CORRECTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH, RESILIENCE & SELF-DETERMINATION
Edition Exercises
Resiliency & Self-Determination
(R, 1999) — Based on the true story of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, who is wrongfully imprisoned for murder, the film follows his decades-long fight for justice while confronting rage, despair, and the psychological toll of trauma and isolation.
(R, 2019) — A violent convict is given the chance to rehabilitate through training wild horses, forging a bond that helps him confront his buried anger and self-hatred.
(PG-13, 2006) — A struggling single father battles homelessness while pursuing a career in finance, showing resilience, hope, and perseverance amid crushing economic hardship.
(PG-13, 2011) — Two estranged brothers, both haunted by family trauma and addiction, enter a high-stakes mixed-martial-arts tournament that forces them to confront buried pain and unresolved grief.
Abuse / Grief / Trauma / Survival
(PG-13, 2002) — A young sailor with violent outbursts begins therapy and confronts his childhood abuse and abandonment, exploring trauma recovery and self-worth.
(R, 2009) — A missing-in-action soldier’s return fractures a family as his brother fills the void — and neither man survives the guilt, grief, and secrets unchanged.
(R, 2016) — A man haunted by past tragedy returns home to care for his nephew, facing debilitating grief, guilt, and suicidal rumination.
(R, 2016) — Across three acts, a young man’s identity is shaped by abuse, neglect, and unspoken desire, exploring trauma, emotional isolation, and depression.
(R, 2009) — A teen survivor of horrific abuse finds empowerment through education and support, illustrating PTSD, dissociation, and depression.
Bipolar Disorder
(R, 2014) — A father with bipolar disorder struggles to care for his daughters while managing manic episodes, showing resilience amid instability.
(R, 2012) — A man with bipolar disorder rebuilds his life through dance and connection, examining recovery, stigma, and the role of love in stability.
Anxiety / Depression / Self-Harm
(PG-13, 2010) — A high-schooler checks himself into a psych ward for suicidal thoughts, finding hope among others struggling to overcome various mental health conditions.
(R, 1999) — A young woman’s stay in a psychiatric hospital exposes the blurred lines between sanity and illness.
(R, 2011) — On the eve of a planet’s collision with Earth, a woman battles major depressive disorder.
(R, 2001) — A Harvard student’s struggle with major depression and medication dependence mirrors the early Prozac era’s ambivalence about pharmaceutical treatment.
(PG-13, 2002) — Three women across time battle depression and suicidal ideation, connecting through Virginia Woolf’s novel Mrs. Dalloway and shared existential suffering.