Psychologists/Psychiatrists/Therapists
by Kodi-Lists | created - 22 Sep 2017 | updated - 07 Jan 2018 | PublicIf you think i've ommited to include specific movies, just drop a comment in the facebook comment section. Also if you feel like encouraging me, you can donate any amount to my paypal! paypal.me/LongplaysLand If you let me know your email in the donation message, i will send you a newsletter every time a new list is made! ( 20$ or more )
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1. Ordinary People (1980)
R | 124 min | Drama
The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.
Director: Robert Redford | Stars: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton
Votes: 56,659 | Gross: $54.80M
Outstanding film about a boy suffering from depression. This isn't just a bleak portrayal of 'ordinary people', it's uplifting and each main character has psychological depth.
2. The Prince of Tides (1991)
R | 132 min | Drama, Romance
A troubled man talks to his suicidal sister's psychiatrist about their family history and falls in love with her in the process.
Director: Barbra Streisand | Stars: Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte, Blythe Danner, Kate Nelligan
Votes: 19,713 | Gross: $74.79M
Prince of Tides tends to polarise opinion - but go for it. I loved it.
Beautifully shot, intricate characters, plot, excellent narration, and also it should be praised as exceptionally well adapted from the novel, which is very long and often clumsily structured.
3. Equus (1977)
R | 137 min | Drama, Mystery
A psychiatrist attempts to uncover a troubled stable boy's disturbing obsession with horses.
Director: Sidney Lumet | Stars: Richard Burton, Peter Firth, Colin Blakely, Joan Plowright
Votes: 8,743
Richard Burton is brilliant as the psychiatrist, challenging our ideas of madness versus sanity. Wonderful writing in places.
4. Donnie Darko (2001)
R | 113 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Director: Richard Kelly | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne
Votes: 849,742 | Gross: $1.48M
Difficult film to write about, but the psychiatrist is very well played (I wish there were more scenes with her). If you haven't seen 'Donnie Darko' then you really should because it's just so.... odd and mind-bending.
5. The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
R | 113 min | Crime, Romance, Thriller
A very rich and successful playboy amuses himself by stealing artwork, but may have met his match in a seductive detective.
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Ben Gazzara
Votes: 100,471 | Gross: $69.30M
Faye Dunaway as the therapist to a bored billionaire is memorable but the role is very small, barely amounting to a few minutes - exciting movie regardless. and I think it's underrated.
6. Girl, Interrupted (1999)
R | 127 min | Biography, Drama
A directionless teenager, Susanna, is rushed to Claymoore, a mental institution, after a supposed suicide attempt. There, she befriends a group of troubled women who deeply influence her life.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy
Votes: 211,178 | Gross: $28.87M
This left a bitter taste in my mouth, but the story is moving and Vanessa Redgrave is impressive as one of the Psychiatrists... as is Whoopi Goldberg who plays a Psychiatric nurse.
7. Good Will Hunting (1997)
R | 126 min | Drama, Romance
Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.
Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Votes: 1,067,201 | Gross: $138.43M
Great film all round. What works so well here is the writing - great dialogue, with memorable lines that make you think.
8. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
PG-13 | 135 min | Biography, Drama, Mystery
A mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer
Votes: 986,514 | Gross: $170.74M
although this is a wonderful film, I can't help but get bored around half way through. I guess once you know what happens, it's not quite as enthralling at this point, but it does have longevity as I've enjoyed watching it many times.
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
R | 133 min | Drama
In the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.
Director: Milos Forman | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman, Peter Brocco
Votes: 1,071,871 | Gross: $112.00M
I think this probably deserves to be higher up on my list because it's such a 'classic', but I enjoyed other ones more.
10. Ma vie en rose (1997)
R | 88 min | Drama
Ludovic is an innocent seven-year-old child who provokes horror in his community when he dresses in girls clothes and insists he's a girl.
Director: Alain Berliner | Stars: Georges Du Fresne, Michèle Laroque, Jean-Philippe Écoffey, Hélène Vincent
Votes: 9,024 | Gross: $2.28M
Surreal French film about a boy with gender issues. If you like this one don't miss 'Tomboy' (2011), which is even better.
The role of the psychologist is small, and not particularly memorable, but I've included this film because it's worth seeing in terms of how a whole community can react so strongly to someone who is a bit different.
11. Awakenings (1990)
PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Drama
The victims of an encephalitis epidemic many years ago have been catatonic ever since, but now a new drug offers the prospect of reviving them.
Director: Penny Marshall | Stars: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson
Votes: 158,646 | Gross: $52.10M
I got bored and stopped watching half way through this, but for others who have greater attention spans, I'm sure I'm wrong.
