55 Steps (2017)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- It is the true story written by Mark Rosen of a mentally ill, Eleanor Riese (Helena Bonham Carter) and her lawyer, Colette Hughes (Hilary Swank). A story of two special women and their exceptional friendship in a great fight for human dignity. Based on a true story of a 41 year-old woman with mental problems who, with brief stays in hospitals, lives in her own apartment and manages her own life. Because of the forced medication, she decides to sue the mental hospital system in California to make sure that what happened to her doesn't happen to any other competent patient like herself, patients who are not a danger to themselves or to others.
- Actors:
- Helena Bonham Carter, Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Culkin, Richard Riddell, Johan Heldenbergh, Jonathan Kerrigan, Vincent Riotta, Tim Plester, Anneika Rose, Richard Laing, Priscilla Wittman, AnnaCorey, Kathleen Renish, Tim Ahern, Steve Warky Nunez, Florence Bell, Daniel Steiner, John Lobato, Angelique Fernandez
- Directors:
- Bille August
- Producers:
- Lesley Bruce-Neary, Anita Elsani, Iman Khatibzadeh, Sara Risher, Mark Bruce Rosin, Laurie Shearing
- Writers:
- Mark Bruce Rosin
- Aka:
- Eleanor and Colett
- Genres:
- Drama
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Reviews (1) of 55 Steps
Interesting & Compelling True Story Drama - 55 Steps review by GI
A compelling true story enhanced by a committed performance from Helena Bonham Carter aided by Hilary Swank. This tells the story of a landmark case in American medical law history involving Eleanor Reise (Bonham Carter), a woman who had suffered from schizophrenia for most of her life and spent various times in psychiatric hospitals. She decided to challenge the administration of antipsychotic drugs without her consent, drugs with significant side effects that sometimes caused more harm than good. She hires workaholic lawyer, and former psychiatric nurse, Colette (Swank) who aided by a colleague, takes on the powerhouse medical profession to fight the case. An interesting story but also one about dedication, love and friendship as Colette and Eleanor bond despite their profoundly different personalities. A moving film too and well worth checking out.