Mental health on the big screen: Using popular films to understand mental health
Abstract
This article discusses how three popular films, namely Disney Pixar’s Inside Out (2015), Inside Out 2 (2024) and Marvel’s Thunderbolts* (2025), portray mental health-related themes in ways that can promote self-awareness, public understanding and empathy, destigmatize psychological struggles and encourage help-seeking behaviours. Through a reflective review, this article suggests that cinematic storytelling can serve as a bridge between scientific knowledge and public understanding, bringing complex psychological concepts to life in a way that is humanized, relatable and engaging – thereby promoting greater mental health literacy.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Film in Education and Therapy
Media Influence and Health
Mental Health Treatment and Access
Publication details
- Journal / source
- International Journal of Disney Studies
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 195–201
- Publication date
- 1 April 2026
- Language
- EN