The Mind, Reframed: A Watchlist Inside the Psyche on Screen

How 26 films portray mental health, harm and healing

By: The Lace Ledger Staff

Film has long been fascinated with the complicated workings of our inner selves. The portrayal of mental health on screen ranges from being cast as mirror for our deepest fears to empathetically-driven epilogs or funhouse distortions, depending on who is telling the story.

Some narratives offer care and complexity, while others lean into spectacle at the expense of truth.

This watchlist examines how mental health is framed across genres, decades and tones, from compassion to controversy.