Psychologists explain stories
Expert psychological analysis of films, books, series, characters and the emotional conflicts behind memorable stories.
These are not simple recommendations. Psychologists look at trauma, attachment, family dynamics, motivation, manipulation, grief, identity and other psychological themes reflected in art. Spoilers are possible.
Jay Asher / Brian Yorkey
The series "13 REASONS WHY" is based on the novel by Jay Asher. The story revolves around high school student Clay and his friend Hannah, who took her…
Greg Oliver
A young woman named Lourdes is consumed. By whom or what? Society, poverty, illness, her love for her son, her son’s death, and even herself. A Spanis…
Richard Feynman
An autobiography by one of the creators of quantum electrodynamics would likely have to be as serious as the name of the scientific field itself. Perh…
Margaret Atwood
The dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood remarkably illustrates how fragile the achievements of human civilization truly are. It sho…
Darren Aronofsky
Couldn’t pass it by) Besides, the trailer really intrigued me!I’ll say right away—I wasn’t expecting it! I wasn’t expecting the film to be so heavy an…
Yevhen Volobuyev-Senior
In the foreword to this book, the daughter of the renowned Ukrainian artist Yevhen Volobuiev Sr., Natalia Volobuieva, writes that some pages may only…
Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre is often casually dismissed as one of those love stories—or what are called "women’s novels." It seems straightforw…
Jodi Picoult
The contemporary American author Jodi Picoult’s novel "My Sister’s Keeper" tells the story of a family where the eldest of three children, Kate, suffe…
Aaron Lipstadt, Peter Werner, Vince Misiano
In modern TV series, unfortunately, it’s rare to find a central character whose marriage is not only present but also healthy and remains intact throu…
Silvio Soldini
Notes on Emotional Dependency This article is based on a film. I propose an analysis of the main theme through the lens of therapeutic perspectives on…
Sam Taylor-Wood (director), E.L. James (writer)
Fifty Shades of Grey Dorian, pardon, Christian Grey and his "Fifty Shades" cannot claim to be a masterpiece of world cinema. The setting of the "youn…
Iain Softley
The film tells the story of a man who claims he comes from another planet and ends up in a psychiatric clinic. Two traumatic events trigger the protag…
Kelly Fremon
The film "Almost Seventeen" (The Edge of Seventeen, 2016) is a raw and brutal portrayal of teenage life.Life filled with pain and suffering, where eve…
Tate Taylor
"Girl on the Train" is the adaptation of the famous detective novel by Paula Hawkins. I haven’t read the book, but I enjoyed the film as it made me re…
Denis Villeneuve
The film Arrival is interesting in many contexts: a fresh perspective on the topic of alien life, the eternal philosophical question of the meaning of…
Luc Besson
Andre owes tens of thousands of euros to various criminals all over Paris. When the payment deadline arrives, he realizes there’s no way to pay it bac…
Nikolai Gogol
CAUTION, HERO! LIFE WITH TARAS BULBA Gogol’s works are multidimensional and filled with symbols. At first glance, Taras Bulba stands apart. It contain…
Mark Osborne
Read the following quotes. "There is one rule you must always keep in mind. When you wake up in the morning, wash your face, put yourself in order—and…
Giuseppe Tornatore
The film "Two in the Universe" is based on a beautiful analogy: the relationship between the main characters develops according to the laws of astrono…
Arnhild Lauveng
By profession, I am a psychologist. Another psychologist recommended that I read Arnchild Lauven’s book. And I, as a specialist, belong to that catego…
Simone de Beauvoir
The book explores the complex relationship between a mother and daughter. It demonstrates how, on a symbolic level, they have a tremendous influence o…
Simone de Beauvoir
In this book by the renowned French writer Simone de Beauvoir, the story of a woman confronting the reality of her own married life is told. Her emoti…
Vladimir Khotinenko
Every time I return to this film, I can’t remember its title. Yet somehow I always find it and watch it again and again…Now, with the war in Donbas, I…
Bård Breien
The film "The Art of Negative Thinking" allows for an analysis of the work and mistakes of a psychotherapist. The psychotherapist makes a number of ra…
Oliver Hirschbiegel
The film is based on real events. The Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted in 1971 by American psychologist Philip Zimbardo. The experiment was ca…
John Galsworthy
I managed to get through "The Forsyte Saga" by John Galsworthy. The book reminded me of Bert Hellinger’s visual aid on family constellations. The Fors…
Matteo Garrone
Fairy-tale plots, like dreams, should not be interpreted literally – as descriptions of events – but symbolically, as metaphorical narratives about jo…
Sean Durkin
The film illustrates the transformations in a person’s psyche and consciousness after their experience in a cult—a commune of young people led by an a…
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"Once upon a time there was a Little Prince. He lived on a planet barely bigger than himself, and he was desperately lonely…”Those who understand life…
Penny Marshall
Psychological review of the film "Strong Woman (Riding in Cars with Boys)" based on the book by Beverly D’OnofrioWhat happens when children have child…
Discussion
This section presents a list of psychological films, offering everyone who loves cinema and is interested in psychology the opportunity to join discussions about them in the comments. Unlike the reviews available on movie portals—which aim to provide a brief, spoiler-free description and pique interest in watching—the purpose of our overviews is different.
We recommend reading them after watching the films to help you understand the characters’ behavioral motives more deeply. This way, you might discover new facets of the work that are noticeable to professional psychologists.
