10 Movies About Mental Health

Mental health has become an important conversation in recent years, and movies have played a powerful role in breaking the stigma. From heartfelt dramas to relatable comedies, these films explore mental health with sensitivity, humor, and depth.

If you're looking for movies that shed light on mental health struggles while entertaining and inspiring, here are 10 must-watch movies about mental health.

1. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook follows the story of Pat, a man living with bipolar disorder who tries to rebuild his life after a stint in a psychiatric hospital. The film explores love, resilience, and the ups and downs of managing mental illness with warmth and humor.

2. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Based on the true story of Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Nash, A Beautiful Mind offers an intimate look at schizophrenia. Played brilliantly by Russell Crowe, Nash’s journey highlights the challenges of differentiating reality from delusion, while celebrating perseverance and genius.

3. Love Actually (2003)

While Love Actually is widely known as a romantic holiday classic, it also touches subtly on themes of loneliness, grief, and emotional health. From Emma Thompson’s heartbreak to Liam Neeson’s grief journey, the film acknowledges the complex emotional states people navigate beneath the surface of love and joy.

4. Ordinary People (1980)

Ordinary People is a powerful family drama that delves into grief, depression, and survivor’s guilt. After the accidental death of his brother, Conrad (played by Timothy Hutton) struggles with suicidal thoughts and therapy, offering a moving portrayal of healing and forgiveness.

5. Infinitely Polar Bear (2014)

Mark Ruffalo stars as a father with bipolar disorder trying to win back his wife by taking care of their daughters in Infinitely Polar Bear. This heartfelt film balances humor and drama, providing an honest yet hopeful look at parenting with mental illness.

6. About a Boy (2002)

About a Boy, starring Hugh Grant, explores themes of depression and loneliness beneath its comedic exterior. The unlikely friendship between an isolated boy and a selfish bachelor reveals the importance of human connection and breaking emotional barriers.

7. Matchstick Men (2003)

In Matchstick Men, Nicolas Cage portrays a con artist living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The film uses dark humor and suspense to explore how Roy’s compulsions affect his life, relationships, and criminal activities, blending entertainment with an insightful look at OCD.

8. It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

Set in a psychiatric hospital, It’s Kind of a Funny Story follows 16-year-old Craig as he checks himself in after suicidal thoughts. The film offers a lighthearted yet authentic depiction of teenage depression, anxiety, and the hope that can come from community and self-discovery.

9. Inside Out (2015)

Pixar’s Inside Out brilliantly animates emotions like Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust to explain how we process mental health. This family-friendly movie simplifies emotional complexity, teaching viewers of all ages the importance of embracing all feelings—not just the positive ones.

10. Rain Man (1988)

Rain Man centers on the relationship between Charlie (Tom Cruise) and his autistic brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman). While the film has been critiqued for its portrayal of autism, it helped spark conversations about neurodiversity, family bonds, and understanding developmental differences.

Watching movies about mental health can foster empathy, reduce stigma, and even encourage important conversations. These 10 films remind us that mental health journeys are complex, but hope, healing, and human connection are always possible.