Genres

Visitors Review

raymond-15 2012-05-24 23:38:22

It's the quality of the acting and direction that shines!

This is a film that haunts you for hours, even days, after the credits roll.The story is simple enough, It's about a distraught mother who boards herson David (Lukas Haas) in a psychiatric school for observation under thecare of a top psychiatrist (Sidney Poitier), His problem is undiagnosed andall previous treatments have proved futile. At the school he lives very muchas a recluse and has an abiding fear that he may die if anyone as much astouches him. This phobia does not prevent him from keeping pace with thelatest medical literature. He also has an obsession with clocks and thattime is all important. Lukas Haas's portrayal of the mentally sick David isgreat to watch, really compelling acting- the furtive eye movements, thefrightened glances, the rebellious moods, the shambling walk - he is atotally believable psychiatric case. Balancing David's explosive outbursts,we have the cool, calm, unruffled doctor making every attempt to get throughto the young patient, but never forcibly, never over-stepping the mark. There are a number of scenes that really excite me. An outburst of anger byDavid who is crazed with the idea that "time" is uncontrollable,unstoppable. Another crazy outburst about medicos who use medical jargon toshow off their superiority. In another scene David tells of his recurringdream where he executes those who oppose him with a large (razor-sharp) handof an enormous clock. "Perhaps you'll be next" he says to the doctor. Thedoctor's gentle but persuasive manner finally plants in David's mind theseed of a thought that people who have feelings may be more important thanclocks which have none. Into the picture come Lisa (Brittany Murphy) arather pretty young psychiatric patient who speaks only in rhyming words andsentences, such as "Hello...Kid-o" and "Look at me! What do you see?" Davidadmits he is interested in her merely as a case study, but his expressiveeyes and facial expressions indicate to us that that he is slowly but surelymoved by her presence, her naivety and her trust. The final scene of thefilm suggests that though it may take some time there is genuine hope forboth of them. This is a "must-see" film, both for the great acting and forits message of hope.

Nicholas Smith 2012-05-21 15:57:08

Superb acting and entrancing direction

There have been many movies about mentally disturbed teens. Some have beenquite effective such as the excellent performance by Shawn Cassidy in LikeNormal People. Of course Ordinary People remains the standard. However,David and Lisa was a revelation. The performance by Lukas Haas wasespecially gripping - Emmy quality. It should lead to better roles for himin the future. Likewise Brittany Murphy was totally convincing withsurprisingly subtle changes in her appearance during key lines. It was a joyto see Sidney Poitier in an understated but effortless performance. Thephotography was captivating, with occasional flashes of grainydocumentary-type black and white frames. An altogether excellentproduction.

saph 2012-05-10 22:49:31

Brilliant!

I stumbled upon this movie one night at 1 am and I kept me away from thebed! The story is beautiful and sensitive, and the characters beautifullyportrayed by talented actors. The complicated, yet wonderful psychology ofthese 2 persons can equal 2 dozens of explosions in any blockbuster movie.Too bad the movie isn't longer. I have a little gripe against the end,maybea bit too mushy, but still, wonderful piece of cinema.Bravo.

2012-05-02 12:02:24

"I see a girl, who looks like a pearl. I see a girl, a girl of a pearl."

I've had David & Lisa in my DVD case for absolutely ages now (I think I may actually be talking about years, rather than months), and have just never got around to or been in the mood to watch it. Although it did take me three hours to watch an 86 minute long film due to constant interruptions, I did actually enjoy it. Bearing a lot of similarities to One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest & Girl, Interrupted (which Brittany Murphy also starred in), David & Lisa focuses on two teenagers, both with serious problems. David (Luke Haas, who has a good look of Toby Maguire in some scenes) has a fear of anyone touching him (although this is never explained, but constant flashbacks to him and his parents by the sea hint at something) and also has OCD. He also has a recurring dream/nightmare of a 'clock execution'. Lisa talks in rhyme and has something of a split personality, and a close relationship with her therapist, played brilliantly by Debi Mazar. Gradually these two overcome their differences to become friends.What I loved about this film is Brittany's performance, it's simply stunning. Very similar to the character she played in Girl, Interrupted, it's so different to the actress she's become now, conformed to the Hollywood idea of the perfect actress. Yes she has grown up, but compare her looks in this and Girl, Interrupted, to how she is now, you'd think it was a different actress. And I much prefer her earlier roles.The story's pretty simple enough, and on the DVD, it even has an introduction by Oprah Winfrey. Why, I don't know, but it's obviously a movie she's put her name to, cos it's so good. These people will do anything for money.I'm glad I eventually watched David & Lisa, as it was a really good movie, and one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend, but One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest & Girl, Interrupted, do have the edge.

alison grevatt 2012-05-01 13:20:12

Oprah Winfrey's version of this 1968 movie takes our understanding of the disturbed to a new level.

