Mad Love (1995 film)
Encyclopedia
Mad Love is a 1995
romantic
drama film
directed by Antonia Bird
and starring Chris O'Donnell
, Drew Barrymore
and Matthew Lillard
. The screenplay was written by Paula Milne
. The original music score is composed by Andy Roberts
.
or bipolar disorder
.)
Casey is eccentric
in nature. Her carefree attitude is attributed to a part of her illness, in which she can experience severe highs and lows of emotion. It is from this truth much of the film's central appeal and plot are based upon, in that her mutual love and joy can be so extreme yet dangerously flawed.
Heading toward Mexico
, Casey begins to experience symptoms of depression
again. Matt, trying to help her, becomes scared. After she threatens suicide
, and also threatens to kill him, they return to Seattle
and their families, where she agrees to start taking medication.
published a mixed review by critic Emanuel Levy. He labeled the film as "yet another variation on amour fou and love on the run that makes little sense and fails to reach the heart". He also commented that "large sections of the pic are immensely likable" and highlighted aspects such as the realistic portrayal of mental illness
. The media service LoveFilm
also gave a mixed review, calling the film a "b-movie road adventure".
1995 in film
-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
romantic
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Antonia Bird
Antonia Bird
Antonia Bird is an English television drama and feature film director.-Life and career:Bird was born in London. She began her career at the Royal Court Theatre before moving to television in the mid 1980s, directing episodes of EastEnders , Casualty , and drama serials like Thin Air and The Men's...
and starring Chris O'Donnell
Chris O'Donnell
Christopher Eugene "Chris" O'Donnell is an American actor. He has played Robin in two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, Charlie Simms in Scent of a Woman, Finn Dandridge in Grey's Anatomy, Peter Garrett in Vertical Limit, and more recently, Jack McAuliffe in The Company. O'Donnell...
, Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
and Matthew Lillard
Matthew Lillard
Matthew Lyn Lillard is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his roles as Stu Macher in Scream, Stevo in SLC Punk , and Shaggy Rogers in the Scooby-Doo film series and the Animated reboot series.-Early life:Lillard was born in Lansing, Michigan, and grew up in Tustin, California...
. The screenplay was written by Paula Milne
Paula Milne
Paula Milne is a multi-award–winning British screenwriter who has been active since the 1970s. Her notable works include The Politician’s Wife, The Virgin Queen, Chandler & Co, Die Kinder, Second Sight, Driving Ambition, Small Island and Endgame.She also devised the BBC medical drama Angels.Further...
. The original music score is composed by Andy Roberts
Andy Roberts
Anderson Montgomery Everton "Andy" Roberts is a former West Indian cricketer. He was an excellent fast bowler, twice taking seven wickets in an innings of a Test match...
.
Synopsis
Straight-laced Matt Leland (O'Donnell) falls in love with Casey Roberts (Barrymore), the new girl in school from Chicago. After he helps her escape from an acute psychiatric ward, they run away as they both deal with her severe mental illness (likely borderline personality disorderBorderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person , characterized by depth and variability of moods.The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the...
or bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
.)
Casey is eccentric
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
in nature. Her carefree attitude is attributed to a part of her illness, in which she can experience severe highs and lows of emotion. It is from this truth much of the film's central appeal and plot are based upon, in that her mutual love and joy can be so extreme yet dangerously flawed.
Heading toward Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Casey begins to experience symptoms of depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
again. Matt, trying to help her, becomes scared. After she threatens suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, and also threatens to kill him, they return to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and their families, where she agrees to start taking medication.
Main cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Chris O'Donnell Chris O'Donnell Christopher Eugene "Chris" O'Donnell is an American actor. He has played Robin in two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, Charlie Simms in Scent of a Woman, Finn Dandridge in Grey's Anatomy, Peter Garrett in Vertical Limit, and more recently, Jack McAuliffe in The Company. O'Donnell... |
Matt Leland |
| Drew Barrymore Drew Barrymore Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered... |
Casey Roberts |
| Matthew Lillard Matthew Lillard Matthew Lyn Lillard is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his roles as Stu Macher in Scream, Stevo in SLC Punk , and Shaggy Rogers in the Scooby-Doo film series and the Animated reboot series.-Early life:Lillard was born in Lansing, Michigan, and grew up in Tustin, California... |
Eric |
| Joan Allen Joan Allen Joan Allen is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989.She has received three Academy Award nominations;... |
Margaret Roberts |
| Jude Ciccolella Jude Ciccolella Richard Jude Ciccolella , better known as Jude Ciccolella, is an American character actor.-Biography:Ciccolella graduated from Brown University, class of 1969 where he acted in student productions. He studied at Temple University with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre... |
Richard Roberts |
| Amy Sakasitz | Joanna Leland |
| Kevin Dunn Kevin Dunn Kevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller... |
Clifford Leland |
| Elaine Miles Elaine Miles Elaine Miles is an American actress best known for her role as Marilyn Whirlwind in the television series Northern Exposure.-Biography:... |
Housekeeper |
Reception
VarietyVariety
- Mathematics :* Abelian variety, a complex torus that can be embedded into projective space* Abstract variety, an intrinsically defined variety* Algebraic variety, the basic object of study in algebraic geometry** Affine variety, a subset of algebraic varieties...
published a mixed review by critic Emanuel Levy. He labeled the film as "yet another variation on amour fou and love on the run that makes little sense and fails to reach the heart". He also commented that "large sections of the pic are immensely likable" and highlighted aspects such as the realistic portrayal of mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. The media service LoveFilm
LoveFilm
LoveFilm is a UK-based provider of home video and video game rental through DVD-by-mail and streaming video on demand in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia...
also gave a mixed review, calling the film a "b-movie road adventure".
