Manic wasn't a good film but it wasn't a horrible film either. There are many problems with this movie. If there's a few problems with a movie I can usually overlook them but Manic had far too many to just dismiss them. They bothered me the entire movie, especially since they were used to manipulate the audience and advance the plot.<br /><br />Why would a psychiatric ward be co-ed, especially when some of the teenagers are seventeen and some are thirteen? And Joseph Gordon Levitt's character had access to the women's rooms without any problem? That seems kind of ridiculous. If he's a sociopath what's to stop him or anyone else from raping the girls? I also noticed that there were adults in the yard with the teenagers. I don't think that would be allowed. In all likelihood the minors would have absolutely no access to anyone of the opposite sex or anyone over the age of 18 who was also a patient. <br /><br />This movie was self-indulgent tripe. It's too bad because I like Joseph-Levitt as an actor but all the characters were completely one-dimensional. Anarchy guy, Wigger guy, Goth girl. It was completely ignorant of teenagers and mental illness. What the hell did this have to do with being manic or mania or bipolar disorder? Joseph-Levitt was a sociopath. It was just more ultra-cool, hand-held, uber-indie tripe. Indie films used to be good before all this self-indulgent crap started coming out like Garden State.<br /><br />Manic kind of comes across as a corporate public relations bulletin for teens. This is what we think you are. It couldn't have been any more wrong.