Barred
The opening shot of Girl Interrupted is of a window that is barred and fenced. Mangold moves the camera until we see the girls inside this building. The image tells us straight away that these women are locked away from the world that exists byond the bars that hold them in.
Rearview
As Susanna drives away in a cab for the mental hospital we see her point of view as she stares through the rearview window. The doctor she's just seen is getting farther away, along with the suburbia she's grown up in. The image tells us that the life she knew is getting further and further away.
South Bell
The first time Susanna steps into South Bell, the women's ward at the mental hospital Mangold tilts the camera as she enters the hallway. The image gives us a feeling of being off balanced and sick. This is exactly how Susanna is feeling in the moment and the image takes us into that feeling with her.
Borderline Parent
Dr. Melvin tells Susanna's parents that she has a borderline personality disorder. He then proceeds to tell them that it is typically the case that one of the parents has this disorder as well. When they receive this news, Mangold composes a shot with Susanna out of focus in the background and her parents in the foreground in between focus. The image shows us that they are making this all about them, rather than being there to help their daughter.
