Nell(1994)- User Reviews

This movie starts with two doctors disagreeing on what to do with Nell. Nell is a woman who was raised in isolation by her mother, who just died. Her mother was paralyzed on one half of her body, so she had a stroke which made her speak differently than most people. This caused Nell to speak with a tone that makes it a serious challenge to communicate with her. One doctor wanted to allow her to live in peace, and believed an institution would only ruin her life. The other doctor wanted to put her in an institution. The judge in the case deferred early on, allowing the doctors to spend three months researching Nell. Both doctors go to work with very different methods. The doctor who wanted her put away sneaks a camera inside her home, so she can observe Nell. The other doctor chooses to talk to Nell and try to develop a personal relationship. His anti-institution methods and beliefs actually turn out to make progress with Nell, even to the point where the other doctor starts to slowly buy what this doctor is doing. The more they interact with Nell, the more progress Nell makes when it comes to functioning in everyday life. She conquers her fear of strangers and she conquers her fear of being outside during daylight. Through this story, viewers get a chance to explore the moral issue of how to deal with the mentally disabled, and how far help can go before it becomes intrusive. Fantastic performances by the actors and actresses allow us to take this movie and the issue seriously, especially with how convincing of a job Jodie Foster does, playing Nell.