1. A Beautiful Mind

Mathematician John Forbes Nash is known for his work with game theory and Nash equilibrium that has revolutionized the world of economics. “A Beautiful Mind” tells the behind-the-scenes story of John Nash, diagnosed schizophrenic. I find this film outstanding when it comes to psychology-related films because it does such a brilliant job portraying the illness for what it is. We watched this in my AP Psych class and my classmates who had never seen the film were flabbergasted as they watched his reality collapse on itself. Though the film does not express Nash’s entire illness, I recommend you check it out with documentaries with Nash, such as “A Brilliant Madness.”

2. The Butterfly Effect

Do you ever stop to wonder how your existence impacts another person’s social development? In this fictional tale, Evan Treborn, played by Ashton Kutcher, learns firsthand how he affects his childhood friend Kayleigh, her brother Tommy and their friend Lenny. Evan has the ability to rewrite memories, thus changing his friends’ futures and his own. Seriously, you need to check this film out to learn about social structures and how one moment could change the future for everyone. It’s one of my favorites.

3. The Snake Pit

In ancient Greece, there was a theory that you would be driven insane if you were placed in a snake pit. The Greeks theorized that you could likewise be made sane if already insane when put in the same situation. “The Snake Pit” addresses this theory and that of the mental health care system in the 1950s. Putting a bunch of crazy people in a room together won’t make them snap out of it. It’s incredulous to see how the mental health care system functioned. This is a must-see!

4. Sybil

Though Sybil’s story has gotten a lot of grief, I feel the film does a good job of portraying Dissociative Identity Disorder, aka Multiple Personality Disorder. There is one scene in the 1976 version of the film where Sybil deals with some of her childhood trauma. All she can remember is the color purple. As the story unfolds, you see a confined Sybil scribbling on the wall with a purple crayon. I find this scene fascinating because it shows how some memories in cognitive development cannot be translated into words but rather remain as intimidating images.

5. Primal Fear

The film focuses on the murder of the Archbishop by one of his altar boys. Martin Vail, played by Richard Gere, takes to the courtroom to defend the alleged killer. But can you defend someone without caring if they are guilty or innocent? Would you still fight with the same vigor if you thought they deserved it? Watch this movie to find out!

6. Benny and Joon

Brother and sister Benny and Joon live together due to Joon’s mental illness. Following a series of events, Benny wins his friend’s cousin at poker. Sam, aka Johnny Depp, isn’t entirely there, which allows him to click with Joon almost instantly. They begin to fall for each other but Sam’s eccentricity may trigger Joon’s illness.

7. Silence of the Lambs

Antisocial Personality Disorder is put under the microscope in this classic. Jodie Foster plays a young FBI cadet who must help to find the psychopath, serial killer Buffalo Bill. It’s a great film to psychoanalyze! Especially Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the incarcerated cannibal who must help Foster solve the case.

Psychology-related films are great to watch because they address developmental elements that affect all of us. What are some psychology-related films that you recommend?