owhanee 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.

Larry Tunison The gentleman in the first review uses euphoria and depression as do several movie critics. The disorder is called "bi-polar" or by the old term "manic-depressive.I am bipolar and while I have a great doctor we are not having an affair. I thought that this stretched the ethics question much too far.Richard Gere is on of the finest actors of our time in spite of his personal life. I identify with Officer/Gentleman because I went through the same program. That identity is far more apt from Mr. Jones. I am Mr. Jones and his portrayal of a "high-functioning, creative and intellectual bi-polar is spot on. I use this description because all bi-polars are usually wrapped into the crazy, homeless out of control stereotype. There have been many hi-functioning bi-polars and I thank Mr. Gere and the production crew for their very accurate portrayal and Mr. Gere's superior acting and creating a true to life portrayal.Only a bi-polar can really realize how accurate and great the performance truly was.This is an older movie but I highly recommend it to everyone who has experience with any form of mental illness and to enjoy Mr. Gere's performance.

mikecashmore This film in the short time allowed gives a very real glimpse of what it is like to be a manic depressive and the effect the 'highs and lows' have on the sufferer and those who come into contact with them. You will discover that the 'highs' of a manic are addictive to him and something he can't live with or without. Mr Jones enjoys his 'highs' so much that he is willing to forsake all those that have been close to him. Richard Gere gives an excellent performance of Mr Jones and takes the audience with him in his very convincing portrayal of a bi-polar. The film echoes what happens in real life for many with bi-polar as they drive those that love them most away. The film is entertaining and educational which is a rare combination in a film. The film finishes on a positive note as Mr Jones finds someone who is willing to take him as he is and not someone controlled or deadened by mind altering drugs. Mr Jones is well worth watching.

Chris Bright 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....