Clean, Shaven

Clean, Shaven, a powerful and disturbing film directed by Lodge Kerrigan, was released in 1993. This movie is a study of mental illness told through the story of its protagonist, Peter Winter, an unsettling role inhabited by Peter Greene, a rather unfamiliar face to mainstream audience but renowned in indie movie circles. Winter, suffering from schizophrenia, is on a wrenching and tumultuous journey battling his own mind while trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Nicole, played by Jennifer MacDonald.

The narrative starts with Peter Winter's return to his home, after being institutionalized for a long period due to his schizophrenia. His ultimate objective is to find his daughter, who he believes has been unfairly taken away from him. The storyline is explicitly about a man attempting to regain footholds in his old life, but implicitly it's about a man fighting to hang on to his sanity, while grappling with a society that offers no helping hand.

Challenging traditional narratives and conventions, Clean, Shaven dares to depict the reality of schizophrenia from the sufferer's first-person perspective. The audiences are drawn into the intimate portrayal of Winter's illness, causing them to experience his growing paranoia, hallucinations, and discomfort. Auditory and visual techniques are used throughout the film to aptly illustrate Winter's disorientating, often terrifying experiences.

Peter Greene, in a restrained yet mesmerising performance, brings depth and complexity to the role of Winter. Greene's portrayal of schizophrenia is unflinching and authentically rendered. He presents a character wracked not only by his disease's internal demons but also by society's denunciation and rejection.

Screenplay veterans Alice Levitt and Megan Owen round out the cast providing performances of similar calibre. Levitt plays an investigator set on Winter's trail, believing him to be implicated in a grisly crime. Megan Owen, who embodies the role of a mother-figure, domineering in her presence, provides a stark contrast to Winter's chaotic internal world.

The experience of Clean, Shaven is enhanced by Lodge Kerrigan's unforgiving direction. Kerrigan doesn't tiptoe around the subject, forcing viewers to confront the debilitating effects of schizophrenia and society's fearful rejection of those afflicted directly.

Cinematographer Teodoro Maniaci deserves a special mention for his camera work. The raw, gritty style of cinematography paints a sombre image of the urban landscape, mirroring Winter's desolate internal reality.

The soundscape of the film curated by sound designer John Bowen is a crucial element, providing audiences a real-time understanding of Winter’s psychological state. Unsettling noises emphasise his distorted reality and distorted perceptions of daily life, underscoring the narrative's tension and suspense. Its dissonant, intrusive soundscape, coupled with stark, bleak cinematography, constructs a disturbing auditory and visual world that reflects Winter's tortured, fragmented mentality.

Clean, Shaven is not a movie for everyone; it's an often unsettling cinematic experience, confronting the audience with a devastating portrait of mental illness that lingers well beyond the end credits. It avoids simplifying or romanticising its subject, choosing instead to explore it boldly and without compromise, making it a largely different viewing experience than traditional Hollywood offerings.

In conclusion, Clean, Shaven is a film that demands patience and understanding from viewers with its distressing and deeply nuanced portrayal of schizophrenia. It is an intense, uncompromising film that is challenging but rewarding, offering a unique perspective on a much-misunderstood and misrepresented condition.

While it isn't a light watch or typical 'entertainment,' Clean, Shaven makes an indelible impression, leading viewers to consider societal attitudes towards mental illness long after the credits roll. Through its grim portrayal and sincere storytelling, Clean, Shaven poses important questions about societal stigma and exacerbates the conversation around mental health. It’s a significant movie that deserves to be appreciated for its boldness and authenticity.