Crazy Beautiful

Crazy or Beautiful?

In the movie "Crazy Beautiful", the main character Nicole obviously has a mental illness. I believe this comes from a multiplicity of reasons such as genetics, and her abuse of alcohol. Also, it appears as Carlos has a much more difficult life than Nicole, however he is not the one with the mental illness. I will go into further detail on what I think why the illness is with Nicole, not Carlos. Nicole is a very interesting character; she just needed to find her weakness and work through it with people who care about her.

To begin with, I believe that Nicole has a mental health problem that stems from a couple of things: genetics, the way she was raised (nurture), and the abuse of alcohol. Genetics is a source of illness because of her mother, who committed suicide. The manner in which she was raised is also a factor because she has no limits and can do anything, and her father and stepmother seem like they try to disrespect to her throughout the movie. Lastly, the abuse of alcohol is a problem because instead of attacking her problems straight on, she is diverted by alcohol.

Secondly, It appears as though Carlos has a much more difficult life than Nicole and it is she who is mentally ill. I believe this goes back to the discussion of Nature vs. Nurture, because nature plays a part in her genetics (mother). Furthermore, Nurture is a root of the problem because of the way she is raised by her father and stepmother, and her excessive use of alcohol. Looking at Carlos, he lives a much different type of life that is very planned out and strict.

Lastly, I would like to touch on what made Nicole think on the positive side of things and made things look better for her. The first, and most obvious, would be Carlos because he makes her think outside of the box. By this I mean that he makes her look at life from a different perspective and she utilizes this view properly by fixing her problems. The second would be the photographs that she has saved because I believe that it triggers the good times in her life. Additionally, the photographs serve as a sort of therapeutic tool that soothes her in trying times.

In conclusion, Nicole and Carlos had an interesting relationship that consisted of them learning new things through each other. Carlos learned how to be more laid back and can now take life on with a relaxed, and happy outlook, which is important for everyone.