nathanburke-88780 Tephen Fry the celebrated Englishman is a manic depressive and it takes a lot of courage to come out publicly let alone come out to the wide world in a documentary but this is a great effort by the comedian and he charts not just his battle with this disorder but its widespread effects and the ways one can try to work around it. Many are still confused as to what depression is and how devastating it can be- This is the documentary to show them.

bob the moo After suffering for many years with extreme swings in mood and feeling, Stephen Fry was diagnosed at age 37 as being bi-polar or suffering from being a manic depressive. Perceiving there to be a low awareness of this mental health problem, Fry investigates what it means to suffer from manic depression, meeting others who suffer from it in all walks of life – from the famous to the man in the street, from the old to the young children.I have a vague memory of my mother suffering from depression at one point in her life, or at least I'm pretty sure I do. We never really talked about it but I do recall her struggling to get out of bed for months but I do remember my understanding of it all being limited. So with that in mind I though I would catch up with this two-part film when it was shown recently on BBC4 as part of a season of films to mark Stephen Fry's 50th birthday. With the personal hook of his own condition, Fry meets people who also suffer and explores what it means to them.This exploration paints a picture of a crippling mental illness that takes people from moments of "normality" to the point where suicide is an option. This range of input does provide enough information to understand the scale of the condition and does go some way to helping even the cynic come around. Even watching the film I found myself occasionally thinking that it was just a bad mood that one could just shake oneself out of, but confronted with those suffering from it, it is hard to hold this view for long. The problem is that the personal hook that makes this film accessible via Fry is also a weakness as it does heavily rely on people talking as part of quite a personal investigation. This is lifted a bit in the second part of the film where Fry continues to talk to experts about the subject. That said, the personal approach is also a strength because it does keep the people in the fore rather than the disease. This approach does help increase understanding for those of us fortunate enough to have no frame of reference for it.Overall it is not a perfect film because it does rather meander at times but it is still an interesting look at a mostly misunderstood or dismissed condition that takes a "matter-of-factly" approach and benefits from it.

peter-digby I was diagnosed with bi-polar in September 2000, and the greatest problem I have always had is to explain the condition to others. This documentary shows the good and the bad of bi-polar, (and trust me at times it can be very good.), from the everyday person on the street to the instantly recognizable celebrity who have it. Although I believe the focus is slightly more on the manic issues of the condition, this is understandable as this is where most of the anti-social aspects of the condition can appear, and depression is much more widely understood / accepted than mania. It took a huge leap of courage and faith for Stephen Fry to 'come out' and announce to the world that he has this condition, to talk about his suicide attempts, and to make it so public. I have shown this documentary to family, friends, workmates, anyone who will sit still, and it is the best resource I have available to try to explain the bi-polar. Once again, thank you very much Mr. Fry for helping spread the message, and giving me the courage to be more open about my bi-polar. I am forever in your debt.

trevorrogers42 In dispelling myths and opening up a dark illness to public light, Stephen Fry has shown the way forward in raising awareness for BiPolar. Mental issues and illness hasn't come all that far from the Victorian, out of sight - out of mind, asylums of the past. But with candidness and honesty we are taken on a personal journey, that was well researched to give a insight to the traumatic and chaotic lives of sufferers.The stigma surrounding mental illness is a heavy burden for those affected and their families yet we see Stephen Fry not giving a damn about others perceptions of his illness. A truly ground breaking and thought provoking documentary. A must see for anyone connected with manic depression or those looking to understand what is at times incomprehensible.