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Crazy, Not Insane

Crazy, Not Insane

Documentary · 2020

Fascinated by the human brain and its capacity for ruthlessness, psychiatrist Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis has spent her life investigating the interior lives of violent people. With each case, she came closer to developing a unified field theory of what makes a killer. Along the way - steering away from the conventional wisdom of her colleagues - she explored the world of multiple personality disorder.

Movie details

Crazy, Not Insane

“Murderers are made, not born.”

2020 Documentary 1h 57m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

Fascinated by the human brain and its capacity for ruthlessness, psychiatrist Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis has spent her life investigating the interior lives of violent people. With each case, she came closer to developing a unified field theory of what makes a killer. Along the way - steering away from the conventional wisdom of her colleagues - she explored the world of multiple personality disorder.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Crazy, Not Insane?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Alex Gibney

Written by

Alex Gibney

D

Dorothy Lewis

Self

Laura Dern

Laura Dern

Literary Voice of Dorothy Lewis (voice)

E

Eric Lewis

Self - Dorothy's Son

G

Gillian Lewis

Self - Dorothy's Daughter

R

Richard Burr

Self - Defense Attorney

B

Bill Hagmaier

Self - Former FBI Special Agent

Park Dietz

Park Dietz

Self - Forensic Psychiatrist

Court is in session

Put Crazy, Not Insane on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.