A Cure Of Wellness

Since i have worked over 19 years in health care, i have come across many different patients. And there is something to learn about every single patient, no matter what diagnose they have. And this is why i love my job, anything i can to do make something better in a person´s life, is very important to me. It does not have to be anything big, sometimes just the smallest details can change a person´s life. Mental health care have changed a lot. We all heard stories how people were treated at mental institutions, when doctors did not really know how to treat patients. Thankfully, as time have gone by, doctors are much more educated these days and can help mentally disturbed patients much more. Of course it is always difficult to make sure everyone will feel good, because every patient have different problems. Speaking of mental institutions, how many have seen the 1975 masterpiece film One Flew Over The Cuckoo´s Nest ? It is one of the best films ever made, about health care, and show a clear image of how it can be to live as an patient, and how they are treated. Jack Nicholson is absolutely amazing as the patient Randle McMurphy. I can´t remember how many times i have seen this film since my childhood, but i would guess around 15 times, at least. There are plenty of films to choose between, when we think about mental institutions. But one film that really hit the spot, came out in 2009. Martin Scorsese´s film Shutter Island, was not only a really well made thriller, the film also managed to capture the many sides of humans insanity. Leonardo Di Caprio was simply outstanding in the lead role. One of the things i think director Martin Scorsese managed to do with this film, is to make us understand more about patients experience. Why did they end up here, and why do they behave the way they do ? If you have not seen the film yet, i suggest you buy the blu ray, and listen to some nice special features as well. During the late summer of 2016, i read an article about director Gore Verbinski, that he was going to release a new film, that would take on the subject of mental health care. This made me very curious, because i have enjoyed some of his previous films. As i finally got to see the first trailer, i knew this might be something special. A Cure Of Wellness did not look like anything i have seen in quite some time. I decided to see the film in the cinema. Is this one of the best films from director Gore Verbinksi so far, or have he taken too much over his head, and failed to deliver a solid film ?

At a large financial service firm in New York, a man named Morris ( Craig Wroe ) dies in a heart attack. Morris is now deceased, so he is replaced by the ambitious young executive Lockhart ( Dane DeHaan ). Now, there is a problem for the financial service firm, they need a signature from the company CEO, Roland Pembroke ( Harry Groemer ). Roland is located at a "wellness center ", located in the Swiss Alps. The company ask Lockhart to travel, to make sure that Roland comes back home. If he does not give his signature, all hell breaks loose. Lockhart agree to travel. As he arrive to the " wellness center ", he meet Dr. Heinreich Volmer ( Jason Isaacs ). He is very clear, to tell Lockhart that it is up to Roland, if he wants to stay, or leave. Of course it turns out, as Lockhart meet Roland, that he wants to stay in the " wellness center ". Lockhart have no choice to leave the building, without Roland. But on the way back to his flight, his personal driver crashes the car. Lockhart wakes up in the " wellness center ", and have to be treated after the accident. He is now also a patient, but is this really a " wellness center ", or is something else going on in this enormous building ?

While watching A Cure Of Wellnes, i can instantly feel influences of two films from the past. Stanley Kubrick's last film Eyes Wide Shut, and Martin Scorseses film Shutter Island. Imagine a mix of these two films, but with a big dose of insanity, and you are in for a treat.  A Cure Of Wellness is an odd film, that is hard to explain completely. And i love to see a film, that does not include the usual clichés, and try to mix different styles matched together. The atmosphere surrounding the mysterious " wellness center ", give you a feeling that this is place would be perfect for Tila Tequila. I will try not to give away too much, because the less you know about the story, the more interesting the film becomes. One of the things we should talk about are some of the characters. The lead character Lockhart, played by Dane DeHaan, is the typical young business man, who is so digged into his work, everything else does not really matter. Dr. Heinreich Volmer ( played wonderful by legendary actor Jason Isaacs ), is without a doubt the strongest character of this film. His fake charming personality, shines right through, but what secrets is he really hiding ? The mysterious girl Hannah, played by Mia Goth, have a very interesting personality, and you really have no idea what she is hiding. The location of this enormous " wellness center ", is filmed at the Hohenzollern Castle in Germany, Bisingen. A very good choice to make this film, because the atmosphere feels perfect for the story. Director Gore Verbinski is perhaps known most from his Pirates Of The Caribbean films, and his lovely remake of Rings with Naomi Watts. I think that i personally find his latest film, A Cure Of Wellness to be his most personal film so far. It is very strange, with a complete different view on mental health care, and have some very odd scenes included. The cinematography by Bojan Bazelli looks gorgeous, and some scenes looks so fantastic, that you simply sit there smiling. One of the things i think we need to mention, is how well director Gore Verbinski have managed to capture the world of insanity, through different details. Everything from water tanks, to medical treatments ( that are supposed to heal you ). The mystery surrounding this "wellness center " could have been more mysterious, and the film is pretty long. A part from this i still feel that you should see this film in a cinema, and experience something different. Excuse me for a moment, the doctor told me it is time for treatment. I hope it does not include watching Mother´s Day with Jennifer Aniston, then i will be really depressed.

Rating: DDD