“Ordinary People” by Frederick Miller Film Analysis Report

The film ‘Ordinary People’ by Frederick Miller is one of the most critically developed movies, in which its in-depth analysis has been quite influential in teaching psycho-dynamic psychotherapy with teenagers. The contextual development of the film revolves round a well off family which is in its efforts to re-adjust into normal life after their only living son, Conrad, as he recovers from intriguing mental disturbances.

Since childhood, Conrad, who is the main character remains isolated from his family and friends, triggering him to seek psychiatrist services from Dr. Berger. After interrogating the boy for a lengthy period, Dr. Berger comes to learn how Conrad has been suffering from suffering from stress disorders and ‘survivor’s guilt conscience’, after killing his own brother Bucker out of envy (Miller, 1999).

As revealed in the film, Conrad emerges as experiencing a lot of hatred from his mother, against his expectation of being loved by his own mother, despite his unending struggles to win her love.

The special effects of Dr. Berger on Conrad are very much recommendable in the way he introduces him into the world of being social and happy again, and also making him perceive the real world in different perceptions (Miller, 1999). Generally, the film signifies the power of counseling and guidance to individuals with mood and anxiety disorders, where Conrad who is brought out as a victim of stress and depression emerges as a stress free individuals and comes to social terms again.

Analysis of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Experienced by Conrad

From the film, it is clear that Conrad’s reactions towards his family members are normal since the circumstances in which he is exposed are responsible for his behavior. More specifically, Conrad’s feelings of being isolated from his family, and subsequently lack of family love constitutes of his antisocial behavior and aloofness (Meyerhoff, 2010).

Considering the preceding competition between him and his brother, Buck, for their mother’s love and recognition, Conrad feels strongly hated and useless when he fails to win his mother love, while his brother does. It is his failure to win his mother’s love which culminates to the development of antisocial behavior through unconscious motifs, leading him to throw his brother in water unintentionally.

Unaware of the impact of not reciprocating her son’s love, Conrad’s, the mother triggers the mood disorders experienced by Conrad, who later kills his brother, though unintentionally (Myers, 2009). It can be argued that, the way Conrad treated his brother and subsequently withdrawing from the entire family is normally expected in cases where young people are exposed to situations which Conrad had been exposed into.

Considering the childhood competition between Conrad and his brother for their mother’s love, Conrad’s conscience could not allow anything from his brother to overcome him, leading his throwing him in the water as they struggled in a race in the river. Later on, Conrad learns from Dr. Berger that it was his mother’s mistake, which leads to all crises that had been surrounding the family, which furthers his strong hatred for her.

Conclusion

Generally, the film ‘Ordinary People’ depicts the role of family in the development of various mood and anxiety disorders, in which Conrad emerges as a victim of lacking motherly love, resulting into his hatred for his brother who seems to win their mother’s love. As a result, Conrad kills his brother which makes him develop inferiority and guilt complex, leading him to seek psychiatry services where he later learns on his mother’s mistake of not distributing her love equally to his two sons.

References

Meyerhoff, M. (2010). Understanding Cognitive and Social Development in a Newborn. Web.

Miller, F. (1999). Using the Movie ‘Ordinary People’ to Teach Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Adolescents. Web.

Myers, D. (2009). Psychology, Ninth Edition in Modules. New York: Worth Publishers.

Pies, R. (2001). Psychiatry in the Media: The Fisher King, and the Zaddik. Journal of Mundane Behavior, 2(3): 24-68