Claire Dawson
Girl, Interrupted is a 1999 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold. It is based on the best-selling 1993 memoir by Susanna Kaysen, relating her experiences as a young woman in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. In the film, Lisa Rowe is a fellow patient and a dangerously attractive, rebellious, charismatic, and sociopathic figure who mentors Susanna and encourages her to act out and resist therapy. Lisa has been in the institution since she was twelve and has escaped several times. She is undaunted by the punishments she receives and convinces Susanna to break out of the hospital with her.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for Hospitalization | Borderline Personality Disorder, depression |
| Diagnosis | Sociopath |
| Length of Stay | 8 years |
| Behavior | Rebellious, egotistical, obstreperous, manipulative, verbally violent, callous, impulsive, volatile, cruel, lacking empathy, social awareness, and regard for consequences |
| Relationship with Susanna Kaysen | Encouraged Susanna to stop taking her medication and resist therapy, influenced Susanna to break out of the hospital, searched Daisy Randone's dead body for cash, stole Susanna's diary and read it aloud for amusement |
| Portrayed by | Angelina Jolie |
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What You'll Learn
Lisa's diagnosis and behaviour
Lisa Rowe is a patient at Claymoore, a psychiatric hospital, where she has been institutionalised since she was twelve years old. She is considered a sociopath by the hospital's doctors and other patients due to her lack of empathy, social awareness, and regard for consequences. She is described as rebellious, obstreperous, cold-hearted, cocky, and charismatic. She is also said to be "proud of her diagnosis".
Lisa forms a bond with Susanna Kaysen, the newest patient at Claymoore, who is being treated for depression and has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Lisa encourages Susanna to stop taking her medication and resist therapy. She also helps the girls sneak around at night in the hospital's underground tunnels and provokes them and the staff.
Lisa is described as having a dark side to her personality, which can appear without warning. She can veer from being extravagantly kind to perversely cruel. She is also said to be dangerously attractive to the other girls in the hospital.
Lisa has a history of escaping from the hospital, and she convinces Susanna to break out with her on one occasion. They go to the home of Daisy Randone, another patient who has recently been released from the hospital. Lisa verbally attacks Daisy, exposing the fact that she has had an incestuous relationship with her father. The next morning, Susanna finds Daisy dead in her bathroom, having committed suicide.
Lisa's behaviour after Daisy's suicide is callous and insensitive. She searches Daisy's room and body for cash and then leaves the house. Susanna, appalled by Lisa's behaviour, returns to Claymoore to pursue treatment. Upon learning of Susanna's impending release, Lisa strikes out at her, stealing her diary and reading it aloud to other patients so they can ridicule her.
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Her relationship with Susanna
In the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted, based on the 1993 memoir of the same name by Susanna Kaysen, Lisa Rowe is the main antagonist. She is a long-term patient of Claymoore, a psychiatric hospital, having been institutionalised since she was twelve years old. She is described as obstreperous, cold-hearted, rebellious, cocky, and charismatic. She is considered a sociopath by the hospital's doctors and some of the other patients.
After Susanna Kaysen is admitted to Claymoore, Lisa takes an interest in her. Susanna is being treated for depression and has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Lisa forms a bond with Susanna and encourages her to stop taking her medication and resist therapy. She also teaches Susanna how to act out against other doctors and sadistically abuse the other patients for amusement. The two engage in pranks, fantasies, and mild manipulations, as well as verbally violent attacks on one another. Lisa's charisma makes her a role model to Susanna and other patients, despite her cruel and manipulative personality.
Lisa and Susanna's relationship takes a turn when Susanna is close to being discharged from the hospital due to her progress. Feeling threatened, Lisa steals Susanna's diary and reads it aloud to the other patients so they can ridicule her. Susanna is furious and tells Lisa she is "dead already". Lisa has a breakdown and reveals that she is not a sociopath but is very troubled. The two reconcile, and there are indications that Lisa will change for the better.
Lisa and Susanna's relationship is further tested when they run away from the hospital together and go to the home of Daisy Randone, another patient who had been discharged. Lisa verbally abuses Daisy, exposing the fact that she had an incestuous relationship with her father. The next morning, Daisy is found dead by suicide, and Susanna is appalled by Lisa's insensitive behaviour as she searches Daisy's body for cash. This incident causes Susanna to realise she doesn't want to become like Lisa, so she returns to Claymoore to continue her treatment.
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Her influence on Susanna
In the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted, based on the 1993 memoir by Susanna Kaysen, Lisa Rowe is a long-term patient of the psychiatric hospital where Susanna is admitted. Lisa has been in the institution since she was twelve and has escaped several times over her eight-year captivity. She is considered a sociopath by the hospital's doctors and other patients, and is described as obstreperous, cold-hearted, rebellious, cocky, and charismatic.
