tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane

After reading the synopsis for How Awful About Allan, I thought it sounded interesting, and my expectations were met, if not exceeded. It also introduced me to a psychiatric illness that I didn't have knowledge of prior: conversion disorder. I work as a counselor on a crisis hotline, so I try to stay on top of current trends. The reason I had never heard of it is probably because of its low prevalence. Many people nowadays are being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and ADHD, so I imagine psychosomatic conditions aren't common.

The movie opens to a house fire, and we're introduced to Allan Colleigh (Anthony Perkins), his sister, Katherine (Julie Harris), and his father, Raymond (Kent Smith). Katherine's face is burned, leaving a scar, their father is killed, and Allan suddenly goes blind from the shock of it all. His vision isn't completely gone. It's blurry, so he can't see people's faces, but he can see their figure. He stays in a psych hospital, and returns to the house to live with Katherine. Their relationship isn't negative - they get along well enough to coexist under the same roof - but it is kind of tense in a way. Allan is silently struggling with the guilt he feels from having left cans of paint thinner close to a heater by mistake, which started the fire, and the flashbacks of being punished by his father, a respected academic to outsiders, but abusive behind closed doors. Living in the same environment where his family's trauma originated is made even more challenging when Katherine takes in a boarder, who has a throat injury and can't speak above a whisper. He's an enigmatic college student, and is only renting a room to sleep in. Allan feels uneasy about the whole arrangement, since he thought it would just be him and Katherine. Allan's fiancée, Olive (Joan Hackett), lives next door. She comes over to check on him sometimes, cook his breakfast if Katherine's not there, and help him with other things as needed. He finds himself hearing the boarder calling his name in his whispery voice, on more than one occasion. Being a person who experiences mental health issues, he doesn't tell anyone, figuring he would just end up being dismissed. Olive thinks he's turning into a recluse, so she persuades him to go out, and he does, but unfortunately, something disastrous happens. A subsequent incident leaves Katherine wondering if he should go back to the hospital, as it's starting to seem like he's not improving at home.

I thought How Awful About Allan was a unique film. A majority of it takes place in Allan's bedroom, and the kitchen, but it's actually not boring. The atmosphere was cozy and spooky all at the same time. It was like I could feel the coldness of the house. I loved how it focused on the brother and sister dynamic, instead of husband and wife. There was a lack of realism with Allan being discharged from the psych hospital. People need help with transitioning back into the community after a psychiatric hospitalization, so ideally, he would've had a case manager, therapist, and/or social worker. Staying in the house every day with minimal human contact is definitely not recommended. But then again, this was 1970. I'm sure treatment plans for people who had mental illnesses were less advanced compared to now. The ending also left a lot to be desired. I didn't see coming, so I'll hand that to the writers, but it felt rushed. All of that aside, I really liked this movie. It was suspenseful, and I plan on watching again.

I don't understand all of the criticism of Drew Carey. I love Bob Barker too (may he RIP), but I think Drew has done a phenomenal job of filling his shoes. That's not an easy thing to do, replacing someone who was pretty much a legend. I get a lot of people who have been watching Price Is Right since 1972 are probably not a fan of Drew, but he's not that bad, especially when you compare him to other game show hosts, and just people on TV in general, who are all mostly awkward and plastic. He has a sincere and genuine personality. Yes, he laughs at his own jokes (I guess you wouldn't like being around me then, because I do the same thing), but I get a good vibe from him through my screen. You also exercise your mind by guessing the prices of various items along with the contestants. There's a night version, but I like this much better. I'm not a morning person. Even by 11:30 or 11:45, I'm not 100% awake, and find myself craving iced coffee. This show is like the equivalent of a caffeine fix - it has me feeling supercharged for my day ahead. With the confusing, sad, and peculiar times we're living in, Drew's sense of humor and the audience, with all of their colorful shirts and outfits, are a much needed dopamine-boost. Please don't listen to the critics! It's fun to watch either by yourself or with family/friends.