Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Kernel Score: 86% · 4,088 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Drama
Released: 1999-12-21
Runtime: 127 minutes
Is Girl, Interrupted worth watching?
Worth watching. A young woman spends time in a psychiatric hospital in the late 1960s. Ryder and Jolie are the draw, and the film works best as a character piece about friendship, even if it's looser than the book it comes from.
Watch it if you
- like character-driven drama about mental health
- want a film built on strong performances
- enjoy 1960s settings
Skip it if you
- want a tightly plotted story
- find hospital-set drama too heavy
Best for: Quiet solo night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Girl, Interrupted
- Free with ads: Tubi
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Set in the changing world of the late 1960s, Susanna Kaysen's prescribed "short rest" from a psychiatrist she had met only once becomes a strange, unknown journey into Alice's Wonderland, where she struggles with the thin line between normal and crazy. Susanna soon realizes how hard it is to get out once she has been committed, and she ultimately has to choose between the world of people who belong inside or the difficult world of reality outside.
Girl, Interrupted parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Girl, Interrupted is an R-rated drama set in a psychiatric hospital dealing with mental illness and a suicide attempt.
- Violence & scariness: Some — Includes references to a suicide attempt and self-harm among psychiatric patients.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Girl, Interrupted
If you liked Girl, Interrupted, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) — 93%: Institution drama about friendship and a controlling system
- It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010) — 76%: Gentler story of a young person in a psychiatric ward
- Shutter Island (2010) — 91%: Psychiatric hospital at the heart of a dark story
- Betty Blue (1986) — 79%: Intense romance shadowed by mental breakdown
- I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006) — 77%: Offbeat, tender story set in a mental hospital
- Requiem for a Dream (2000) — 89%: Harrowing look at young people spiralling
Director
Cast
- Winona Ryder as Susanna
- Angelina Jolie as Lisa
- Clea DuVall as Georgina
- Brittany Murphy as Daisy
- Elisabeth Moss as Polly
- Jared Leto as Tobias Jacobs
- Jeffrey Tambor as Dr. Potts
- Vanessa Redgrave as Dr. Wick
- Whoopi Goldberg as Valerie
- Angela Bettis as Janet
Girl, Interrupted FAQ
Is Girl, Interrupted worth watching?
Worth watching. A young woman spends time in a psychiatric hospital in the late 1960s. Ryder and Jolie are the draw, and the film works best as a character piece about friendship, even if it's looser than the book it comes from.
Where can I watch Girl, Interrupted?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Tubi and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Girl, Interrupted OK for kids?
Girl, Interrupted is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Girl, Interrupted is an R-rated drama set in a psychiatric hospital dealing with mental illness and a suicide attempt.
What movies are like Girl, Interrupted?
If you liked Girl, Interrupted, try One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Shutter Island and Betty Blue.