Summary of the movie.
Shutter Island” is a 2010 psychological thriller that stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and Michelle Williams in lead roles. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane (Rizki, 2020). The setting of the movie is based on 1954. The film’s cinematic experiences are thrilling, with the director demonstrating masterful direction and outstanding performances from the cast. The movie denotes the themes of mental disorders such as trauma and the human mind’s power to create reality (Rizki, 2020). This work analyzes the movie by providing its content summary and describing how mental health or behavioral disorders are portrayed. It shall also evaluate the film by determining how accurate or inaccurate the portrayal of the disorder/therapy is in the movie.
The plot of the movie is based on 1954 when U.S Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels’s counterpart partner Sir Mark Ruffalo (Chuck Aule) had gone to Ashecliffe Hospital, a mental institution for the criminally insane found in Shutter Island, a remote and heavily guarded island off the coast of Massachusetts on a mission to investigate a sudden vanish of one of the hospital client known as Rachel Solando. Teddy Daniel, although troubled by his past experiences through dreams while in the Dachau concentration camp, is determined to solve the case and uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the mental hospital client.
While in the process of investigations, the two men, Teddy and Chuck, encounter a host of eccentric characters on the Island, including the head psychiatrist at Ashecliffe, Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley), and his colleagues. They are first prevented from entering the hospital by the uncooperative John who provides them with some of the information they desire; this is where they learn that Solando’s doctor had fled to Island for vacation immediately after the disappearance of Solando. They also note that the Island is shrouded in mystery and secrecy, with strange and terrifying occurrences around them. For instance, they learn from another patient that the staff at Ashecliffe is involved in a sinister plot to experiment on the patients. As Teddy continues to do further investigations, he starts to experience hallucinations and flashbacks that threaten his sanity and grip on reality. For instance, he is alerted by his dead wife that the person they are looking for is in that hospital. The movie ends with Teddy unraveling the truth about the Island and its inhabitants. This ending confuses the viewers regarding the shocking twist as they are left with questions about what they thought they knew and the reality.
How of the behavioral/mental health disorder and/or the therapy was portrayed.
Among the most outstanding movie themes include post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, and the ethics of psychiatric treatment, which are all mental health issues. The movie portrays the issue of mental illness as a misunderstood complex issue that can be manifested in behavior changes, severe hallucinations, and delusions. The movie’s setting is an island with a mental hospital. Teddy Daniels, who is the main character, is a US Marshal suffering from mental illness, which can be demonstrated by how the old memories of his experiences during World War II and the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp haunt him. The movie portrays several symptoms of mental disorders, such as flashbacks, nightmares, and hyperarousal (Rizki, 2020). These are built by his past experiences in the war, which left him emotionally scarred and struggling to cope with the trauma he had endured.
The movie demonstrates more behavioral and mental disorders through other patients whom Teddy meets in the hospital during an investigation. These patients demonstrate a lot of empathy and sensitivity to what is happening in the hospital regarding research. The film highlights the importance of providing appropriate care and support to people with mental health conditions in hospital set-up (Hanley, 2015).
Throughout the movie, therapy is denoted as one of the tools for manipulation, although assigned as a healing process. Teddy is assigned a therapist, Dr. Sheehan, to help him cope with his PTSD and unravel the mystery of the disappearance. However, as the plot unfolds, the viewer can note that only Teddy is coping with the traumatic events, and even when he lets his partner, who later unravels as Dr. Sheehan, about it, he does not care (SANTIAH et al., 2021). This, therefore, shows that Dr. Sheehan’s motivations may not be entirely benevolent, and his role in Teddy’s therapy is called into question, especially since he has been referring to himself as Chuck. Either, it is evident that the people who are primarily in the hospital to receive therapies undergo private lobotomization in a lighthouse which is contrary to what should happen.
Critical analysis of how accurate or inaccurate you found the portrayal of the disorder/therapy.
