My response to 'The Idiots'

The Idiots was made in 1998 by director Lars Von Trier, and comments on issues to do with mentally ill. It focuses on a group of intelligent and healthy individuals that decide to "spass out" in order to release their "inner idiot". They form a type of commune in order to do this and often venture out, using their "illness" as an advantage to get away with something or create sympathy and pity for themselves. This very idea in itself is shocking as it degrades and satirizes the people who actually suffer from the mental illness. This is why I found the scene with the genuinely ill people extremely uncomfortable and awkward to watch, whether these people were aware actors or just unknowingly being filmed, they were performing along side people that had previously been imitating the nature of their illness, even if it was for film purposes, it still willingly took place. This allowed the audience to see a real contrast between the reality of the illness and the impersonations of it. For the majority of the film, the "spassing" only takes place in the company of the rest of the group and is therefore seen as an escape for them that they can only express in certain environments. However the character of Stoffer wants more than this and urges that each individual carries out their mentally ill "act" in their usual environments back at home. This proves to be the breaking point of most people as we realize that one of the women is actually on medication and some of the others cannot face up to people they know. This proves the "just for fun" nature of what they do and emphasizes how wrong it is. The ultimate scene provides the audience with their first inspection of the life of Karen, the newest member of "The Idiots". Attempting to follow Stoffer's instructions, she goes home to the family she abandoned 2 weeks previous on the day of her son’s funeral. This performance is heartbreaking as the tension in the room is felt, the camera is placed in the tight and claustrophobic confides of the living room as the characters and the audience await her explanations. When Karen does start her "act", it is embarrassing and shameful to watch, shortly brought to an abrupt end by the slap she receives from her husband. This ultimately provides a conclusion to the issues in the film and shows how adopting such characteristics and qualities can lead to humiliation and self-degradation, along with the loss of self respect from others.