55 Steps

55 Steps is a compelling 2017 legal drama that charts a heartwarming and shocking course through the American healthcare system, making a powerful statement about patients' rights. The film stars Academy Award winners Hilary Swank and Helena Bonham Carter, alongside Johan Heldenbergh. Swank, in particular, gives a tour-de-force performance embodying the indefatigable spirit of attorney Colette Hughes, which marks one of the most complex roles in her repertoire ledger.

Directed by Bille August, the film unravels the principles of fundamental human and civil rights. Known for his knack to conveying human stories that underscore poignancy and raw emotion, August presents 55 Steps as an intriguing narrative of harrowing struggle, confrontation, and triumph in line with some of his previous works such as The House of the Spirits and Goodbye Bafana.

55 Steps is inspired by a real-life story set in San Francisco where Swank plays the role of Colette Hughes, a determined lawyer and tireless human rights crusader. Bonham Carter plays her client Eleanor Riese, an intelligent woman with a debilitating mental illness that sees her in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Carter, known for her versatility, not only transforms into the skin of Eleanor but also beautifully encapsulates the heart of a character that demands understanding and compassion.

The title references the 55 Steps Eleanor has to climb at the psychiatric hospital where she stays. This serves as a poignant metaphor for the struggle faced by Eleanor and many others like her, navigating the mental healthcare system and their uphill battle for rights and effective representation under law.

The film begins with Hughes meeting Riese, who is a brilliant but mentally ill woman, abandoned by a broken healthcare system. Riese wants to sue the hospital for overmedicating her without her consent and roping her into a vicious cycle of treatments without discussion or consultation. Seeking justice and advocating for informed consent, she teams up with Hughes for a landmark case that could change the face of American healthcare.

Johan Heldenbergh plays a compassionate psychiatrist who sympathizes with Eleanor's fight and puts his career on the line to support her cause. His character personifies the intricacies of the healthcare system, that is filled with individuals who genuinely want to help patients but are restricted by the callous path the system imposes.

The film traces their journey, navigating chaotic courtrooms and complex lawyer-client relationships. The various dramatic and distressing phases on the path to a legal precedent are balanced with the incredible bond forming between these two women. As Hughes rallies to bring Eleanor justice, she also walks with her through her intimate battles, witnessing first-hand the poignant side of mental illness and its often misunderstood associated behaviors.

55 Steps isn’t just another biographical legal drama, it emphasizes the crucial dialogue concerning rights within healthcare systems, mental illness perceptions, society's role in shaping these perceptions, and the importance of justice and respect for every individual. Through Hughes and Riese's relationship, viewers witness the critical importance of patient autonomy, highlighting the value of dignity and human rights within often impersonal and intimidating medical and legal institutions.

55 Steps, placed amidst sprawling cityscapes and sterile hospital confines, marries legal thriller motifs with the heartrending narrative of mental illness and rights fight. The courtroom scenes resonate with tension and drive, and the personal story of Eleanor Riese is one that vacillates between hope and hopelessness, an element masterfully captured by Carter.

In conclusion, 55 Steps is a film that strikes a balance between the disheartening truths of living with a mental illness, navigating an unresponsive healthcare system, and the resilience of the human spirit. The film emerges as an unforgettable testament to courage, dignity, and the power of tireless advocacy for mental health patients' rights. Guided by indelible performances from both Swank and Bonham-Carter, 55 Steps leaves a lasting impression and kindles much-needed conversations about the importance of dignity and respect within healthcare.