Oprah Winfrey has done it again as she produces a compelling new version ofthe 1968 classic. Two mentally ill teenagers fall in love and conquer theirillnesses with the help of the school's director, played by Sidney Poitier.I found Lukas Haas and Brittany Murphy excellent in their respective rolesas David and Lisa.This film reaches out people of all ages at many different levels. It isfundamentaly a teenage romance with a unique twist. I would recommend "Davidand Lisa" to anyone and everyone!

Sebastian-20 2012-05-01 05:01:40

Nice film, great acting!

This is a very nice movie about two teens in a mental institution.David (played by Lucas Haas) is afraid to be touched by other people, andLisa (brilliantly played by Brittany Murphy) says everything in rhymes, andseems to have a split personality.The two become friends, and unconsciously help each others overcome theirfears...Also with Sidney Poitier as the head of the mental institution.If you like this film, maybe you also like "Her last chance" with KellieMartin!Rating: 9/10

George 2012-04-28 23:51:04

Analyze This

In 1962 this film could be seen as groundbreaking, a somewhat serious look at life in a posh mental institute. Now, it is dated and unsatisfying. The film lacks an in-depth look at what is happening in the minds of the two lead characters, especially Lisa's. Through a semi-plausible emerging love interest between them, the underlying message of the movie seems to be a distrust of psychiatrists and Freudian analysis. In its place is a belief that the patients can work things out for themselves over time, especially through empathizing with their fellows. That's a worthy enough theory that has truth in it. But this is a movie, not a doctoral dissertation. We don't find out exactly why Lisa communicates only in rhyme, thus severly limiting her social contact. We get an obvious explanation for David's morbid reaction to being physically touched, but his sudden cure is doubtful (hey, the movie had to end within some reasonable amount of time). Yes, the dream image of David's clock, with heads of people he knows about to be guillotined by the clocks hands is arresting. But bottom line, both David and Lisa's quirks are so annoying that it makes the film annoying. The viewer likely feels warm hearted at the happy ending, but it's just not believable. I recommend a far more engaging film of the same time period also set in a posh asylum--"Lilith"--in its stead.

The_Movie_Cat 2012-04-25 09:03:25

We're not worthy, we're not worthy!

In hindsight, the death of Sidney Poitier's film career probably began in1989 with "Driving Miss Daisy". A huge "sleeper" hit for Morgan Freeman,which he capitalised on with later roles in "The Shawshank Redemption" and"Se7en". As a result, the rare role of "elderly black man" in cinema (matched forobscurity only by the roles of Asian or disabled actors in Hollywoodcircles) has fallen in favour of Freeman. Not that that's a bad thing,Morgan is a fine actor, but to waste one of the major talents of the cinema(one of the fifty greatest film actors of all time? Twenty? Ten?) on tvmovies is a sad waste. Sidney has starred in just eleven films in the lasttwo decades, only five of them for the big screen.And so, being a huge Poitier fan I rented out "David and Lisa", a love storybetween two patients at a home for the mentally ill. Lukas Haas and BrittanyMurphy do well as the titular characters, while Sidney is, as expected, thegreatest performer in the piece.Yet while Haas gets to do all the real "acting", Sidney is required here todo nothing more than go through the motions, with no material to get histeeth into. Instead, he is called upon to deliver such saccharine lines as"If you don't fall in love with life then you are more dead than alive". Hisattempts to wade through what is essentially a treacly, self-consciously"heart-warming" story are blighted at every turn. His swift body languageand familiar-yet-well-mannered facial array are slowed by the sentimentalincidental music that punctuates any "touching" plot development.For a film that professes to be about mental illness, it can be occasionallysloppy in it's presentation of said theme. The movie is guilty ofperpetuating the widely-held myth that "Schizophrenia" refers to multiplepersonality disorders, while the notion of illnesses than can be cured bylove is just too easy an option for a satisfactory resolution.Ultimately, this is not a bad film, but then neither is it a particularlygood one. I gave it average (5) marks, as, like the majority of tv movies,it is a sanitised work, content to sit there and occupy the attention for 85minutes then go away again leaving no real lasting impression. It's nothorrible, it's not bad for your health, but then neither will it alter yourlife in any great way. The film's undercurrent is the sort ofself-aggrandising, pious worthiness that gives liberalism a bad name. Infact, the whole movie walks a tightrope between decent entertainment andpreachy sentiment. The only thing it needs to take it over the edge into aswarfegic glob of overstated emotion is a introduction by Oprah Winfrey,where she talks about the film being a "timeless love story" and "love givesus the power to live".Oh, wait a minute. She does do that, doesn't she? Damn.

