I liked this movie and I thought it had something to say. As one mainstream criticism I have read says, its main theme is how we should look after each other. But that we don't look after each other. The father (Anthony LaPaglia) of five girls is an absent, self-absorbed politician. The girls' auntie is uncaring and shallow, and the neighbours and cafe owners are mean and judgemental. So the when the mum (Rebecca Gibney) has a nervous breakdown, she and her daughters look headed for disaster. In steps a stranger, the hitchhiker Shaz, (Toni Collette), and her estranged, shark museum owner husband (Liev Schreiber) to at least take an interest in this lost family. Shaz may be deeply flawed and scary, but morally she's a saint compared to the other weakling characters. One of the drawbacks -- the same as in PJ Hogan's much earlier film Muriel's Wedding -- is the over the top and cartoonish nature of some scenes. In most cases there's no need for it. He didn't seem to be so garish in My Best Friend's Wedding with Julia Roberts so he can do 'subtle' if he wants to. One thing I admire about 'Mental', is it has the courage to take on (and joke about) issues such as mental illness, grief, homosexuality and absent Dads. So overall, a pretty good movie.
Review of Mental