Robin Williams plays an absent minded psychiatrist.
12. Side Effects (I) (2013)
R | 106 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A young woman's world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.
Director: Steven Soderbergh | Stars: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Votes: 197,093 | Gross: $32.17M
Jude Law is convincing as the psychiatrist, but not brilliant.
There was an opportunity here to explore the ethics of pharmaceutical companies, but the director has focused more on making this a murder mystery, with fairly predictable twists and turns along the way.
Overall I thought the film was below average.
13. Man on a Ledge (2012)
PG-13 | 102 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
As a police psychologist works to talk down an ex-con who is threatening to jump from a Manhattan hotel rooftop, the biggest diamond heist ever committed is in motion.
Director: Asger Leth | Stars: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Mandy Gonzalez
Votes: 158,518 | Gross: $18.62M
Good film if you want to sit back and enjoy a couple of hours of fast-paced, tense, light-hearted action. Bad film if you want anything more.
Police psychologist involved throughout, and brief scene with psychologist inside a prison.
14. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama
Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.
Director: Stephen Chbosky | Stars: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
Votes: 547,754 | Gross: $17.74M
Psychiatrist has a very brief role at the end. The film deals with adolescent mental illness and difficulties throughout, but it isn't the main theme, which is friendship.
I liked it very much, although I wasn't convinced by Charlie's friends, who seem to demand a lot and give back very little.
15. The Horse Whisperer (1998)
PG-13 | 169 min | Drama, Romance, Western
The mother of a severely traumatized daughter enlists the aid of a unique horse trainer to help the girl's equally injured horse.
Director: Robert Redford | Stars: Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Dianne Wiest
Votes: 43,521 | Gross: $75.38M
Ok so I'm stretching the rules a little here, as there isn't a psychologist within sight...BUT...Robert Redford plays the part of someone who is sensitive to troubled souls. Without giving anything away, his empathy, patience, and willingness to listen are key.
I think this film reminds us that you don't need a degree in Psychology to make a difference to someone simply by listening.
16. A Dangerous Method (2011)
R | 99 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.
Director: David Cronenberg | Stars: Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel
Votes: 108,316 | Gross: $5.70M
I expected to be more intellectually engaged as I hoped there would be interesting debates between two of the most influential men of the 20th C. Instead, this focuses solely on the emotional, romantic side of things. I also think that the main characters were, without exception, miscast.
17. Maurice (1987)
R | 140 min | Drama, Romance
Two English school chums find themselves falling in love at Cambridge. To regain his place in society, Clive gives up Maurice and marries. While staying with Clive and his wife, Maurice discovers romance in the arms of the gamekeeper Alec.
Director: James Ivory | Stars: James Wilby, Rupert Graves, Hugh Grant, Denholm Elliott
Votes: 23,556 | Gross: $3.13M
Involves a psychoanalyst hypnotising a patient in order to 'cure' them of homosexuality. Set in the Edwardian period. Some very good performances/engaging story.
Directed by James Ivory.
18. The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
PG | 114 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
An autistic boy who dreams of flying touches everyone he meets, including a new family who has moved in after their father dies.
Director: Nick Castle | Stars: Lucy Deakins, Jay Underwood, Bonnie Bedelia, Fred Savage
Votes: 6,513 | Gross: $7.18M
Interestingly, the psychiatrist (brief role) is played by Louis Fletcher, the same actress who was Nurse Ratched in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.
This is really a children's film, a kind of modernised Peter Pan. It's sentimental rather than poignant, and predictable rather than deeply compelling: it doesn't ask a lot from its viewers. If, however, you have a thing for innocent 80s movies then you might enjoy.
Also, an interesting portrayal of Autism (this film came out before 'Rain Man').
19. Postcards from the Edge (1990)
R | 101 min | Comedy, Drama
A substance-addicted actress tries to look on the bright side even as she is forced to move back in with her mother to avoid unemployment.
Director: Mike Nichols | Stars: Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman
Votes: 19,313 | Gross: $37.96M
Rehab scenes. I just love this film - it's very well acted (not a surprise given who's in it), good dialogue (at times hilarious), visually satisfying, and never boring.
20. It's Complicated (2009)
R | 120 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When attending their son's college graduation, a couple reignite the spark in their relationship. But the complicated fact is they're divorced and he's remarried.
Director: Nancy Meyers | Stars: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski
Votes: 98,476 | Gross: $112.74M
Meryl Streep's character goes to see her shrink to discuss a few problems.
Otherwise, a silly feel-good film that is fine to watch if you just want to be entertained and can put up with all the superficiality. Quite fun.
21. Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian (2013)
Unrated | 117 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
A troubled Native American veteran forms an extraordinary friendship with his maverick French psychoanalyst as they try to find a cure to his suffering.
Director: Arnaud Desplechin | Stars: Benicio Del Toro, Mathieu Amalric, Gina McKee, Larry Pine
Votes: 3,118 | Gross: $0.02M
I've now watched this several times and each time I've enjoyed it more. At first I found the plot difficult to follow, (which is I think the reason why I didn't love it to start with).
The psychoanalyst here is played exceptionally well. He plays a fascinating character who draws you in and leaves you thinking about after. His patient, also very well acted, is however a little pedestrian. Their relationship is described as 'deeply powerful' in the IMDB summary of the film, but I don't think I agree with this. I thought that the cultural barrier between them seemed too strong.
Definitely try this. I found it ultimately rewarding and made me go back and watch it again!
22. Antwone Fisher (2002)
PG-13 | 120 min | Biography, Drama
Antwone Fisher, a young navy man, is forced to see a psychiatrist after a violent outburst against a fellow crewman. During the course of treatment a painful past is revealed and a new hope begins.
Director: Denzel Washington | Stars: Denzel Washington, Derek Luke, Joy Bryant, Malcolm David Kelley
Votes: 38,412 | Gross: $21.08M
Moving film. The psychiatrist makes a lot of mistakes.
In many ways, this is a poorer version of 'Good Will Hunting'. The problem is that the writing isn't as crisp or poetic and the psychiatrist is frustrating.
23. It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A clinically-depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.
Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck | Stars: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Dana DeVestern
Votes: 148,123 | Gross: $6.35M
It's not funny at all and I didn't even bother with the second half.
24. Spellbound (1945)
Approved | 111 min | Film-Noir, Mystery, Romance
A psychiatrist protects the identity of an amnesia patient accused of murder while attempting to recover his memory.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll
Votes: 52,219 | Gross: $7.00M
Will keep you guessing until the end. Never boring.
25. Hope Springs (2012)
PG-13 | 100 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.
Director: David Frankel | Stars: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell, Jean Smart
Votes: 44,277 | Gross: $63.54M
Brilliant acting. A little pedestrian at times with a soundtrack that leaves much to be desired (cliched contemporary sentimental pop songs are used now and then just to fill up space). However, brave film that is definitely worth watching with amusing moments.
26. The West Wing (1999–2006)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama
Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.
Stars: Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Allison Janney, John Spencer
Votes: 85,511
See episode 'NOEL' Season 2
This episode is all about a psychologist treating someone with PTSD.
See episode 'Night Five' Season 4
The president is suffering from insomnia.
And if you haven't seen The West Wing before you REALLY SHOULD. Although there's quite a bit of American patriotism shoved in your face the dialogue is excellent... no, I'll go further... for a TV show it's outstanding, but hard to follow especially if you don't know much about US politics.
27. In Treatment (2008–2021)
TV-MA | 25 min | Drama
A psychotherapist questions his abilities and gets help by reuniting with his old therapist, whom he has not seen for ten years.
Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Forbes
Votes: 18,272
I watched this a few years ago and had a sort of love/hate relationship with it. Gabriel Byrne acts the part of the psychologist very well (as do the other actors who play therapists) and generally the cases are interesting. Of course this is TV so it's all spiced up for more dramatic effect, but it feels convincing and definitely similar to real-life therapy.
What I didn't enjoy was the arguing between the main therapist and his supervisor. I suppose it makes it more believable but watching people argue isn't really my idea of a swell evening.
I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in therapy.
28. Don Juan DeMarco (1994)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A psychiatrist must cure a young patient who presents himself as Don Juan, the world's greatest lover.
Director: Jeremy Leven | Stars: Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando, Faye Dunaway, Géraldine Pailhas
Votes: 53,295 | Gross: $22.15M
One of the daftest films I have seen this year, but quite endearing in places. Brando is brilliant in his role as psychiatrist (and the film wouldn't be worth the effort without him).
29. The Road Within (2014)
R | 100 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A young man with Tourette's Syndrome embarks on a road trip with his recently-deceased mother's ashes.
Director: Gren Wells | Stars: Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel, Zoë Kravitz, Robert Patrick
Votes: 16,270
I generally enjoyed this, but found the psychiatrist wholly unconvincing, and frankly, a bit dim. I was also incredulous at the girl's anorexia (surely if she ate as little as the film implies, she wouldn't have the energy to go galavanting off on a road trip!?) It's all very implausable from start to finish, but I didn't feel bored or unengaged and the main actors did a fairly good job.