Victor Field 2012-04-24 09:58:40

"I see a girl... who looks like a pearl." The movie's quite appealing as well.

This may have come about under the aegis of Oprah Winfrey, but don't letthat put you off; "David and Lisa" is far more watchable than herself-titled opus. (Another British viewer complained that She Who ThinksShe's God appears in an intro before the movie starts; this is the case onvideo and on its US screenings, but I watched the movie on BBC2 and herappearance was removed, for which much thanks. Less justifiably, the Harpologo was also absent - I don't like Oprah, but I like endcredits.)Though Sidney Poitier is top-billed, Lukas Haas is the real star of themovie; he plays an articulate and intelligent young man who's very disturbed- he suffers from a recurring nightmare involving "clock executions," andhas a severe phobia about being touched, all of which accounts for hiswidowed mother (Allison Janney from "The West Wing") sending him to aspecial institution. This movie is basically a love story, and the object of his affections -though it takes him a while to realise it - is a fellow patient played byBrittany Murphy (anyone seeing this after "Girl, Interrupted" and "Don't SayA Word" will probably not be surprised). Given to speaking in rhyme to makeher internal demons go away, his interest is at first clinical, buteventually...Compared to "The Bell Jar" (the book, that is - I haven't seen the movieversion), this isn't particularly wrenching, but it isn't meant to be.Blessedly non-sick-making, sensitively told and generally well-performed(some of the freakouts may seem overacted, but how far is too far in caseslike this?), "David and Lisa" is an involving story right up to its finalscene - there's no real miracle cure, instead a suggestion that they'reheading in the right direction. (And unusually for a love story, the twonever kiss.)And to the person who complained about Marco Beltrami's music; in additionto being above-average for TV, it must have been a refreshing change for himto score a movie not about serial killings. Fans of him (and Haas andMurphy) should tune in.

Caroline 2012-04-23 13:50:36

Really worth seeing.

The second I saw the article in the Sunday paper about this film, Iknew it was going to be a keeper. Unable to watch it as it was aired (and,after all, I like to tape everything anyway just in case) I saw it thefollowing day. It's truly beautiful. I was in tears when David lets 'Lisa'hold his hand. It's touching, and just crazy enough for us 'artsy' types.*smile* Get a hold of a copy of it somehow. You've got to. Really, trulywatch it. Listen to the dialogue. Watch the actor's eyes. Keep tissueshandy for the end.

Miriam A. Kilmer 2012-04-21 13:54:13

Beautiful Update

"David and Lisa" is a beautifully updated version of this love story byTheodore Isaac Rubin. It shows careful research into modernpsychiatry.

j_victorm 2012-04-20 13:01:44

BW Classic Love Story

Keanue did 2001 7 years Later. I understand from the reviews there is an Operah[?] sequel. Unlikely events afflict small good films. The B/W is a period piece drama when issues of mental and Behavioral cause were less than popular themes.It is 1962 and Two young people have a curious affection between them.

pammyjo 2012-04-19 04:10:49

a movie worth watching again. and the original

I loved the movie, and have since been searching for it, I have neverseen the original movie but am NOW curious, I have been searching forthe movie with Brittney Murphy for some time now to purchase and sharewith my 15 year old, who I know would love it as much as I.Is this version available ? I would love to find it and add it to mycollection of favorite movies that I have recently purchased so mydaughter and I can share together , and I can recap my feelings throughher first experiencing it as I did. Thanks again for letting me sharemy thought and review on this movie, hope you all enjoyed it as much asI.

Devotchka 2012-04-16 18:19:47

Decent but somehow awkward and dated.

