By Veronica Longo

“Horse Girl” is an unusual mix of romantic comedy and eye-catching retrospective on mental health and social circles among young adults. The film, directed by Jeff Baena, was released first at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 27, and became available on Netflix on Feb. 7, where it’s listed as comedy, drama, mystery and sci-fi.

The story centers on the mentally ill Sarah (Alison Brie) and her horse, Willow (Goldenite). Her life seems normal until after a birthday when Sarah begins experiencing a series of strange events and blackouts.

Sarah has a family history of mental illness passed down from her mother and grandmother. Her situation is relatable: she is friendly but often experiences social anxiety and either becomes obsessed with a subject for too long or stays silent.  

As the film progresses, parallels between Sarah and the actress who plays her, Alison Brie, become clearer. Then the questions of what’s real and what’s fantasy start causing more confusion. “Horse Girl” pulls audiences into her delusions, leaving them wondering what is true.

The picture shows how Sarah often disturbs people with her obsessions.  She obsesses over the horse, a TV show named “Purgatory,” and her crafts, to the point when she visibly upsets anyone she speaks to. 

The film takes an unsettling turn when Nikki and her boyfriend Brian seem creeped out after they find Sarah re-watching her favorite grisly TV show, “Purgatory,” during her birthday celebration. Although disturbed, they still encourage Sarah to have fun, which leads her to meet Darren, Brian’s roommate. Soon after, she becomes fixated on him.

Sarah falls into a downward spiral of drinking and doing drugs in order to be socially accepted under peer pressure; Sarah’s new friends then seem to enjoy her moments of embarrassment. The next night triggers Sarah’s descent into madness, and the atmosphere of the movie shifts. The end of the party signals a change in music to a disturbing soundtrack, accompanied with strange visuals. 

The scenes often don’t smoothly interchange within this film. Sarah blacks out and loses chunks of time, which is why many of the issues and scenes do not seem to connect. The deterioration of Sarah’s mental health is apparent as she becomes unreliable as the narrator. This film is not here to provide straight answers. Instead, it gives a real look at what people who suffer from schizophrenia, Bipolar 1, psychosis, and other types of mental illness that people suffer through.

Brie told Vulture.com that much of this film is based on her own struggles to come to terms with her “real-life family history with paranoid schizophrenia and depression.” Brie, much like the sufferers of other psychological issues, talks about the real terror she experiences from losing her own sanity and not realizing it.

The film is important because all too often the issue of mental health is either avoided in mainstream conversation or romanticized. It is refreshing to see a movie paint it in a different, realistic light. It is heartbreaking how Sarah turns to those closest to her to question them about her sanity only to receive a brush off. Because of “Horse Girl’s” complex message, it may take more than one viewing to understand. This, along with the fact that it does not fully answer the questions it poses for its viewers, is the weakest point of the movie. What happens to Sarah? 

Through the uncertainty surrounding Sarah’s experiences, the biggest payoffs of the movie are its twisted ending and the message of solidarity it sends to those who live with a mental illness.  Sarah’s constant fumbling with social cues and norms will resonate with introverted viewers.  A lot of instances are very unsettling and disturbing. Is Sarah lucidly dreaming, or having a mental breakdown? “Horse Girl,” with all its oddities, should be watched with an open mind.