by Marie Miguel
If you’re interested in the nuances of therapy as well as the lives of mental health professionals, you’re sure to be intrigued by the films on our list. All of these films come from Asian countries and have a focus on either the therapy process or on the secrets of professionals working in the mental health sector. From psychiatrists that hypnotize their patients in order to control them, to mental health professionals that find unlikely love with clients, the films below are truly fascinating and provide a new perspective on therapy-related topics.
- Marionette
Marionette tells the story of psychiatrist Ji-Hoon. As he treats his friend’s girlfriend, who is experiencing hallucinations, he begins to fall for her. As she heals from her troubled past through Ji-Hoon’s hypnosis and Ji-Hoon learns more and more about her, he decides to break the doctor-patient protocol. Ji-Hoon begins to hypnotize the woman he is now in love with so that she visits him every week. The film received mixed reviews, but reviewers noted the fascinating idea behind the movie.
- My Lovely Week
This 2005 South Korean romance film features an ensemble cast. Over the span of a week, My Lovely Week (also known as All for Love) follows a group of singles and couples who are experiencing both tragedy and new love. One of the characters is a spirited psychiatrist who seems to meet her match when she offers counseling services to a police officer with a tempestuous personality. Other characters must handle topics like sickness, death, passion, old relationships, and more. My Lovely Week won several awards at the 2005 Chunsa Film Art Awards, and was nominated for additional recognition at other awards ceremonies.
- The Most Distant Course
The Most Distant Course, a 2007 Tawiwanese film, follows three characters as they are unexpectedly brought together by the sounds of nature. One character, hoping to reconcile with his girlfriend, records nature sounds on a CD and sends it to her apartment, not knowing that she has already moved away and another woman has moved into the apartment in her place. The woman who now lives there listens to the nature recording and sets off to find the man who sent it to her. The third main character, a psychiatrist whose marriage is failing, decides to go to the same location to locate an ex-lover, and all three characters end up meeting. The journey is longer and more difficult than any of them could have realized. Reviewers describe the film as “slow and dreamy” and a “low-key and sweet drama.”
- In the Pool
In the Pool centers on a strange psychiatrist who seems to attract patients with conditions that are very much out of the ordinary. This 2005 Japanese comedy film takes a lighter look at mental health topics and features a fascinating and funny cast of characters. Some reviewers thought its narrative exploration was more of an acquired taste, and others noted that it was characteristic of the director’s style: amusing yet obnoxious at times.
- Hypnotized
In this 2004 South Korean psychological thriller, Ji-su is a failed novelist who lives with borderline personality disorder. After she attempts suicide, she meets a doctor named Suk-won, who attempts to help her but ultimately fails. A year later, the two meet again by chance, and now that they no longer have the doctor-patient dynamic, they begin an intense affair. But as Suk-won’s feelings for Ji-su grow stronger, he is driven to take dangerous actions to keep her in his life. Reviewers report that Hypnotized will keep you on your toes as it addresses mental health topics from a new and controversial perspective.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with MyTherapist.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
