User reviews

I am really surprised to see such low ratings for this film. I think it's a great insight of how people who are affected by manic depression feel and how difficult can be the job of physicians in treating them. Moreover Richard Gere's interpretation is a masterpiece. He shows both the vulnerability of an exhausted and sad man in search of understanding and acceptance, and also of course his celebrated coolness and savoir-faire with women in the character's exuberant spells. I found the picture really pleasant, funny at times and shockingly real and dramatic and full of pathos. Despite the numerous clichés (..) and the frequent fades-away which, in my opinion, manifest a little hastiness by the director, I found the picture full of hope. Sometimes we forget the complexity of the human psyche. A man can endure at times ecstatic bliss and at others dreadful despair. I guess it's the price to pay for being extremely sensitive. Or just a little crazy.

Fearing the worst, but realizing Mike Figgis had directed it, I decided to take a look at this 1993 picture. Never saw it in its commercial release, as it didn't stay in theaters for a long time.

This is a film about a man who is mentally unbalanced. Who could ever know what goes on in the mind of a person with a problem such as the one that afflicts Mr. Jones, the strange character that seems to be on a permanent high, as he is introduced in the first scenes of the movie.

Individuals such as Mr. Jones, in real life, go from one state of euphoria to periods of great depression. This is a study about a man that is breaking down in front of our eyes and no one has a clue of what to do with him. Eric Roth, the screen writer, seems to be telling us that hospitals such as where Mr. Jones is taken to, can do more harm than good. Evidently medicine given to these patients could well contribute to aggravate their condition.

It's only through the encounter of Jones with the psychiatrist, Dr. Bowen, that he is correctly diagnosed. In treating this man, Libby, ends up falling in love with a person who might never be cured and will live forever in a world of his own, where no one else can enter, or no one can shed any light about what will cure his condition.

Richard Gere's portrayal of Mr. Jones was quite a departure from the roles he chooses to play, usually. He makes this man compelling, as we feel sorry for what's going on in his mind. Lena Olin, is also good as the shrink that understands what's in Jones' mind. Delroy Lindo, makes another great appearance as Howard, the man who befriends the mysterious man and tries to help him. Anne Bancroft as the director of the institution doesn't have much to do.

The film, although a bit long, is never boring. It will keep any viewer interested in what will happen next, as the people suffering this disease go through all the changes caused by what is going on in their minds.

This was Mike Figgis' first film after the rather wonderful and haunting "Liebestraum" and compared to that it's a disappointment.

As others have commented, Gere's acting is magnificent. I have a good friend who is manic depressive and Gere nails the condition absolutely. As others have also commented, this performance is straightjacketed into a contrived Hollywood vehicle with a laughably pat romantic ending. I was unsurprised to discover that the film was taken away from Figgis by the studio, redited, rescored and partially reshot.

A couple of points: of course Lena Olin's character behaves unprofessionally, that's made quite clear in the movie, so pointing it out as a flaw seems a little wide of the mark. What we in fact have is a slightly more subtle than usual rendition of the "psychiatrist is as nutty as the patient" trope - she is shown earlier in the movie to be extremely vulnerable and perhaps irrational after a failed relationship. Meanwhile Gere is extremely charismatic, as manic personalities can be, she is drawn to him out of her own depressed state and the time-honoured Freudian concept of transference does the rest. In addition the choice she makes addresses the notion introduced by Gere's character in the movie - how much is she prepared to give up?

There are also serious questions about "madness" touched on in the film - where does individual personality end and illness begin? To what extent is insanity a logical response to an intolerable situation? Perhaps these were originally to be explored in a little more depth.

I suppose this "accountant's cut" didn't do well enough at the box office for there to be much chance of a director's cut and that's a shame. It seems there is a much better film somewhere in here screaming to be let out....

I caught this movie last night on TMC. It premiered soon after I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 93 and even though I was glad to finally have a name to my own madness, I was not ready to see it at that point. Many told me about it though and finally, I saw it. It was very, very good. Gere did an exceptional job at portraying the classic Bipolar I individual. (My depression is 95% lows and have had only one or two manic episodes in my life and am well controlled and on meds). The highs are fun but it is pure payback with the lows. Of course, with this being a movie, The Dr. falls for Mr Jones and in the real world, that would lead to termination on her part. In the case of movies though, anything goes and Richard Gere would be hard not to fall for, LOL. Everyone did an exceptional job and it was an exceptional movie. Kudos to all!

I don't know very much about bipolar depression, aside from reading biographies of Robert Lowell, the poet. I have to say though that Richard Gere is outstanding in this movie. It started showing on ITV2 and his performance drew me into the story- I had to watch it to the end.

It's a brave premise for a Hollywood film but "Mr. Jones" is let down by a flawed script. I was offended by the way the doctor was portrayed. Of course she was played by a stunning actress, of course she became attached to her patient- to the point of invading his privacy by looking up his friends from his time at music college twenty years earlier. Oh, and of course (SPOILER- in more ways than one) she slept with him as well. She offers to resign which keeps her from being professionally ruined – sorry, but I can't see a qualified and experienced psychiatrist falling in love with her patient, let along sleeping with him while he's still under treatment. The ending peters out as well- to suggest that they will become a couple, I suppose.

