Jones (Richard Gere) is hyper and fun. His lust for life is extreme. It is like he has the energy of ten men restored in him. His energy and happiness are contagious. Oh, sure it can be irritating as hell, depending on how your own day is going. He loves to laugh, flirt and spend. He loves to dance and he can play music so incredibly well.
But this is a good day. It is the manic side of his manic depression,also called the bipolar disorder. He hates being hospitalized and he hates medicine. What he likes, though, is the pretty doctor treating him: Elizabeth (Lena Olin). She wants to treat him. He is more intrested in flirting. After he dodges hospitalization,however, his doctor’s fears/or let’s say the realistic expectations are realized. The depression takes over.
The depressed side is maybe even worse than a regularly depressed patient, because you fall down so hard and so fast- and you really don’t know what has hit you. You hate yoursef,your life, and life in general. You transfer from being your best friend and your fav. person on earth to your biggest enemy and someone you don’t really recognize. So this time Jones is too desperate to turn down treatment. However a psychiatric hospital makes Jones even more depressed. The thing with manic-depression is that you are aware of the ridiculousness and the extremity of the situation. You are sane. So while his mood swings are balanced with medication, his personality is sedated too. He is miserable there.
So what do you do with a patient who is- on a good day- better and more rational than you and on a bad day questions everything, feels isolated and lost? After Elizabeth’s intrusion in his previous life (partly from curiousity and partly for his treatment and, welll partly she has feelings for him) – they have a huge fight, Jones gets angry and leaves. Liz doesn’t let him go and well, things gets even more complicated for both…
Both characters are problematic and romantic. Both leads are beautiful. The movie brought me really up and put me down at the same time. It still haunts me. Because people, you can dismiss the actions of Liz, and the relationship as romantisized but Jones is very true to heart. No, this is not my Richard gere crush talking. I know a manic- depressive very well…
P.S: Give Mad Love a chance too. Depending on whether you are a little crazy/impulsive by nature and/or manic-depressive you might identify with Drew Barrymore’s character. If not, the sensitive Matt (Chris O’ Donnell) might appeal to you.
Another good movie about depression:
Brooklyn’s Finest starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle
Sommersby starring Richard Gere and Jodie Foster
Pretty Woman starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts
Allure of the older Guy feat. Richard Gere