30. A Therapy (2012)
4 min | Short, Comedy, Drama
A therapist becomes obsessed with his patient's Prada coat.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 1,237
3-minute, amusing advert about therapy by Roman Polanski.
31. The Three Faces of Eve (1957)
Approved | 91 min | Drama, Mystery
A doctor treats a woman suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder.
Director: Nunnally Johnson | Stars: Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb, Edwin Jerome
Votes: 8,771
Finally got around to watching this. Great film.
32. Control (2007)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A profile of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic singer of Joy Division whose personal, professional, and romantic troubles led him to die by suicide at the age of 23.
Director: Anton Corbijn | Stars: Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Craig Parkinson, Alexandra Maria Lara
Votes: 68,534 | Gross: $0.87M
Brief scene with a psychiatrist prescribing medication for epilepsy and an amateur hypnosis scene. Also brilliant portrayal of depression throughout by Sam Riley.
33. Lost Angels (1989)
R | 116 min | Drama
A troubled youth from a split Los Angeles family is sent to a private psychiatric hospital after a violent scrape with the police. In the hospital, he makes a connection with one of the doctors who has his own problems.
Director: Hugh Hudson | Stars: Donald Sutherland, Adam Horovitz, Amy Locane, Don Bloomfield
Votes: 1,075 | Gross: $1.25M
Not terrible... I won't be watching again, though. Psychiatrist played by Donald Sutherland.
34. The Newsroom (2012–2014)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
A newsroom undergoes some changes in its workings and morals as a new team is brought in, bringing unexpected results for its existing news anchor.
Stars: Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher Jr., Alison Pill
Votes: 124,610
By the same man who wrote and created The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin.
3 episodes involve therapy, all in Season 1.
The relationship between client and psychiatrist is an interesting one, involving funny, smart dialogue. The sessions add to our understanding of the main character.
35. Cruel Intentions (1999)
R | 97 min | Drama, Romance
Two vicious step-siblings of an elite Manhattan prep school make a wager: to deflower the new headmaster's daughter before the start of term.
Director: Roger Kumble | Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair
Votes: 205,069 | Gross: $38.77M
What's the perfect revenge for an inept psychologist who overcharges?
One teenager's answer to this question is explored at the very start of 'Cruel Intentions' - a staple of the late 90s slew of vaguely amusing high school movies. It's about what could happen when parentally neglected, super rich adolescents have too much time on their hands...
I make it sound awful, but actually it's quite fun and engrossing... that is, if you can sit through over an hour of adolescent angst.
36. Mr. Robot (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Elliot, a brilliant but unstable cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker, becomes a key figure in a complex game of global chaos when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation his company is paid to protect.
Stars: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Chaikin, Martin Wallström
Votes: 418,070
OKAY the first 2 episodes of this were good and then by the 3rd everything gets really dark with a BDSM theme and suddenly I don't like the way things are headed. Why does every TV series these days have to be violent and seedy? Why can't there be more shows like The West Wing where there are good people who are fundamentally principled? Why do writers opt for sensationalism, grit and cynicism, over nuance and cordiality? Maybe it's me though...
Here's my review of the first 2 episodes before I became thoroughly disenchanted:
The relationship between the main character, Eliot, and his female therapist is unusual: both are reserved and quiet, but that's where the similarities end - they couldn't be more different... and it will be interesting to see how this develops. Issues such as drugs, social anxiety, and family problems come up, although we only see snippets of one or two sessions per episode.
37. Mad to Be Normal (2017)
106 min | Biography, Drama, History
During the 1960s, a renegade Scottish psychiatrist courts controversy within his profession for his approach to the field, and for the unique community he creates for his patients to inhabit.
Director: Robert Mullan | Stars: David Tennant, Elisabeth Moss, Gabriel Byrne, Michael Gambon
Votes: 1,720
A quite good movie. David Tennant does a marvellous job as the maverick and complex R D Lang, and there are other excellent performances. As someone who knows next to nothing about his contributions to Psychology I can't comment on historical accuracy regarding his unusual/enlightened/important/dicey practise methods, but I thought this was documented well and engagingly.
I left the cinema feeling, ironically, rather blue. Although it was, as just said, engaging, there was a lot of arguing and chaos within Lang's world. There was a bleakness to the film, which I struggle to define. I certainly don't feel I learnt very much and that, once again, this was another big blockbuster movie with intellectual pretensions. Style no substance. I'm sure many will disagree with this diagnosis but I feel, in the end, too much emoting and not enough serious thought. It seemed to be more soap opera than a considered view of his work.
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