Parents' Guide to

Boy Interrupted

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Haunting suicide/depression docu; watch with your teens.

Movie NR 2009 92 minutes
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What's the Story?

BOY INTERRUPTED chronicles the life and death of 15-year-old Evan Perry, who killed himself by jumping out of an apartment window after struggling with bipolar disorder for 10 years. Created by his parents, filmmakers Dana and Hart Perry, the film shares the details of Evan's life from the time he was born until his death in October 2005. The Perrys use family photos, home videos (including footage shot by Evan himself), and interviews with parents, siblings, teachers, and doctors to try to make sense of his tragic death. As part of their exploration, the family also discusses the suicide of Evan's uncle, Scott Perry, 30 years before. They also highlight some of the myths that exist about depression and bipolar disorder, many of which are perpetuated by the mainstream media.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

Boy Interrupted is less educational than it is a cathartic healing experience for the Perry family, who made the film as a way to find some meaning behind Evan's death. Although medical professionals are interviewed, the discussions about Evan, his illness, and his death aren't intended to offer substantial clinical information but rather to show the depths to which a child suffering from bipolar disorder can sink -- and the physical and emotional toll that suffering can take on the people around him or her.

The documentary's intensely personal nature and powerful images -- including footage of a very young Evan in the throes of a manic depressive state -- make it very difficult to watch. But, to its credit, the film isn't exploitative. Instead, it succeeds in putting a very human and vulnerable face on bipolar disorder and offers concrete, haunting evidence of what this illness is really about.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about depression and bipolar disorder. What's the difference between the two? What are the symptoms? How can these diseases be treated?

  • Who can you talk to if you or someone you know is depressed and/or contemplating suicide? Where can you go for help?

  • How is mental illness portrayed in the mainstream media? Do you think these portrayals help shed light on diseases like bipolar disorder, or do they create misconceptions about what being mentally ill is really like?

Movie Details

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