[yasr_overall_rating]
Two bipolar patients meet in a psychiatric hospital and begin a romance that brings out all of the beauty and horror of their condition.
At the heart of mental illness, comes the very passion of those who suffer from it. The entire revelation of “Touched By Fire” breaks down stereotypes and then gives justification for the behavior that solicits them. The acting throughout this movie is phenomenal in every attempt Director Paul Dalio makes to share the extreme behaviors and characteristics of cautiously optimistic partnerships which thrive on reckless abandon. Carla (Katie Holmes) and Marco (Luke Kirby), are outstanding actors who portray a love-struck couple who each are manic depressives with bipolar disorder. Both are patients in a psychiatric facility where they are being treated for their disorders, when they develop a common bond though the sharing of their passion for literature and their creative nature. Their desire to live normal lives by applying a basic philosophy of common ground makes as much sense as any relationship and therein lies the controversy.
In the early stages of their relationship, they form a mutual trust through the sharing of their creative energy and their desire to have normal lives. Each time there is a challenge within the relationship, they individually, then collectively, draw parallels to the book “Touched With Fire,” and are able to overcome the challenges by their own psychological perspective. At the same time, Marco, an aspiring writer, documents every detail of their exploratory affair in his first attempt to write a book. He even seeks outside advice when he feels that his true feelings are being intercepted by the impact of his meds. Everything seems to be going well until Carla’s mother Sara (Christine Lahti), makes an unannounced visit, and against the advice of Carla herself, Marco exposes their relationship. While Sara is initially flattered, she soon resorts back to the overbearing role that Carla apparently knows all too well.
Within a matter of hours, the domino effect takes place and Carla’s father, Donald (Bruce Altman), Luke’s father, George (Griffin Dunne) and the treating physician, Dr. Lyon (Daniel Gerroll), are all apprised of the relationship and form an intervention which attempts to dissect the relationship, piece by piece, according to the very nature of their illnesses which makes each of them highly unlikely candidates for a joint venture. Determined to have control of their own destiny, Carla and Marco abandon their controlled environment and escape to try to make it on their own. The path that they choose backfires when Carla becomes pregnant and Marco stops taking his meds as promised. Ultimately, they run into deeper issues when Marco becomes violent and Carla becomes confused by her inability to trust him. Unable to sort things out, Carla secretly aborts their baby and when Marco discovers it, he makes a mockery of her in front of their parents. Unapologetically, she states that she didn’t want the baby to be raised by their illness.
Torn apart by the entire chain of events, the relationship is dissipated and Carla and Marco are forced to go in different directions in life. In an interesting twist, Marco completes his book and invites Carla to join him at a surprise book signing. As fate would have it, she is accompanied by her parents and her new man, and while Marco is completely blindsided, his emotions remain in check as he wishes her the best. Throughout the entire movie, emotions run high as the compelling natures force us to look at love at a very different angle. The discussion of manic depressives and their creative natures opens many doors for the comparison to well-known artists who have proven an association that begs to be explored and further appreciated. This movie provides a true learning experience that should encourage conversation and a deeper understanding of mental illness and the divergent path of creative flow.
Opening in select theaters including the Angelika Film Center in Dallas February 19th
