I gave up on this film after 10 minutes..., but then I went back because Diana Ross is amazing in it as Pauline, and because the topic of mental health is important to me. My main complaints: The film sensationalizes violent episodes and is too biased toward one particular drug being a successful treatment for mental health issues versus counseling, which is given little focus. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the film was sponsored by drug companies that manufacture Clozapine. I wish they had done a better job showing the suffering people go through trying to wean themselves off psychiatric drugs. Also, the expression of emotion has a powerful healing effect, and Pauline showed plenty of healthy emotion (mostly crying), but drugs actually interfere with emotional healing most of the time, not enhance it, so the film is misleading in this sense. On the plus side: Looking past the exaggerated violence, we get to see the internal struggle and relationship issues. We see Pauline's isolation as well as her openness (e.g. telling her 10 year-old daughter what it's like, and apologizing to her angry sister). I loved the particular staff member who "rescued" Pauline with warmth and tough love. My lesson: Most of us pass by in fear or apathy when we see homeless or "crazy" people. Pauline's behavior in the last scene shows we have another choice, if not to help them, at least to feel some compassion.

This is far more than the average television movie, that's for sure. If only they could all be as good then maybe they wouldn't be looked down on so much. This film touches upon a lot of soft spots with me, it's so powerful and moving in many different ways. Just hearing the excellent theme music alone is enough to move me deeply and get me into the dramatic spirit of it, every time. The music is very beautiful and has a haunting melancholy feel to it that greatly captures the themes of adversity and fear very well. Diana Ross was just fantastic, if I were ever lucky enough to meet her I'd tell her how much I loved her in this. She must have had to go to a very dark place to portray so well the pain, madness and anguish of someone with a fragmented mind who had lived with such an unimaginable disease for so long. She did a highly effective job with her appearance, making herself appear all ramshackle and hard-edged, with a pained and grim expression that she wears for the first half of the film. Her deviousness in the scene where she poisons her sister with her medication is chilling. Her slow return to normality and a new life over the coarse of the film is inspiring to see. It's all handled in such a raw, honest and not overly-dramatic way that you can't help falling into the story and sympathising with everyone involved. ::: A brilliant talent that I've seen with another film from the director, the equally excellent "God Bless the Child", is his ability to deftly juggle many smaller characters and not have the plot seem cluttered, and make them all seem like fully realised human beings and not forgettable bit parts. And that's a huge part of why I love this and why I believe it works so terrifically, all the characters have a strong, rich sense of chemistry. There are plenty of fine examples of acting talent on display. Gloria Foster(Oracle off Matrix) was wonderful as the long-suffering and weary mother. For whatever reason, this film is not on her list of credits, nor is she credited in it. RIP. Chasiti Hampton put in a great little performance as the mature-beyond-her-years daughter who fears that she will inherit her mother's condition. Lindsey Crouse, who a lot will probably recognise as the villainous Professor Walsh from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" puts in a strong turn as the straight-laced but compassionate shrink who patiently works Paulie back to mental health. I just love her in two scenes where she forces Paulie to face reality and drags her out of bed and into a cold shower, and another where she holds onto her until she calms down on a frightening trip on a busy subway train. Maura Tierney is really sweet and poignant in an early role as Paulie's friend and fellow schizophrenic sufferer Meg, who's fragile mental state gives way to suicidal despair in one harrowing scene. ::: There are numerous emotionally moving scenes and moments that can make me all misty about the eyes, chief among them is absolutely the heart-rending final scene, which is superbly done and astoundingly moving. The way she sees the damaged woman that could so easily have been her had she not have gotten the help she needed from so many devoted people. That scene does bring tears every time I see it because it really sums up and concludes everything so perfectly. It's quite a harsh film, but also hopeful if one is still happening to be finding the way out of their own darkness... And I appreciate it very much when hope in a film is not some great, golden sunrise moment, but something small and quaint. more realistic-and to me far more precious and meaningful for it. She's finally free, and in a good place where she's hopefully overcome her nightmare for good, but she looks back at that Shadow of a human being with a heavy heart, because she's been there too.

This film was very well presented, with good performances. It is sad, and does not distort or exaggerate as many other films have, regarding mental and/or emotional disorders.Diana Ross is very good as Paulie, a once brilliant pre-med student, who can no longer function due to paranoid schizophrenia.Rhonda Stubbins-White is also very good as the sister, who wishes everything would just "get back to normal". The actress who portrays Ross' mother is also very good. There is also a cameo with Lindsay Crouse, who attempts to help Paulie in a new day treatment program.Some of the scenes are disturbing, and anyone who may have experienced situations like this in real life may find it close to the truth. Ross gives the audience an excellent portrayal of the disorder, living in her own world, and enduring many medications and hospitalizations.Finally, she is given a new medication which actually works. The scenes are very well-done, as she is sitting outside the medical school, suddenly feeling like she wants to live life again.What I particularly appreciated about the message in this film was that, Paulie recovers in her own time; at age 44, she must learn to re-live the rest of her life, even though she lost 18 years in the hospital, due to the illness. The film does not condescend or fault the patient, she is merely doing the best she can to cope with a destructive illness.At the conclusion, we see Paulie as she is functioning, ready to finish school. On the way, she sees a homeless woman. She leaves her some food, reflecting on how alienated some people are, and how fortunate she was, to have received effective treatment. 9/10.

I remember when I first saw this and thought this is the piece that will re-energize Diana Ross' acting career. An argument can be made that it is her best acting performance ever! even better than "Lady". For the simple reason is that there was no singing, or music for that matter in this film. Diana had to draw on other things to pull this off. And pull it off she did.. Why she didn't receive major accolades for this role is perplexing. Also this made for t.v movie has been locked in a vault somewhere for the last decade. I can't recall ever seeing this replayed again on t.v. The subject matter is very serious and reaches millions of people. It was handle well and with integrity. And the lead performance was as strong as any seen on the small screen.. So why has this performance and film been socio overlooked over the years? Very disappointing...