After Susanna's arrival, Lisa takes a liking to her and forms a bond with her. She encourages Susanna to stop taking her medication and resist therapy, and teaches her to act out against doctors and other patients. Lisa helps the girls sneak around at night in the hospital's underground tunnels and continuously provokes them and the staff. Susanna enjoys her newfound rebellious streak and the camaraderie she finds with Lisa, and their actions range from pranks and indulging in fantasies to mild manipulations and verbally violent attacks on one another.
Lisa also convinces Susanna to break out of the hospital with her, and they go to the home of their former fellow patient, Daisy Randone. Lisa verbally abuses Daisy, exposing the fact that she has had an incestuous relationship with her father, and the next morning, Susanna finds Daisy dead by suicide. She is appalled by Lisa's insensitive behaviour as she searches Daisy's room and body for cash, and this marks a turning point for Susanna, who realises she does not want to become like Lisa. She phones for an ambulance and returns to the hospital to continue her treatment.
As Susanna's release from the hospital approaches, Lisa feels threatened and tries to sabotage her progress by stealing her diary and reading it aloud to other patients so they can ridicule her. Susanna angrily confronts Lisa, but this outburst is also a sign of her recovery, as she stands up to Lisa and asserts her independence.
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Her escape attempts
Lisa Rowe, the main antagonist in the film Girl, Interrupted, has been in the psychiatric institution since she was twelve years old and has escaped several times during her eight-year captivity. She is considered a sociopath by the hospital's doctors and other patients due to her lack of empathy, social awareness, and regard for consequences.
Lisa is described as rebellious, obstreperous, cold-hearted, cocky, and
One of Lisa's escape attempts involves convincing Susanna to break out of the hospital with her. They run away to the home of Daisy Randone, a recently released patient who was living in a house provided by her father. Lisa has no patience for Daisy and verbally attacks her, exposing the fact that she has had an incestuous relationship with her father. The next morning, Susanna finds Daisy dead by suicide and is appalled by Lisa's insensitive behaviour as she searches for cash, including on Daisy's body. Susanna realises she doesn't want to become like Lisa, so she calls for an ambulance and returns to the hospital.
Lisa's escape attempts and rebellious behaviour inspire and enchant the other girls on the ward. She is a dangerously attractive figure for them, and her volatile personality can shift from extravagantly kind to perversely cruel without warning.
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Her return to Claymoore
In the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted, Lisa Rowe is a patient at Claymoore, a psychiatric hospital in New England, where she has been institutionalised since she was twelve. She is considered a sociopath and is described as obstreperous, cold-hearted, rebellious, cocky, and charismatic. She forms a bond with Susanna Kaysen, the newest patient at Claymoore, and encourages her to stop taking her medication and resist therapy.
Lisa's return to Claymoore occurs after Susanna discovers that Daisy Randone, another patient at Claymoore, has committed suicide. Susanna is appalled by Lisa's callous behaviour in the aftermath of Daisy's death and decides to return to Claymoore to pursue treatment. While Susanna is back at Claymoore, Lisa is also returned to the facility.
Upon her return to Claymoore, Lisa continues to display her rebellious and manipulative behaviour. She strikes out at Susanna, stealing her diary and reading it aloud to other patients so they can ridicule her. This incident causes Susanna to angrily confront Lisa, demonstrating her growing realisation of Lisa's negative influence.
Lisa's return to Claymoore marks a turning point in Susanna's journey. It is during this time that Susanna begins to question the authenticity of the hospital staff's intentions and the effectiveness of their treatment methods. She becomes increasingly aware of the severe circumstances and struggles faced by herself and the other patients.
In conclusion, Lisa's return to Claymoore serves as a pivotal moment in the film, highlighting the complex dynamics between the characters and the impact of their shared experiences within the institutional setting. It is through this return that Susanna is able to recognise the negative influence of Lisa and actively choose a path towards healing and self-improvement.
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Frequently asked questions
Lisa Rowe is a fictional character in the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted, which is based on the 1993 memoir of the same name by Susanna Kaysen. In the film, Lisa is a patient at a psychiatric hospital and is described as a sociopath. She has been in the institution since she was twelve years old and has escaped several times but is always caught and brought back.
The memoir Girl, Interrupted, written by Susanna Kaysen, is about her experiences as a young woman in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
The film Girl, Interrupted is based on Susanna Kaysen's memoir and follows a young woman who spends 18 months institutionalized at a psychiatric hospital following a suicide attempt.
In the film, Lisa Rowe is a charismatic and rebellious patient at the psychiatric hospital who has been institutionalized since she was twelve. She is described as a sociopath and is proud of her diagnosis. She becomes a friend and mentor to Susanna, encouraging her to stop taking her medication and resist therapy.
Throughout the film, Lisa escapes from the hospital and manipulates other patients and staff. She also forms a bond with Susanna and encourages her to break out of the hospital with her. However, after Susanna discovers Lisa's callous behaviour following their friend Daisy's suicide, she realises she doesn't want to become like Lisa and returns to the hospital for treatment.
