A Mouthful of Air; An Important Film on Mental Health. Grade: B
Mouthful of Air tells a story about a woman named Julie (Amanda Seyfried), whom is a wife, mother, and is a children’s book author. Julie on an afternoon attempted suicide, as fortunately she didn’t succeed on that attempt. What brought Julie to a state of being suicidal?! Everyone around Julie is having a tough time managing what could be the cause, knowing she has a successful life, a loving husband, and a child of her own. Here in this film we’ll be learning bits by bits of Julie’s life, Julie’s state of mind, and the motions going through her life forward after the incident.
Ironic enough I saw this film the day before my 10th year anny of my first suicide attempt… I went in knowing nothing about this film by the way. I’m still in shock that I’ve lived this long, a lot of this doesn’t feel real to be honest. I feel for the most part I’m in a good state despite the world around me being so heavily troubled, but I know within each and everyday forward, things will get better in due time.
Mouthful of Air is a film I believe is going to be divided amongst viewers. Some people will not enjoy this film due to lack of plot structure as it’s a very loose plot and it doesn’t follow a formal storyline. Some people are going to enjoy this film not because it’s an uplifting tale, but it’s because it’s a film that viewers are going to find a connection with in terms of their own battles of depression, anxiety, and suicide tendencies.
Within it’s subject matter: Mouthful of Air did a pretty good job on delivering an accurate portrayal of one whom is in depression. Notice how in this story Julie goes through many sequences of pure silence… One whom has been in depression, I can tell ya that’s how it is. The pure silence comes within not feeling right in mind, feeling as if something is severely wrong with you because you can’t enjoy what’s in front of you at all. It makes you extremely upset and puts you in a box because if you’re living a pretty great life, surrounded by a lot of important people around you that love and care about you, how in the world can you not find enjoyment within it all?! Depression is a very terrible curse that many people unfortunately have gone through and the battle within itself is often described as a nightmare, it’s the worst feeling in the world that no matter how great everything is in front of you, you can’t find happiness within it all, as your mind goes through series of silence whether it be lack of closure or contemplating on death.
There’s a subtle moment of Julie’s sister in law Lucy (Jennifer Carpenter), whom comes out and verbally attacks Julie because she attempted suicide. I can tell ya this is a very heartbreaking moment that many viewers can relate, to those whom feel the need to verbally attack and judge because one is depressed/suicidal. The thing with Lucy is that her method not only doesn’t help Julie at all in terms of getting better, it actually makes things worst. What people like Lucy doesn’t understand and there is TONS of Lucy’s out there, is people whom are depressed/suicidal are not in this state of mind because they’re cruel or selfish.
I don’t understand the amount of stupidity and that’s what it is stupidity, that goes through people’s minds like Lucy’s, but nobody wants to wake up one day and feel extremely unhappy or want to leave the world behind by choice. There is something severely wrong with their minds that they can’t find closure whether it be their surroundings, their existence, or having trouble in overcoming some terrible events in the past. I’m happy this film actually delivered a moment like this, as this is a wake up call for those whomever made anyone feel terrible about another person feeling depressed/suicidal… I’ve dealt with family members giving me this exact same garbage treatment and I can tell ya personally that it has made me feel like I wish I wasn’t born at all… People hurt.
The film’s attempt of portraying one with anxiety was spot on. Some people’s cases of anxiety differ, some fortunately have a small case of anxiety where it acts up in certain moments/situations, some have a severe case of anxiety where it acts up ever so often. Watching Julie having anxiety about almost everything was tough to watch, as Julie fears about everything in her life, even in areas which she doesn’t have to worry or stress about a single thing. It almost felt like watching a close one of mine, whom does the exact thing worrying and stressing over everything, as they think some of the most troubling thoughts that more than likely won’t happen… It’s very tough to not only have, but to watch someone like this, as sometimes we do react negatively by calling them annoying which isn’t their fault at all.
Amanda Seyfried played a pretty good performance as Julie, I appreciate the fact this performance was very mature and not over the top of one dealing with these complications of mental health. I think a lot of people are going to enjoy watching Amanda Seyfried on screen, knowing the fact the character portrayed is as human as possible with flaws of her own, as they aren’t alone or feel as if they are a mistake in anyway… Everyone hurts.
The story at hand I will say was kind of an issue for me, as the story was very thin on plot as it’s more of an experience if anything. Don’t get me wrong: I felt the writers and the film maker at hand succeeded on their goal, I just wish it was more of a constructed plot that has a following storyline is all, sometimes it felt a bit too loose for me. Plus there is some kind of dragging here and there in this, as sometimes some sequences can be repetitive some. I also did not like the warning label in the beginning, let the viewer have an unexpected experience without telling them what’s the plot.
Overall, A Mouthful of Air is a fairly decent film. I recommend checking this one out, I will say it’s not for everyone but if you want to understand what it’s like for one to be in state of depression, suicidal tendencies, or anxiety… I suggest watching this, it’s an important film. I see this film doing a whole lot of good, heck I can see young people whom are struggling with this ordeal can use it as a tool, to try and help explain to their loved ones what they’re going through to where they can understand them. I don’t feel the need to be apologetic for getting too deep on this review… If you’re not open about these sort of things, the possibility in getting better is not likely in your favor, so be open about it as much as possible. 10 extended years of living… It’s been a blessing man, it sure has, now all I want to do is live life to the fullest till it’s time to go home. -Mitch Smietana