Touched with Fire (2016)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

First of all I want to share that I have schizoaffective disorder that for me is bipolar and schizophrenia, so I was skeptical about this movie. Second, if it weren't for the fact that Im a huge movie watcher I would have missed the preview of this movie and that would have been a shame. The film begins with Carla and Marco obviously in the mania stage of bipolar; both unable to sleep and deep in their illusions heading for psychosis, if not already there. Both are eventually hospitalized and end up meeting, connecting through their poetic natures, and their deep love of the moon (Marco) and the sun (Carla). The closeness the feel is frowned upon by the hospital staff and they are eventually separated. Upon their release they find each other. At first I thought it kind of hokey that the film conveniently showcased what it's like when family is supportive; Marco's dad starts out totally behind his son's new-found love and Carla's parents are dead set against it from minute one. As I watched the film unfold I couldn't help but see how the families eventual disapproval pushed them both closer and closer to the edge, which was painful for me to watch. My own family still doesn't understand my illnesses even though I've been "sick" for 26 years and their ignorance is fuel to my fire at times. I thought this film captured so beautifully the disease of bipolar; I was so shocked to discover there were people who had my same mindset and trains of thought. Anyway, Carla gets pregnant and remains on her meds and Marco goes off his meds behind her back. It is a gripping scene when she realizes and confronts him and she ends up knocking her to the ground. Shortly after this there is a scene where Marco goes to kiss Carla and smells alcohol on her breath. She has aborted their child and within days the families find out and the relationship comes to an end. I didn't like the end only because it didn't go my way! Luke Kirby was outstanding in this role; I can't say enough about his performance. Even though Marco's obsession was with the moon, he was more fiery like the sun, giving Kirby line after line of intense dialogue. Katie Holmes did a wonderful job as well, but she was more like the moon, subtle and introspective and her scenes worked more powerfully when the camera panned in closer to her face where you could really see her performance.

Love and mania and the love of mania -- these are some of the powerful themes explored in this gritty movie about bipolar states of being. The fine script inspired solid performances from the lead and supporting cast alike. They wanted to make this movie and gave it everything they had to tease out the difficult material that was presented in this film. It will probably not be to everyone's taste but if you are looking for a movie that challenges you to examine what society calls 'mental illness' and how that label affects those thus labeled and the difficult relationships that these people have with those who love them most, "Touched with Fire" is definitely a show that you want to check out.It would be too depressing to make a movie that hews too close to reality when it comes to the bipolar mind because an unwatchable tragedy just seems inevitable; "Touched with Fire" takes the audience close to where they would turn away but manages to inject enough hope to keep you going. And that is the central tension in the film -- a glimmer of hope when all appears to be lost. Many people would disagree and say that this picture is too depressing, but I tend to think that these people want movies to narcotize them with a massive dose of feel-goodism.Otherwise, for the few grown ups out there, this movie is worthy of your time.

Touched With Fire is a story based on the real life story of the director,Paul Dalio, ironically I think this is the reason why the movie seems to wrap up so neatly. From the point of view of the film, manic-depressive is something certain people have that make them express emotion on a deeper level. It does not come off as dangerous at all in the film considering the film is about two poets who suffer form itThe movie is not convincing at ail that it's dangerous to be guided by your emotions, on one level it seems like that's exactly what the filmmaker wants you to take away, but certain points in the film make me uncertain.One point that does come across really well is the idea that two people who seem so right for each other, are in fact the exact opposite. It's a great strangely done romantic comedy about two people who are fighting the world alone, until they found each other. It was very passionate.Katie Holmes was good in the movie too.But it still bothers me that the movie does a lackluster job in having a firm foot on the illness these two carry. Weather positive or negative, I did not get the point.

Greetings again from the darkness. We all have good days and bad. Sometimes we energetically leap from bed, while other days we barely muster the energy to push off the covers. For those who are bi-polar, those peaks and valleys are mere child's play. When "up", they often are filled with frenetic creativity and hyper-energy. When "down", life holds no purpose and the simplest daily actions are deemed impossible. Medication seems to be their only hope for "normal".Writer-director-editor-composer Paul Dalio admits much of the story comes directly from his life and that Carla and Marco carry much of him. Katie Holmes plays Carla and Luke Kirby (Take This Waltz, 2011) plays Marco … theirs one of the few on screen meet-cutes to occur in a psychiatric hospital (not counting McMurphy and Chief). When the pendulum swings, Carla frantically scrawls out poetry based on nature and feelings. Marco is also a poet – the rapping kind – but he seems more addicted to the energy and spirit that goes with being up.The film is really two-in-one … a star-crossed love story and a commentary on treatment (to medicate or not to medicate – that is the question). The writings and work of clinical psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison play a vital role here, and she even appears as herself in a critical scene. Carla really wants to get "right", especially when she discovers she is pregnant. Marco, on the other hand, spends much of his time trying to maintain the "high" as he finds life so much more fulfilling and interesting when not medicated. Marco uses the track record of many suspected bi-polar types as proof that greatness is near – Emily Dickinson, Tchaikovsky, and Van Gogh.Bradley Cooper was Oscar nominated for his bi-polar role in Silver Linings Playbook, and both movies pay some attention to the challenges faced by families. Carla's parents are played by Christine Lahti and Bruce Altman, while Griffin Dunne is Marco's dad. The best intentions often fail miserably, leaving all parties feeling frustrated and emotionally distraught. The movie seems to make the argument that medication is the only real hope if a sufferer wants to live anything approaching a normal life, and it's Ms. Jamison's stated contention that medication will neither change the personality nor negatively impact creativity.Katie Holmes offers up her best work since Pieces of April in 2000. Of course, there was a "marriage" mixed in there that stomped down her career. This role reminds that she is capable of finding the core of a deep character. Welcome back. Spike Lee is listed as a Producer here, and Mr. Dalio says Lee, who was his NYU Film School professor, encouraged him to explore this facet of his affliction. Dalio's wife Kristina Nikolova shared cinematographer duties with Alexander Stanishev.The film, previously entitled "Mania Days", does a nice job of showing us the extremism involved with being bi-polar, as well as the challenges that come from being part of the medical field or familial support staff.