Lack of good storyline.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

About 20 years ago, I remember going to a local multi-plex and just being blown away by this wacky Aussie comedy-drama, "Muriel's Wedding", which of course introduced the world to the wonderful Toni Collette in the title role. The director of that film, PJ Hogan, would "go Hollywood" and direct the terrible 1997 Julia Roberts romantic comedy, "My Best Friend's Wedding". Blah!Well, with "Mental", Hogan is back in form! This Aussie dramedy concerns a family, like "Muriel" with a politician dad (played by Anthony Lapaglia), a somewhat ditzy mom, and five kids- sounds helluva lot like "Muriel" doesn't it??- so much so I actually thought this could actually be Muriel herself (the mom) 20 years later, who has now basically become her mother. Then, I read up on it to find out that this is actually a semi-autobiographical story of PJ Hogan, the director. Now the dad decides to hire this off-the-street lunatic (Toni Collette), who I also thought might actually be Muriel 20 years later LOL- to watch his kids. She's a knife-yielding psycho that has had some experience on the "inside" (of mental institutes) herself. But like her "Muriel" co- star, Rachel Griffith, played that "Mary Poppins"-type character in "Saving Mr. Banks", she basically becomes a "Mary Poppins" on acid for these kids...LOL And Liev Schrieber plays an especially amusing shark hunter character who develops a friendship with one of the daughters of the family. I was trying to think of what "Muriel's Wedding" character he would compare to-??Overall, like some other users have mentioned so far- if you liked MW- you will like this. Like a lot of Aussie films I notice, they start out as these wacky insane comedies with a bit of dark, off-beat humor, then they eventually evolve into something more- tackling a much more serious issue- this movie of course tackles mental illness- no surprise there- by the title of the film. Toni Collette is very good as always, and you just might walk away from this film with a little more than you expected...

I love Australian films. This film is in our keepers file along with The Castle. I am certain I could watch it 100 times & still have a good laugh. I've read some reviews that this film was similar to Muriel's Wedding, "What the?". Ignore these reviews, Mental is nothing like Muriel's Wedding. How can someone tackle a major issue such as Mental Health so thoughtfully, creatively and skillfully? The story line holds so much weight, the actors give the characters so much depth and the humour hits a level you only get to reach so often. I am astounded at the quality of this film. If for some unfortunate reason you don't enjoy this film then do yourself a favour... consider having your mental health assessed.

Not sure at first if I wanted to see an Australian movie due to the wretched nature of their soap operas and I had a bit of trouble getting into the first half hour. It has some odd plot bumps but they work overall and it's worth the wait for the various payoffs that crop up through out the story. Some great acting from all the cast. I had no idea the shark guy was Liev Schreiber and Anthony LaPaglia comes off very convincingly as the out of touch dad but it is the women and the girls that make this film and should be it's core fan base. However this is a "chick flick" that guys can actually enjoy too. I think it will be considered a minor classic some years hence. This really is a very very funny, clever film. You could do worse (Identity Thief) with bigger budget movies but this is one film I think will leave a lasting impression on the viewer and a real feather in the cap for the younger actors as their careers progress.

Toni Collete is outstanding as Shaz, her performance is only one good reason to see this film; love, love, love it!! Worth seeing. Enjoyed the wit, humor and found myself identifying and empathizing with a few of the characters; having dealt with mental illness in my family, this film pinpoints and illustrates family dynamics with humor and style. Enjoyed the references to another favorite, "Sound of Music," which this film inspired me to watch again with my exchange student daughter...she and I had a great time sharing both films. Mental had me laughing till the credits rolled and was truly entertaining on many levels.