This crew obviously didn't. The director, Erik Sjorbaerg, also made INSOMNIA and it seems he was a little out of his element with this very American story.
The film begins with Lizzie typing and it is established that she has been a writer since she was very young and is going to Harvard on a journalism scholarship. We then see her naked, sitting on her bed, as her mother (played by Jessica Lange) scurries about, packing Lizzie's stuff for the trek to college. This gets the film off to a surreal start and anyone drooling at the prospect of a completely nude Christina Ricci won't be disappointed. She is definately COMPLETELY naked. This, to me, was the moment of most clarity in the film as her later descent into depression was muddy. I think the film's point is that her condition has no reason. She has problems that cannot be explained, but the story does flirt with the idea that her parents' divorce, her mother's doting and her father's distance may be the cause for Lizzie's craziness. Unfortunately, this never comes into any focus or is dealt with with any depth. What is her relationship with her parents? One second she doesn't want anything to do with her father, the next second she is overwhelmed with joy that he is calling her the day after her birthday. The same goes for her relationships with her friends.
Michelle Williams is her roommate, but she is never really a character enough for us to care that Lizzie ruins their friendship by sleeping with Williams' boyfriend. The same goes for Lizzie's boyfriend Jason Biggs. I have no idea why he would fall for Lizzie to begin with because I don't know who he is. I understand that self-destructive behavior is a symptom of depression, but the film lacks such focus that it's really hard to care. Jessica Lange unfortunately overacts. I usually love her, but here her crying, screaming and slamming phones down elicited chuckles.
The nicest thing about the film was the narration, which I assume is straight from the book. The only time I enjoyed watching the movie was when we were listening to Christina recite passages of Wurtzel's writing over a very pretty and subdued score. There are also some underdeveloped scenes with her therapist played by Anne Heche. Don't worry, Heche's character barely registers. All in all, this is a disappointing, frustrating and shallow film that borders on being a complete mess. The material deserves better; and I don't just mean Elizabeth Wurtzel, who seems to me to be a pretentious jerk; but the fact that there is an epidemic of depression in our society and an increasing reliance on anti-depression medication. Not the happiest of subjects, sure, but there's a good film there somewhere; another Scandanavian, Bergman, made plenty.
Reed Richards
