Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- earnest
- romantic
- nostalgic teen movie night
- melancholy romance viewing
What critics said
Critics found the familiar love-on-the-run premise uneven but broadly praised the emotionally restrained lead performances and relatively realistic treatment of mental illness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Matt's devotion to Casey shifts from runaway fantasy toward recognition that her bipolar disorder requires specialized help.
After Casey leaves psychiatric care, she and Matt travel together in his car while attempting to outrun family and institutional pressures.
Casey's depressive and elevated periods, suicide attempt, and eventual need for specialized help are central to the conflict and were specifically noted by critics as realistically portrayed.
Matt and Casey first connect across neighboring houses by a lake, a private setting that contrasts with Casey's institutionalization and later road journey.
Films like Mad Love, and why
Crazy/Beautiful
teen romance, love on the run, and mental illness handled through an emotionally earnest road narrative
The Virgin Suicides
young lovers, mental health crisis, and a bittersweet coming-of-age romance
All the Bright Places
teen angst, romantic idealism, and emotionally troubled young protagonists confronting adult consequences
True Romance
romantic road movie structure centered on unstable young lovers and a heightened emotional register
Movie Details
- Director
- Antonia Bird
- Release Date
- 1995-05-26
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 5.2 / 10 (125)
Cast
- Chris O'Donnell
- Drew Barrymore
- Matthew Lillard
- Richard Chaim
- Robert Nadir
- Joan Allen
- Jude Ciccolella
- Amy Sakasitz
- T.J. Lowther
- Kevin Dunn
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mad Love about?
- A lakeside high-school romance becomes a painful lesson in the limits of teenage escape when love meets bipolar disorder and the need for professional care.
- What is Mad Love like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mad Love as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Mad Love violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Mad Love as mild.
- What did critics think of Mad Love?
- Critics found the familiar love-on-the-run premise uneven but broadly praised the emotionally restrained lead performances and relatively realistic treatment of mental illness.
- Which films are like Mad Love?
- Films with a similar feel include Crazy/Beautiful, The Virgin Suicides, All the Bright Places, and True Romance.
- How long is Mad Love?
- Mad Love runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mad Love?
- In United States, Mad Love is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
