Movies with BPD

[Beware of Junk Psychology...]

The Gone Girl post made me think of this, as it's something I've been checking on recently to help describe it to other people. There are many examples (intentional or not) I'm sure, but I'm just going with ones I'm more familiar with myself. If anyone wants to join in, that's kind of the point. It can be like a fun (in a crying into your pillow kind of way) group exercise... .I'll keep it as spoiler free as possible or at least try to not spoilers if it has to be done. If this seems mean it isn't meant to be, I've just become more aware of it lately I guess.

Ok... .

Cruel Intentions - Kathryn Merteuil - absolutely high functioning BPD. Upper social class, wealthy. Bored easily. Wants to be wanted and powerful, but not make any decisions or accept any responsibility. Plays different roles around different people with no real sense of identity. Shows signs of regret but not publicly. Plays the victim.

Swimfan - Madison Bell - seductive, obsessive. Messes up people's lives to trap them with her. People who are close to her are terrified but can't convince anyone else how behind closed doors she is someone totally different. A trail of emotional destruction in her path that can't quite be traced back to her.

Lost and Delirious - Pauline Oster - been awhile since I've seen this but I do remember it being obvious that she had something wrong with her. I could be wrong on this one, maybe I need to watch it again. From what I can recall though she acts completely different socially and when she is alone with her lover and has some pretty over the top reactions to public rejection (spoiler free)

[Lost23]

The Gone Girl post made me think of this, as it's something I've been checking on recently to help describe it to other people. There are many examples (intentional or not) I'm sure, but I'm just going with ones I'm more familiar with myself. If anyone wants to join in, that's kind of the point. It can be like a fun (in a crying into your pillow kind of way) group exercise... .I'll keep it as spoiler free as possible or at least try to not spoilers if it has to be done. If this seems mean it isn't meant to be, I've just become more aware of it lately I guess.

Ok... .

Cruel Intentions - Kathryn Merteuil - absolutely high functioning BPD. Upper social class, wealthy. Bored easily. Wants to be wanted and powerful, but not make any decisions or accept any responsibility. Plays different roles around different people with no real sense of identity. Shows signs of regret but not publicly. Plays the victim.

Swimfan - Madison Bell - seductive, obsessive. Messes up people's lives to trap them with her. People who are close to her are terrified but can't convince anyone else how behind closed doors she is someone totally different. A trail of emotional destruction in her path that can't quite be traced back to her.

Lost and Delirious - Pauline Oster - been awhile since I've seen this but I do remember it being obvious that she had something wrong with her. I could be wrong on this one, maybe I need to watch it again. From what I can recall though she acts completely different socially and when she is alone with her lover and has some pretty over the top reactions to public rejection (spoiler free)

[Blimblam]

Cruel intentions is not BPD she is a psychopath.

Black swan.

Just about every film noire flick.

Inception. -The women in his head

Dark knight rises

Legend

Alice in wonderland

Borderline

[Turkish]

Girl, Interrupted--- which does portray BPD (factoid: Angelina Jolie is diagnosed with BPD in real life)

I saw the movie Thirteen years ago. I may have to re-watch it since they mention that it shows one type of BPD family.

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/matter-personality/201307/borderline-personality-disorder-in-the-movies

[Blimblam]

Remembered another one

Almost famous

[Lost23]

Remembered another one

Almost famous

Who in that?

[pallavirajsinghani]

The Virgin Suicides-The mother

The War of the Roses... .Both spouses--either Narcissists or BPD

Anti Christ--Husband--Narcissist

[Blimblam]

Remembered another one

Almost famous

Who in that?

The characters name is penny.

It's one of my favorite portrayals of a borderline in film. They almost capture that essence of the beauty of the muse. 

Another one of my favorites is la dulce vita, which is an italian film.  There is the iconic scene of the woman in the fountain. 



The film Malena. Which is an italian film.  I highly recommend this one.

The film Dogville with Nicole Kidman. Highly recommend this one too.

[Lost23]

Yeah Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies, I thought you meant Penny but I never thought of her that way.

[Blimblam]

Yeah Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies, I thought you meant Penny but I never thought of her that way.

It is totally about a borderline relationship.  

And remember at the end where she reunites the two guys?  

She is reuniting to two parts of the self to become whole.

The rock star guy being the ego and the kid being the lonely child.

The kids mom being the punitive parent and his sister the and the rockstar both represent running away from the self.

The other groupies represent the impulsive child.

The other band member is sort of the punitive parent. 

The thing is in a well done movie they spread the aspects of a whole self into many characters. She there are many movies that portray the borderline but to narrow it down to one character is not seeing the big picture. 

