MAD LOVE

US, 1995, 93 minutes, Colour.
Chris O’ Donnell, Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard, Joan Allen, Jude Ciccolella, T.J. Lowther, Kevin Dunn, Liev Schreiber.
Directed by Antonia Bird.

Mad Love is a 90s film about high schoolers. Chris O’ Donnell plays an earnest young man, looking after his brother and sister, helping his father, regretting the fact that his mother had walked out on the family. He encounters Drew Barrymore, a rich girl, erratic in her behaviour, and becomes infatuated with her. He discovers that her parents are concerned, wanting her to have psychiatric treatment. He rescues her from hospital and they go on the road. The film then turns into a road movie, the travels across America, the growing erratic behaviour of Drew Barrymore’s character, including putting her hands over Chris O’ Donnell’s eyes and directing him by word as they drive along a cliff highway. Eventually, he has to admit that she needs treatment – and he contacts the parents.

Joan Allen and Jude Ciccolella are Drew Barrymore’s parents, Kevin Dunn is Chris O’ Donnell’s father. Matthew Lillard, in an early role, plays the same kind of erratic loudmouth character as he did in many other films. It is also an early film for Liev Schreiber who plays a businessman who picks up the couple on the road and is abandoned by them.

The film was directed by British Antonia Bird, director of Priest, Face and Ravenous.

1. A youth film of the 1990s? Emotions, love, authorities, parents, mental problems?

2. The Seattle setting, the lake, the city, school, homes? Contrasting the American open road and the highways? The characters, the incidents, the musical score?

3. The title, the focus on passionate love, on mental disturbance?

4. Matt’s life, his relationship with his father, his father being busy, the mother abandoning the family and its effect, the twins and Matt looking after them? The telescope, astronomy, his discovering Casey on the boat, at home, prying on her? His friends at school, their talk, teenager life, preoccupation with sex, dates, confiding in each other?

5. Casey, on the boat, at home, the difficulties with her parents, the car at school, her seemingly normal, the attraction to Matt? Her excessive reactions? The date, the music, enjoyment, Matt’s infatuation?

6. The effect on Matt, asking for the date, going out, the concert, sharing, falling in love, thoughts for the future?

7. The SATS exams, Matt and his earnestness, his plans? His father’s concern? Casey, wanting to go out, setting off the alarm, his reaction? Her parents?

8. Casey, wanting her privacy, Matt looking at her book, his visit, the discussion with her parents, her running away, diving into the lake, his swimming to rescue her, drying off, the parents forbidding the contact, explaining her mental condition?

9. Matt’s father, sternness, discussions about his mother leaving, Matt going to the hospital, visiting Casey, disobeying?

10. Matt taking her from the hospital, the car, driving, on the road, the motels, the sequence with Casey’s hand over Matt’s eyes, the dangers on the road, the crash? Being picked up by the passer-by, his advances on Casey, the violent reaction, their robbing him and destroying his files? The lady allowing them to live in the apartment? Casey, her fits, her growing paranoia?

11. Matt, the phone call to Casey’s parents, Casey seeing this, running away to the sea?

12. The decision to be made, Matt and his concern, the return, that Casey would be in care and not subjected to an institution?

13. Matt, his life, his future? Open? The final images of Casey?