This isn't a terrible movie, but to be honest, I'm baffled by all thepraise it's received. The dialogue seems artificial and somewhatdated--David in particular has an extremely stilted manner that I'm notsure is actually intentional. In the first half of the movie he standsup abruptly and then turns away at least once a scene, and his variouspanic attacks are weirdly awkward and artificial. I'm not sure thatthis is Haas's fault--when I first read the original play about 8 yearsago, I was instantly annoyed by David's character. I personally have agood deal of experience with mental illness, etc, and something abouthim didn't quite click. Once David was allowed to develop a little (andonce he wasn't forced into these constant, over-the-top breakdowns),Haas's acting ability shows. I really would have liked to see moreinsight--more introspection--but because the director insisted onsticking directly to the play, this wasn't possible. The plot isdecent; why couldn't they use that as the framework?He changes as a result of Lisa, but we don't really see how or why. Asa result, we end up with this sappy, unrealistic sort of "love conquersmental illness" story. What, is David cured now? He and Lisa haven'teven had a real conversation when the movie ends; we're left with theidea that perhaps their relationship will develop into somethingfascinating......and then the movie ends. Damn it.Murphy does decently as Lisa, considering what she's given to workwith. And Poitier does wonderfully despite the dialogue, of course, buteverybody else in the film seems vaguely out of place. Maybe it hassomething to do with the fact that there's still something very 1962about the thing, and mental illness research has come a long way in 40years. David and Lisa has its great moments--especially as itprogresses--and I suspect that Haas in particular could do better in adifferent movie. Even this one could be really good, but it just falls shortsomehow...probably as a result of the dialogue, which still seemsstraight out of a 60's play that was revolutionary in its time but hassince become distractingly dated. (I am aware that they have made somechanges to the slang, but there's more to speech than that.) Anyway,with some modifications in regards to the telling of the story andespecially the character development, I think that it could be a muchbetter movie. As it is, it's pretty unremarkable.

2012-04-10 02:40:58

Great performances,good writing,GREAT film

I rarely call a movie beautiful,but I found this to be a truly beautiful film.the performances by all the cast members are wonderful,the script is well crafted,and even the cinematography is good.Lukas Haas moved me to tears as a boy who cannot stand to be touched,although he needs to be hugged in the worst way.I highly reccomend this movie.

P Adkins 2012-04-07 17:30:08

WOW! Kimiko Gelman

I don't think I would have ever even heard of this film if one of myfavorite actresses was not in it. Kimiko Gelman that is. Thank you Kimikofor having me watch such an incredible story. If this movie ever airs, myadvice is "WATCH IT!!" 1-10 (10)

James Kaplan 2012-04-06 16:29:17

A Star is Born

"David and Lisa," is one of those rare productions that remind us how goodtelevision can be. Portrayals of people with mental illnesses are alwaysdifficult. That there was room for reality and subtlety is a tribute to thecreators and performers. Brittany Murphy's performance as Lisa will be on mymind for a long time. I can only hope that it will bring her more and moreimportant roles, along with her first Emmy nomination. Thanks to Oprah forbringing this wonderful story to a new generation.

First L 2012-04-05 01:29:43

kool

its a good movie but theres a newer version but i like it.:) haha ahaha hqah a ahahahaha im a weirdo!!!

2012-03-30 11:10:01

Simply a stunning film.

I first caught this when it was on television. Just randomly flipping through channels and then BAM! And right in the middle of a Lisa freakout. Needless to say; it captivated me! What came next was the greatest hour+ of cinema that I've seen in a LONG time.The story is just so compelling. It mainly focuses on David (Lukas Haas) and the struggles that he's going through. David meets Lisa (Brittany Murphy). They both struggle with these personal issues that they are dealing with; all the while knowing that they are in love.It's a masterpiece to say the least. :)

ladylemon2006 2012-03-21 09:44:35

What do YOU see??

I had to watch this movie in Psychology class, and I thought it wasamazing! It was a movie that I actually enjoyed watching at school,which is a rarity. The actors played their roles expertly. I am so gladthey chose Brittany Murphy for the role of Lisa. She had all of theemotions needed for this part. WOW! It was truly a touching story, andI'm glad this movie was remade...I would like to get a copy...Myteacher taped it off of TV, and she can't find a copy ANYWHERE! Ifanyone can help me out I would greatly appreciate it. Please email meat ladylemon2006@aol or carmello2006@hotmail.com. thanks a lot, andeveryone should see this movie. You wouldn't regret it. There is nevera dull moment!