Director Michelle Melles explores mental health, the limitations of modern psychiatric treatment, and creativity in Drunk on Too Much Life. The film's main subject is the filmmaker's daughter, Corrina, who continues to struggle with mental illness despite years of hospitalizations and psychiatric drugs. Through interviews with poets, authors, and psychologists, the inspiring documentary sheds light on mental health struggles in relation to higher levels of creativity and emotional connection.
Since the tender age of thirteen, Corrina has struggled with bouts of psychosis, which has led to years of unsuccessful traditional treatment. During her struggles, Corrina learns to use poetry, music, and painting to express herself, which seem to offer far better results than traditional medicine. After exhausting all traditional psychiatric techniques with little results, Corrina and her parents seek the opinions of poets and authors who have followed a creative path to mental wellness.
Traditional treatment for mental illness includes diagnosis, therapy, and psychiatric drugs, which can produce positive results for some, while leaving others with temporary relief. Melles’ documentary shrugs off this one-size-fits-all perspective on mental illness and reframes her daughter’s experiences as gifts that should be explored and maintained.
The most interesting thing about this documentary is the way Melles uses Corrina’s creative work to tell her story. At the beginning of the film, we get to know Corrina through her poetry, music, and paintings, which explain the way she feels about the world and herself. Colorful paintings and sketches accompany Corrina’s voiceover detailing her experiences with psychosis and catatonia, which invite the viewer into her unique experiences and heightened emotions.
Throughout the documentary, Corrina meets with other artists who have struggled to find peace through traditional medicine. Frustrated by modern psychiatric methods, like Corrina, these creatives have learned to embrace their struggles and the unique perspective it offers them. While the film acknowledges the hardships that mental illness can bring, it also celebrates the creative visions and heightened perceptions of those who experience mental illness.
Drunk on Too Much Life presents a raw view of mental illness and its effects on individuals and their families while embracing the uniqueness of those affected. The film is recommended for media librarians searching for documentaries exploring nontraditional perspectives on mental health and wellness.
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Drunk on Too Much Life would be a perfect film for a psychology class that explores the mental benefits of creativity or an art class.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
Drunk on Too Much Life would be a great pick for a documentary film collection in a public or academic library that focuses on mental health or creativity.
What subjects or college majors would benefit from the content covered in this film?
Drunk on Too Much Life would be useful to psychology and art majors.