Good movie but grossly overrated

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The first must-see film of the year.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Violently prone 17-year-old Joseph Gordon-Levitt (as Lyle Jensen) is finally sent to a juvenile psych ward. He gets in bloody fights, takes drugs, cuts himself, and even burns his arms with cigarettes. After an opening sedation wears off, Mr. Gordon-Levitt meets long-haired "almost 13" roommate Cody Lightning (as Kenny). Others are introduced at a group therapy session held by kindly staff psychologist Don Cheadle (as David Monroe). Second-billed Michael Bacall (as Chad) is working on anger management and reading "The Myth of Sisyphus". Gordon-Levitt's obvious romantic interest, beautiful Zooey Deschanel (as Tracy), is working on self-esteem. Blond bully Elden Henson (as Mike) and Gothic Sara Rivas (as Sara) have good supporting roles. Director Jordan Melamed might have had an excellent drama if it weren't for the wobbly camera, often used to simulate a low-budget documentary; it's self-conscious, dizzying and distracting.***** Manic (1/27/01) Jordan Melamed ~ Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Bacall, Don Cheadle, Zooey Deschanel

Manic tells the story of Lyle Jensen,played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt,who is subject of sudden and violent outbursts. He is committed to the juvenile wing of the Northwood Mental Institution.There he meets several other young kids who suffer from a variety of problems.There is Chad(played by Michael Bacall) who suffers from an acute manic-depressive disorder; the self-mutilating Tracy ( Zoey Deschanel) who was once raped and now has trouble sleeping at night, tough-guy Mike (Henson) who asserts himself through violence bullying everyone around him; and the shy, diminutive Kenny (Lightning) who was sexually abused by a family member.Don Cheadle plays the well intentioned Dr. David Monroe who tries to help this kids trough group therapy sessions where they're suppose to explore their feelings and understand the consequences of their acts. As the movie goes on we learn how the behavior of some of the kids is just a consequence from bad parenting and how some of them are just the product of today's society.Manic is definitely interesting; the entire film was shot by a hand-held digital camera and the director uses a lot of close up's to really demonstrate the emotion of a character at a certain time and it works very well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivered a great performance and so did Don Cheadle. I just wish the director/writers had explored the mind of the characters and the human psyche a bit more.That could have made a very interesting and fascinating film.There's definitely a lot of potential here but it could have been took to another completely different level.6.5/10

While the jerky camera is a little off-putting at the beginning, it does add realism to the film, which considering the subject matter, suits it perfectly.The script is sharp as a tack, and the performances stellar, particularly from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, and the always reliable Don Cheadle.At turns brutal and heartbreaking, the film deserves kudos for its honest and unflinching portrayal of rage, the uncertainty of youth, cause and effect (from our actions and the actions of those around us), and the suffering of disturbed teens.Excellent movie. Highly recommended.

Manic went largely unnoticed after it's 2001 release and remains highly underrated. To say the least, Manic is a remarkable achievement in my opinion. It is the most realistic portrayal of a youth psych ward that I have yet seen on film. It focuses on a group of kids, roughly 12-17 years old, who are locked up in a hospital in order to receive "therapeutic healing." None of them are crazy per say, but they all seem to have serious emotional issues (but then again who doesn't?). This film is brutally honest, raw, and sometimes hard to watch. Having been in a similar type of institution myself when I was 17, I can speak highly for the credibility and accuracy of the content. I have not seen another movie tackle this subject in such an unflinching realistic manner. There's no fabricated drama here for the sake of the box office. The sometimes shaky, nontraditional camera work, and the lack of a musical soundtrack (with the exception of when the kids actually turn on the radio themselves), make this movie feel more like a documentary and less like a cinematic feature. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is phenomenal as Lyle Jensen, a ticked off confused kid who can't seem to contain his rage. Don Cheadle is equally effective as the head Counselor struggling to make a difference in the lives of these troubled teens. They couldn't have cast a better man for this role. He is more than convincing as the lead staff member who realizes that he's probably not getting through to these kids at all. I noticed some similarities to the movie "One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest," but Manic is far from a remake of that film. I doubt that Manic will become a classic like "Cuckoo's Nest," but it is certainly an underground hit in my book. My mother works at an alternative high school for kids with similar issues to those in Manic. I showed her Manic and could tell she had trouble watching it, identifying the characters with both me and her students. Manic is an important film but it's not for everyone. It's definitely on my top ten list. If you want to take a strange trip down a dark painful path, and see what it is to grow up feeling like a "messed up kid" like I did, then check out Manic for sure. Otherwise, steer clear, you may be disturbed. Then again, aren't we all.