The hospital scenes are strong and moving, as is the the subplot about the young student. This could have been an interesting study of people in emotional distress. Too bad they couldn't match Mr. Jones with unsentimental and uncompromising portraits of those trying to help him.

I happened to like the movie. Mr. Geere is an amazing actor. I have no personal connection with the disease, but I believe the movie strongly displayed the struggle that certain individuals go through. I did not like the professionalism of the doctor, but hey, he got the girl and she got the guy, right? I guess that's what makes it a good movie. I do have a question about an event in the movie. This happened on one of the times Mr. Jones was apprehended by the staff at the hospital. It looked to me like the actors came too close to the camera and suddenly the camera man just slightly happened to push them away. You are able to see a hand from a non existent character for a second. Was that a goof, or was it an actor that I missed?

Vow, this could have been a great film.

Mr. Jones, a manic depressive, grabs the attention of shrink Lena Olin who desperately wants to help Jones overcome his syndrome. Jones gets extremely high and in between has incredible lows and finally checks into a clinic in order to overcome his illness. But when his shrink starts to fall for him, things get complicated and Mr. Jones, who also loves her, may get suicidal.

I don't think many people can deny the fact that Richard Gere is simply sensational in the title role. Equally good at portraying Mr. Jones's highs and lows and in fact; Mr. Jones is an extremely interesting character, who unfortunately, only gets mediocre treatment in a very average script. Instead, we get an implausible love story that grows even sillier as the movie progresses.

In the end I felt very cheated. We get a very sappy ending in a movie that I felt took a desperately wrong turn somewhere in the middle. It starts off great but all goes downhill. What a shame, this could have been really special.

Mr Jones isn't a film with a story it's really just a topic. The picture doesn't really have plot with twists and turns, it's only about a man with manic-deppression. We first get a taste of Mr Jones' high state(the most entertaining part of the film)before he enters a mental institution. From there on the film continues to deteriorate. All the film has to offer is the main character and his mental illness so it is heavily reliant on Richard Gere. Gere does fine job with the role but then again there's not much to it. The most colorful parts of the performance are his ecstatic outbursts-which is no monumental task to play.

The film has its amusing and humorous moments but overall it's a bit of a drag.

Based on the first few minutes, I was expecting a comedy about a happy-go-lucky construction worker who displays unconventional behavior. Even after his first trip to a mental hospital, I figured this would be a romantic comedy about a fun guy and the pretty female psychiatrist who wants to prove he's wacko.

Actually, she is right about him. He is manic-depressive. The man who only refers to himself as "Mr. Jones" doesn't believe he is manic-depressive because he would have to get depressed. We haven't seen it and surely it's not true, right? Wrong. This is a very troubled man. He will need a lot of care, and we must be prepared to go through some hard times with him.

Richard Gere did a very good job. Naturally, I liked him best when he was fun. His character seems "normal" because this is a movie, but that soon changes. Gere effectively shows a wide range of personality styles, though this is nothing groundbreaking.

Delroy Lindo is a standout performer as Howard, the co-worker who apparently saves Mr. Jones' life. Although they work together less than a full day (I assume), they become close friends. Some of my favorite scenes have Gere and Lindo together.

Baha Jackson does a good job as Howard's son.

Lauren Tom briefly appears as a bubbly, fast-talking, excited patient. Too bubbly. She's going to have to crash--and she does.

Whether you like this movie or not depends on whether you want comedy or drama. I found enough scenes enjoyable.

Stinker alert; this flick sucks big time. I am dumbfounded by the number of favorable reviews. This movie was recommended to me by a trusted source, so I watched. I love Anne B., I crave Lena Olin (I've seen all of her major work) and the director has an excellent track record. Lastly, I believe the original screenplay must have been good, as the bones of a solid film appear to be there.

To me the derailment is Gere's performance. He is horrible in the same goofy way that he played the lead character in Breathless, another decent film, torpedoed by an over the top, and unbelievably unrealistic interpretation. To say he 'phoned-it-in would be kind. He didn't even tweet-it-in. To be totally honest, I think Lena must also be called out for several scenes where she is too stiff, even though she may have been directed in that manner.

Delroy Lindo, superb as always. Lastly, the young Asian patient and her family were much more interesting than the cliché riddled Mr. Leading Man / Jones. I would have rather seen more development of her character and her relationship with the medical staff.

This movie is a total waste. If you value your time do not bother with it, tuning into TV Land for two hours (laden with commercial potty breaks) would be more satisfying.

Good acting by Gere and Olin plus a bonus of good special effects on the rooftop.