[Lost23]

I think that's a deep way of looking at it but it might be down to perspective. At the core of it, that movie is semi-autobiographical of Cameron Crowe's own experiences growing up. I don't think there's anything wrong with viewing it that way, but you can break any good movie down that same way.

[neverloveagain]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the main character the girl has classic BPD traits but its not specificaly about BPD.

[drummerboy]

Play Misty for me

That Glenn Close movie with Michael Douglas (can't recall the name of it)

[blackbirdsong]

Something just reminded me of the movie called Big

When a boy wishes to be big at a magic wish machine, he wakes up the next morning and finds himself in an adult body

It is not directly about BPD but really describes some situations when you imagine BPD person

And wow, just by reading your posts I can see a lot of movies that my ex LOVED 

[FlyingJ]

500 days of summer. My relationship in a nutshell with a BPD.

[GoingBack2OC]

Eternal Sunshine for sure. A heartbreaking film, even for those who have lost loved ones / failed relationships even when not due to BPD. Just conflict in general.

When I saw Gone Girl (Fincher is one of my favorite filmmakers) I realized how much it hit home. And how I could never, ever, watch it with my (now) ExGF.

[Itstopsnow]

Don't forget : Fatal Arraction, and Single, White Female. And the Hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. And Mommy Dearest . We need more male roles for BPD roles .

[hopealways]

Sharon Stone's character in CASINO (Ginger) was the quintessential Borderline. This was the movie that made me learn about BPD. :'(

[Turkish]

Don't forget : Fatal Arraction, and Single, White Female. And the Hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. And Mommy Dearest . We need more male roles for BPD roles .

Can anyone think of any? Gordon Gecko from Wall Street seems NPD. Interesting that Charlie Sheen, who probably has BPD, was in it.

Angelina Jolie, who has BPD, often chooses "interesting" roles...

[cosmonaut]

Silver Linings Playbook - It's never stated if Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) has been diagnosed with any disorder, but it is likely a depiction of BPD.

Prozac Nation - It's been widely speculated that this movie, and the memoir it was based upon, is about a woman with BPD.

Edit:  Antwone Fisher - This is another movie where it has been speculated that the eponymous character may have BPD.  So often BPD is depicted in female characters, but this is an example of a man with BPD.

[blackbirdsong]

Don't forget : Fatal Arraction, and Single, White Female. And the Hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. And Mommy Dearest . We need more male roles for BPD roles .

Angelina Jolie, who has BPD

Isn't she an example of someone who is 'cured'?

[enlighten me]

With the death of Alan Rickman I was thinking about the film truly madly deeply. It is a heart breaking film which I haven't seen for a while but loved. Alans character abandons his girlfriend slowly over time devaluing her and thinking about it reminded me a lot of how my last relationship went. Not sure if you would class him as BPD or NPD but the end result a lot of us here have been through.

[Anez]

The Amy Schumer movie is a BPD movie. And it ends with a big scene where it looks like they're gonna live happier ever after but there's no way they will!

[MapleBob]

Big YES to Black Swan. I also saw a few traits in that new Jessica Jones series, although she seems to be getting over it.

I feel like Eva Green (who I love!) often plays cluster-B women.

[shatra]

Blumblum wrote--

The film Malena.

--- In what way? Replacing her "lost" husband with another man so quickly? Any other traits?

Hope wrote about SHaron Stone's character in Casino---I can see the (initial) inability to leave her husband though she threatens it, impulsivity,  rages, reaching out to James Woods ( an "inappropriate" mate for her) on her wedding day to Robert DeNiro... .any other traits?

Black Swan---which character, Portman or the other dancer?

[KaishaMikasa]

Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle!  Perfect representation of my son to be ex.

[UserName69]

I would say almost movie with a maffia theme 

[rsychk05]

Yeah Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies, I thought you meant Penny but I never thought of her that way.

It is totally about a borderline relationship.  

And remember at the end where she reunites the two guys?  

She is reuniting to two parts of the self to become whole.

The rock star guy being the ego and the kid being the lonely child.

The kids mom being the punitive parent and his sister the and the rockstar both represent running away from the self.

The other groupies represent the impulsive child.

The other band member is sort of the punitive parent. 

The thing is in a well done movie they spread the aspects of a whole self into many characters. She there are many movies that portray the borderline but to narrow it down to one character is not seeing the big picture. 

I love this movie, but never thought about Penny in that way. Speaking of Kate Hudson roles, I thought her character in Something Borrowed seemed to have BPD traits.

[MapleBob]

Black Swan---which character, Portman or the other dancer?

Maybe a few of them! Portman is kind of a perfectionist/waif, the Winona Ryder character is BPD all over, and the ballet director is a huge narcissist.

I saw it as a movie about the perils of perfectionism, but the more I think about it the more it feels like a borderline movie.