Mental Health Movie Analysis
Learning Objective: Students will expand their knowledge and comprehension of common mental health disorders through analyzing and evaluating the portrayal of mental health in selected media.
Desired Outcome: Students will develop their understanding of the decided featured mental illness through the analysis and evaluation of the characters’ portrayal, which will include an analysis of the accuracy of portrayal as well as the diagnosis criteria and treatment of the featured disorder.
Directions: You and your group members will watch Joker (2019) prior to 21 September. Please be aware this movie can be quite graphic and is not appropriate for children. This movie is available via various streaming services. Please reach out if any concerns arise regarding movie availability.
Assignment: After watching the movie Joker (2019), respond to the following prompts in a 7th edition APA formatted essay with a maximum length of 6 pages, not including title and reference pages.
Note:
• You are NOT creating a summary or review of the movie.
• You ARE analyzing the movie’s depiction of the mental illness by addressing each of the following prompts:
1. Accuracy of portrayal of mental illness: Of the mental health disorders and illnesses (exemplars) discussed in NUR 114, which disorder or illness does your group believe is presented in Joker (2019) through Arthur Fleck? How does the movie represent and depict this disorder or illness? In what ways is this an accurate or inaccurate portrayal of how someone with this illness interacts with the world around them?
2. Treatment recommendations: What treatments does Arthur Fleck receive in the movie specific to the disorder or illness your group believes is presented? What additional treatments are available for this illness which were not depicted in the movie? If your group were to build a treatment plan for Arthur Fleck, what might it include?
3. Community Outreach: Discuss ways the community of Gotham City supports those with mental illness. Suggest evidenced-based approaches and examples from our local community to improve mental health awareness and treatment in Gotham City.
4. Pick ONE of the two following topics to address:
a) Professional ethics: How are the doctors and/or therapists depicted? What does your group believe is achieved by depicting mental health care professionals in this light?
b) Perpetuation of stigma: What does your group believe is achieved by depicting mental illness in this light? Does this depiction move forward or hinder the treatment of those with mental illness?
