Movie Analysis
Brain on Fire
I. Title of the Movie: “Brain on Fire”
II. Introduction:
Include the following:
Name of the movie, prominent stars, basic setting (time and place), type of film
(comedy, adventure, drama, etc.). Provide a rating (How do you rate the movie?
● Featuring Chloë Grace Moretz, "Brain on Fire" unfolds in New York City,
portraying the true story of Susannah Cahalan. Categorized as a drama/thriller, I
give this movie a rating of 10 out of 10.
III. Body (Movie Summary)
A. Write the short summary of the movie.
● Susannah Cahalan, a young journalist at the New York Post, as she struggles with
peculiar behavior and mysterious health issues. Initially brushed off as stress,
her condition worsens, leading to erratic conduct, seizures, and hallucinations.
B. Answer the following questions:
1. What are the signs and symptoms that the main character manifested that will
tell us that she is suffering from schizophrenia?
● Symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and
erratic behavior, which are indicative of schizophrenia.
2. What is anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis?
● It's an autoimmune disorder in which the body produces antibodies
targeting the NMDA receptors in the brain. These antibodies interfere
with regular brain communication and lead to inflammation of the brain,
known as encephalitis.
3. What are the similarities and differences between schizophrenia and
anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis?
● Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness whereas anti-NMDA-receptor
autoimmune encephalitis is an acute autoimmune disorder.
4. What are the roles of the family members in the recovery of the client?
● The family plays a pivotal role in advocating for Susannah's correct
diagnosis and treatment, offering unwavering support crucial to her
eventual recovery.
5. How does this disorder impact the daily life of a person?
● Severely disrupts Susannah's daily life, affecting her work, relationships,
due to the confusion, memory loss, and distressing hallucinations which
prevents her from doing what she normally does.
6. What interventions did the client undergo and how did it contribute to her
recovery?
● Medical interventions include hospitalization, medication, and
plasmapheresis, in which aimed at removing harmful antibodies from
her blood, and her family's support, all contributed to her gradual
recovery.
C. Questions to stimulate your thoughts
1. What is the message of this movie? Do you agree or disagree with it?
● For me the message of the movie is about perseverance and having the
right ones to give you support and be there for you despite your
condition will give you the strength to overcome the adversity brought
by the condition. Therefore, I wholefully agree with the message of the
movie.
2. Was there something you didn’t understand about the film? What was that?
● As a medical student, I pretty much understood everything from medical
treatments to about the condition.
3. What did you like best about the movie? Why?
● What I liked about the movie is that it showed how the condition affects
the individual which gets me to understand more about it. And also the
information about what to do such as the interventions.
4. What did you like least about the film? Why?
● What I liked least about the movie is the misdiagnosis of the condition,
but I understand because the symptoms are very similar to some mental
conditions.
5. Who was your favorite character in the movie? Why?
● My favorite characters are the doctors themselves, due to their
unwavering determination to find out what the condition really is and
helping Susannah for her recovery.
6. Who was your least favorite character in the film? Why?
● For me i don't particularly have a least favorite character because each
played their role in helping Susannah.
IV. (Conclusion) Give your overall reaction to the movie as your opinion on the quality of the movie
and how you want the movie to end and also include your recommendation for potential
viewers.
● To know more about the often misunderstood medical condition, it offered me insights
about resilience, familial support, and the indomitable human spirit. Despite the hard to
understand medical concepts to non medical individuals, I recommend it to those who
are intrigued by real-life medical dramas and narratives of triumph over adversity to the
condition.
.