Soundtrack
- "Love BuzzLove Buzz-Shocking Blue:"Love Buzz" is a song written by Robbie van Leeuwen of Dutch rock band Shocking Blue.-Nirvana:The American grunge band Nirvana recorded a cover version of the song for its 1988 debut single, released on Sub Pop in the US. It was the first single in the Sub Pop Singles club. A...
" – NirvanaNirvana (band)Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987... - "Slowly, SlowlySlowly, Slowly"Slowly, Slowly" is a 1994 single by Magnapop from the album Hot Boxing, released by Play It Again Sam Records on Compact Disc and 12" gramophone record , as well as a limited-edition white vinyl version A promo Compact Disc edition was released by Priority Records as DPRO 50804...
" – MagnapopMagnapopMagnapop is an alternative rock band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1989, the band has consistently included songwriting duo Linda Hopper as vocalist and Ruthie Morris on guitar. Magnapop first achieved recognition in the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg through... - "Citysong" – Luscious JacksonLuscious JacksonLuscious Jackson are an alternative rock group formed in 1991. The band's name was inspired by now-retired American basketball player Lucious Jackson....
- "Glazed" – Rocket from the CryptRocket from the CryptRocket from the Crypt was an American rock band led by John Reis, formed in 1989 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 2005.The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record labels after the release of their 1992 album Circa: Now!, leading to a recording contract with Interscope...
- "Scratch" – 7 Year Bitch7 Year Bitch7 Year Bitch was an American punk rock band from Seattle, Washington that was active for 7 years, between 1990 and 1997. Their career yielded three albums, and was impacted by the deaths of their guitarist Stefanie Sargent and close-friend Mia Zapata of fellow Seattle punks The Gits.-Career:7 Year...
- "Mockingbirds" – Grant Lee BuffaloGrant Lee BuffaloGrant Lee Buffalo is a rock band based in Los Angeles, California, consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips , Paul Kimble and Joey Peters . All three were previously members of another Los Angeles band, Shiva Burlesque.-Career:...
- "Let's Go for a Ride" – CrackerCracker (band)Cracker is an American alternative rock band featuring founders/songwriters singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are best known for their platinum-selling 1993 album, Kerosene Hat, featuring the hit songs "Low", "Euro-Trash Girl", and "Get Off This".Founders Lowery and Hickman...
- "Haydn String Quartet No.1 3rd Movement" – Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
- "Ultra Anxiety (Teenage Style)" – Madder RoseMadder RoseMadder Rose was a New York City-based alternative rock band who recorded in the 1990s. The band was fronted by Mary Lorson, who shared songwriting duties with guitarist Billy Coté. The two singer/songwriters continued their collaboration, Cote as guest producer on Lorson's three discs with Saint...
- "Icy Blue" – 7 Year Bitch7 Year Bitch7 Year Bitch was an American punk rock band from Seattle, Washington that was active for 7 years, between 1990 and 1997. Their career yielded three albums, and was impacted by the deaths of their guitarist Stefanie Sargent and close-friend Mia Zapata of fellow Seattle punks The Gits.-Career:7 Year...
- "Here Comes My Girl" – Throneberry
- "Fallout" – FluoresceinFluoresceinFluorescein is a synthetic organic compound available as a dark orange/red powder soluble in water and alcohol. It is widely used as a fluorescent tracer for many applications....
- "Ah Fuggi Il Traditor" – Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
- "Stutter" – ElasticaElasticaElastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
- "Shakin' Shakin' Shakes" – Los LobosLos LobosLos Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
- "Let Freedom Ring (Volumes 4, 5 e 6)Let Freedom RingLet Freedom Ring is an album by jazz saxophonist Jackie McLean, recorded in 1962 and released on Blue Note.McLean wrote three of the four compositions. "Melody for Melonae" is dedicated to his daughter , and appeared as "Melanie" on Matador, a later recording that he made with Kenny Dorham...
" – Mark GerminoMark GerminoMark Germino is an American folk rock and country singer-songwriter. Born in North Carolina, he initially worked as a poet before moving into folk rock songwriting; by 1974, he had moved to Nashville... - "Mona Lisa Overdrive" – Head Candy
- "As Long as You Hold Me" – Kirsty MacCollKirsty MacCollKirsty Anna MacColl was an English singer-songwriter.MacColl scored several pop hits from the early 1980s to the early 1990s...