With a burst of pop-rock music and Richard Gere peddling happily away on his bicycle down city streets, "Mr. Jones" deceptively begins as an upbeat character study (in fact, "Flashdance...What a Feelin'" would not be out of place here). Too bad then it's just a sunny preamble to the meat and potatoes of the story: a bipolar depressive acts recklessly until he is finally institutionalized. There's a lady psychiatrist who is drawn to him (she's emotionally vulnerable due to a recent break-up), a sassy bank teller who is introduced for no other purpose than to give Richard a pretty date, a trip to a piano store where Gere tickles the ivories...but what is "Mr. Jones" about, at its core? Not even director Mike Figgis appears to know, following manic Gere randomly around town and then to a friend's house for dinner (where all the polite, happy children bow their heads in thankfulness). This is not an exercise in catharsis; Figgis wants to earn points with us through little acts of humility and false emotion--not hard-hitting realism. He doesn't have anything to gain with this picture, not even dramatically once Gere hits the wall and realizes he needs medical help. No one speaks of the financial obligations the central character is under by getting so much hands-on treatment and medication, while father-of-seven Delroy Lindo thinks nothing of slipping Gere some friendly cash (with all those hungry kids at home, one might think Gere should at least refuse the money on principle and not out of pride). Gere (also one of the producers) is up to the challenge of portraying a manic-depressive with euphoric highs and suicidal lows, but the movie tips its hand early on that wild, spontaneous behavior is healthy for the soul. It helps get you jobs, it helps make you friends! It's the same thinking which made "A Thousand Clowns" into an unbearable hit. ** from ****

In this intense and emotional tale of compassion, rescue and love, director Mike Figgis portrays the antithesis of the Richard Gere he had shown us three years before Mr. Jones' release: A needy, fragile, unstable yet creative and fascinating character versus the sinister, cold-blooded and self-confident officer Dennis Peck in Internal Affairs.

Gere's ability to absorb the script and bring it to life through his inimitable histrionic demeanor has once again amazed me, bringing me into the scene as if I were observing from behind the camera. Another example of a woman assisting a man throughout his struggle is Figgis' Leavign Las Vegas, where Elizabeth Shue chooses to be by Nicholas Cages' side, with the exception of a very sad ending (In this case we had pills instead of bottles). From Final Analysis, Gear switches into the patient's role, making us hold our breath and, needless to say, get a good use out of our handkerchiefs.

As a sufferer myself, I found this film very reassuring that my actions are not totally alien. It was both entertaining and supportive. Geres' line that he needs the highs to be able to cope with the lows just shows an understanding into the illness. This is well acted, well written and well worth watching.

I was watching this on video rather than in a theater, which was a real blessing, as I was able to liberate myself from watching all of the 110 minutes of this excruciatingly BORING and DISTURBING movie. I knew I probably wasn't going to like it within the first 5 minutes or so, but I was going to give it a chance. I resisted the urge to simply turn it off after about 15 minutes during which absolutely nothing happened, but I forced myself give it another 15 minutes. That was real torture and after that I was done. If you liked The Brave New World, you might like this. If you ever fantasized about what it could feel like to have a mental disorder, this is probably custom made for you. But if you like romantic comedies and uplifting movies that make you feel good, like I do, this isn't the movie for you. My recommendation is to avoid watching this awful stuff in the first place.

30 January 2013. Richard Gere offers up a rather penetrating performance of manic-depression and the highs and lows of such a condition. Unlike 28 Days (2000) or Girl Interrupted (1999) there seems to be an imbalance in presentation of the movie itself and its highs and lows in a way that unfortunately distorts the presentation of mental illness. Lena Olin's character as Dr. Bowen, a psychiatrist, M.D. doesn't necessarily offer up sufficient character development to justify the movie's ultimate plot and dynamic interplay with Richard Gere's character as Mr. Jones, unlike perhaps a student intern that would have required much less back story and more consistent with the storyline. The climax of the movie is more of an American romantic drama instead of the more genuine drama that most of the movie itself held onto its integrity. The ending unlike the more Helen (2009) which might be considered stronger in its overall tone and theme, nevertheless is weaker in its depiction of the experiences found with such chemical imbalances.

This is a beautifully written movie of a manic depressive. All the moods and feelings this man experiences is brought to life so expertly by Richard Gere.

This is perhaps Richard's best performance. I don't think many actors could have pulled this off and make it seem authentic. How Richard never won an Oscar or was not even nominated for his performance is beyond me.

Richard obviously spends a lot of time preparing for a roll, being that he is a perfectionist and it shows in everything he does.

I think Richard Gere is the most underrated actor in Hollywood. I have read a lot of the negative comments of his bad choices on the rolls and movies he picks to do (which I don't agree), but on this movie his choice was perfect.

If you want to see one of Richard's best performances then this is a MUST SEE.

To expose such a stigmatized topic as mental disease. Heart-breaking true story that many of us tasted for real. Humans on planet Earth need more of such movies. just to be able to reach the next metaphysical levels. cause there is no insanity if you ask me, there is HAARP, mind control,...

Excellent transformation of pure metaphysical into moving pictures. To remind the rest of the world how wrong can stigmatized people be treated, percept-ed. But i'm glad there is no lobotomy anymore ;)

Best regards,

Anastazya N.G.