Sociopathy—A State of Grace Within Mind-Game Film Reality The use of mental disorders as tools for deductive reasoning and detective work are frequently used throughout contemporary cinema, specifically in psychological thrillers and crime films. By portraying the sleuth-like use of sociopathy as a “productive pathology” as well questioning reality and social control through implicating the main character’s self-navigation and determination of his own identity and destiny, I Am Not a Serial Killer (Billy O’Brien, 2016) qualifies as a mind-game film within the theme of digital temporality. I Am Not a Serial Killer tells the story of a small-town teenager, John Wayne Cleaver, who must confront his somewhat dark and disturbing tendencies in
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These “productive pathologies” are seen when characters fall under having either paranoia, schizophrenia, and/or amnesia (24). In John’s case, he has been diagnosed with sociopathy. Identity crises, as with John’s diagnosis of sociopathy, are seen as “productive” versus disruptive. For example, within the scene above, John’s therapist commences John for being a good person and not acting on his aggressive impulses. John utilizes this encouragement as well as his diagnosis of sociopathy as a means to “think” like the murderer. If he can think like the murderer, he can prevent the next killing, and thus, is renowned as an almighty savior just doing a good deed. His mental disorder is presented in a positive, heroic way, fitting Elsaesser’s description of the deluded protagonist within most mind-game films. According to Elsaesser, “…films of the mind-game tendency put the emphasis on ‘mind:’ they feature central characters whose mental condition is extreme, unstable, or pathological, yet instead of being examples of case studies, their ways of seeing, interaction with other characters, and their ‘being in the world’ are presented as normal” …show more content…
According to Elsaesser, “…they [mind-game films] oblige one to choose between seemingly equally valid, but ultimately incompatible ‘realities’ or ‘multiverses.’” (14). Leaving the audience to decide what’s verisimilar and what’s not indicates that there’s a sort of underlying game being depicted among the film. Elsaesser describes the mind-game film as one that “plays games” at two levels: “…there are films in which a character is being played with, without knowing it or without knowing who it is that is playing these (often very cruel and even deadly) games with him (or her). The audience can also be the one being played with” (14). In this case, both the main character and the audience are being played with in part of not knowing John’s own destiny—will he become a serial killer or not? Playing with both the main character’s and audience’s perceptions of reality, the film allows us to “challenge the concepts of ‘identity’ or ask what it means to be ‘human’” (Elsaesser, 18). By questioning morality, this film also allows the audience to think about society’s ideology of hegemonic social
These “productive pathologies” are seen when characters fall under having either paranoia, schizophrenia, and/or amnesia (24). In John’s case, he has been diagnosed with sociopathy. Identity crises, as with John’s diagnosis of sociopathy, are seen as “productive” versus disruptive. For example, within the scene above, John’s therapist commences John for being a good person and not acting on his aggressive impulses. John utilizes this encouragement as well as his diagnosis of sociopathy as a means to “think” like the murderer. If he can think like the murderer, he can prevent the next killing, and thus, is renowned as an almighty savior just doing a good deed. His mental disorder is presented in a positive, heroic way, fitting Elsaesser’s description of the deluded protagonist within most mind-game films. According to Elsaesser, “…films of the mind-game tendency put the emphasis on ‘mind:’ they feature central characters whose mental condition is extreme, unstable, or pathological, yet instead of being examples of case studies, their ways of seeing, interaction with other characters, and their ‘being in the world’ are presented as normal” …show more content…
According to Elsaesser, “…they [mind-game films] oblige one to choose between seemingly equally valid, but ultimately incompatible ‘realities’ or ‘multiverses.’” (14). Leaving the audience to decide what’s verisimilar and what’s not indicates that there’s a sort of underlying game being depicted among the film. Elsaesser describes the mind-game film as one that “plays games” at two levels: “…there are films in which a character is being played with, without knowing it or without knowing who it is that is playing these (often very cruel and even deadly) games with him (or her). The audience can also be the one being played with” (14). In this case, both the main character and the audience are being played with in part of not knowing John’s own destiny—will he become a serial killer or not? Playing with both the main character’s and audience’s perceptions of reality, the film allows us to “challenge the concepts of ‘identity’ or ask what it means to be ‘human’” (Elsaesser, 18). By questioning morality, this film also allows the audience to think about society’s ideology of hegemonic social