The movie is based on fictional US marshals who are investigating the disappearance of one of the hospital clients- Solando. The movie later unravels that one of the marshals was a doctor while the active Teddy suffered from mental illness (Hanley, 2015). The first inaccuracy portrayed in the movie is the disappearance of the patient Rachel Solando. Indeed, as the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that there are more sinister forces at play, denoted by Teddy. This is because Solando was portrayed as having multiple personalities, which is a common misconception about the disorder. According to research, Multiple Personality Disorder, now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, is a rare and complex disorder where a person develops two or more distinct personalities, each with its own way of thinking, feeling, and action (Tamam et al. n.p). It is therefore also hard to conclude that she disappeared with this disorder because it is not characterized by sudden, complete changes in personality or violent behavior, as depicted in the movie. Indeed, his doctor was the one who had immediately vanished after the disappearance of Solando.
Another inaccuracy in the movie is the use of lobotomy as a standard treatment for mental illness. According to research, it is considered an outdated and barbaric practice and has been banned in most countries (Nadler & Chandler, 2019). However, it was once a popular treatment for various mental disorders. Another inaccuracy demonstrated is the therapies given to the patients. The hospital’s staff is cruel and abusive towards the patients, which is not representative of the mental health professional providing therapy to the patient. However, some accuracies can be found in the movie regarding therapy and mental disorders. For instance, Cawley explains tremors of Teddy as withdrawals from Chlorpromazine. This is true because the mentioned drug is an ant-psychotic medication used for the treatment of the health issues that Teddy is suffering from (Rahmi & Arianto, 2019).
Social work practice evaluation based on the film.
The social work services demonstrated in the movie are generally provided by the staff of the mental institution found in the movie. Several things have worked in the institution, such as safety and security for the patients provided for the patients in the facility. Indeed, once one patient gets lost, individuals are sent to intervene in the issue. The staff has utilized a combination of group therapies, medications, and individual therapy for their patients. Notably, the personal therapeutic doctor assigned to Solando had gone on vacation.
What did not work included the treatment provided for the patients. The patients were not given adequate treatment by the staff and even feared undergoing lobotomized procedures. Either, there were unethical practices used for the patients by the staff, such as lobotomy, to “treat” patients (Nadler & Chandler, 2019). Finally, there were poor patient-staff relations as the staff did not understand their parents’ concerns and needs. To improve patient outcomes there are things that could be done differently to improve the outcomes of the client. For instance, evidence-based practices for treating patients could be used by the institution’s staff. This would outdo the use of lobotomy since it is a harmful and outdated practice that has been discredited by modern medicine. More individualized treatment plans for the patients could be provided by the institution staff which would accommodate patients’ unique needs and circumstances. Group therapy can be initiated to provide an opportunity for the patients to interact with one another.
In conclusion, Shutter Island” is a 2010 psychological thriller film that stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and Michelle Williams in lead roles. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The plot of the movie is based on 1954 when U.S Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels’s counterpart partner Sir Mark Ruffalo (Chuck Aule) had gone to Ashecliffe Hospital, a mental institution for the criminally insane found in Shutter Island, a remote and heavily guarded island off the coast of Massachusetts on a mission to investigate a sudden vanish of one of the hospital client known as Rachel Solando. While in the process of investigations, the two men, Teddy and Chuck, encounter a host of eccentric characters on the Island, including the head psychiatrist at Ashecliffe, Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley), and his colleagues. The movie denotes several issues related to mental disorders and how rightfully or wrongfully they were handled.
References
Hanley, E. (2015). Perception of mental illness based upon its portrayal in the film.
Nadler, R., & Chandler, J. A. (2019). Legal regulation of psychosurgery: a fifty-state survey. Journal of Legal Medicine, 39(4), 335-399.
Rahmi, E., & Arianto, T. (2019). Schizophrenia Symptoms Acute in Teddy Alias Andrew in The “Shutter Island” Novel by Dennis Lehane. Jurnal Basis, 6(2), 225-236.
Rizki, K. N. (2020). THE ANALYSIS OF PLOT IN DENNIS LEHANE’S NOVEL SHUTTER ISLAND (Doctoral dissertation, KODEUNIVERSITAS041060# UniversitasBuddhiDharma).
SANTIAH, S., Rozelin, D., & Azlan, U. (2021). The Schizophrenia of the Main Character In The Movie Shutter Island By Martin Scorsese (Doctoral dissertation, UIN Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi).
Tamam, L., Özpoyraz, N., & Ünal, M. Multiple personality disorder (dissociative identity disorder): A review.
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