These inspirational big-screen characters triumphed over mental illness

By Sean Axmaker
Special to MSN Movies

Hollywood movies are all for healing hearts and minds. They just like to do it through a kind of occupational therapy that involves mistaken identities, rollercoaster action adventures, meeting cute or harrowing ordeals that demand extreme survival skills.

The movies have not always been so understanding in exploring actual mental illness and emotional damage, with so many portrayals of the afflicted as childlike innocents untarnished by society (we're looking at you, "King of Hearts") or psychopathic killers and murderous sociopaths (it's not called "Psycho" for nothing). Real breakdowns are much messier, the fallout uncomfortable, and the treatment can be long and difficult. Not the usual formula for good times and happy endings.

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(Sony Pictures Classics/Fine Line Features/The Weinstein Company)