A family is shattered over the daughter's forced abortion. As she rebels against her family and their traditional, authoritarian, typical-of-the-time norms, she is hospitalized and otherwise mistreated.
A 19-year-old London girl receives aggressive psychiatric treatments for her schizophrenic behaviour from a doctor who still wants her family to insure the guard of the child without any regards to the fact that it is this family who's aggravating her situation.—Jean-Marie Berthiaume <[email protected]>
Based on the work of the genius R. D. Laing, this film smashes the idealistic, 'pie in the sky' perceptions of 'the family' to smithereens. Arguably Loach's best work. Cannot recommend this film enough and also the necessity for people to read and learn from R. D. Laing.
A young woman, Janice, is living with her restrictive and conservative parents, who lead a dull working-class life, and consider their daughter to be "misbehaving" whenever she's trying to find her own way in life. When she becomes pregnant, they force her into abortion, and hypocritically blame her for "upsetting them" when she is unable cope with the emotional and mental effect this has on her. The film is depressing and excruciatingly painful and hard to watch, as Janice is subjected to brain-washing and reproach by her parents and shockingly self-righteous and ignorant doctors (could this have been only 25 years ago???). A masterpiece, a stark and painful portrait of a hypocritical society.
