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Clinical (2017) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Clinical (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 104 min · English
JustWatch #26,250 2
Directed by
Alistair Legrand

Within a modern dental clinic, a team of professionals confronts the emotional challenges inherent in their precision-driven work. The seemingly ordinary routines of the day are punctuated by rising tensions and personal struggles. As they strive for perfection in a high-tech environment, the pressures begin to affect them, leading to a suspenseful exploration of human vulnerability and the hidden costs of clinical practice.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (5)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Clinical
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Clinical (2017)

Where can you watch Clinical? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix and Netflix Standard: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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5 main characters · contains spoilers

Clinical Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Clinical (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Dr. Jane Mathis

    Dr. Jane Mathis is a resilient yet troubled trauma psychiatrist grappling with the fallout from a horrific incident involving a former patient. Haunted by her past, she strives to help others while wrestling with her own emotional scars. Her character embodies the complexities of recovery, vulnerability, and the pursuit of redemption in the face of adversity.

    • 👩‍⚕️ Therapist
    • 🌟 Resilient
    • 😔 Haunted
  • Nora

    Nora is a deeply troubled character whose actions initiate the central trauma that defines Jane's journey. Struggling with her own mental health issues, she embodies the consequences of neglect and abandonment. Her mysterious presence throughout the film serves as both a haunting reminder of Jane’s past and a catalyst for confrontation.

    • 😨 Traumatized
    • 🌌 Mysterious
  • Alex

    Alex is a complex character who represents the challenges of overcoming personal trauma. His relationship with Jane becomes a catalyst for deeper exploration of both their pasts. As the narrative unfolds, Alex's vulnerabilities and flaws highlight the difficulties faced in recovery and the intricate dynamics of therapist-patient relationships.

    • 😓 Troubled
    • 👤 Abuser
    • 🔒 Complex
  • Miles

    Miles is Jane's boyfriend who provides a sense of normalcy and support amidst her turmoil. However, he is often a touchpoint for Jane’s unresolved feelings and fears regarding her past. His character reflects the external pressures and complexities involved in loving someone with a traumatic history.

    • ❤️ Supportive
    • 🔄 Conflicted
    • 👫 Partner
  • Terry

    Terry serves as both a colleague and friend to Jane, embodying the supportive yet challenging aspects of therapy. He provides essential guidance while pushing Jane to confront her own struggles. His concern for her well-being emphasizes the importance of dialogue and connection in the healing process.

    • 👔 Therapist
    • 🗣️ Supportive
    • 👍 Concerned

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:43

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Setting

Where and When Does Clinical Take Place?

The setting of Clinical (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Modern Day

Set in contemporary times, the film explores the complexities of mental health and trauma recovery in today's society. It highlights the challenges faced by both patients and therapists, reflecting the ongoing discussions about mental health awareness and support. The timeline also includes flashbacks that reveal the protagonist's past traumas, creating a layered narrative.

Location

Therapist's Office, Jane's Home, Woods

The therapist's office serves as a professional yet intimate setting where Dr. Jane Mathis conducts her sessions, representing her commitment to healing. Jane's home becomes a place of refuge and confrontation, where the line between safety and danger blurs. The woods symbolize the lingering presence of trauma and the unknown, offering both tranquility and danger as Jane catches glimpses of Nora.

  • 🏠 Home
  • 🌳 Nature
  • 🏥 Medical

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:43

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3 major themes

Clinical Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Clinical (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Mental Health

    The film delves into the intricacies of mental health, showcasing the struggles and triumphs surrounding trauma and recovery. It emphasizes the importance of genuine connection in therapy, as Jane's journey reveals her own vulnerabilities. The depiction of therapy dynamics invites viewers to reflect on their understanding of mental health challenges in a realistic and compassionate manner.

  • Betrayal

    Betrayal manifests in various forms throughout the film, from personal relationships to professional boundaries. Jane's confrontation with her past and the reality of her relationships highlights the deep emotional scars that betrayal can leave. This theme explores how betrayal complicates the healing process and the struggle for forgiveness.

  • Survival

    Survival is a central theme as Jane fights to reclaim her life and psyche after traumatic encounters. Both physical and emotional survival become critical, especially during her harrowing confrontations. The narrative highlights the resilience required to overcome trauma and find closure amidst chaos.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:43

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Character & theme questions

Clinical Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Clinical (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Clinical set?

The movie takes place primarily in a modern therapy setting, with key locations including Dr. Jane Mathis's office, her home, and the surrounding woods. These settings reflect the dual nature of her world, professional yet vulnerable, safe yet increasingly threatening.

  • settings
  • locations
  • therapist office
  • woods
  • home
Q2

What time period does Clinical take place in?

The film is set in contemporary modern times, with the main narrative occurring in the present day while also incorporating flashbacks that reveal the protagonist's past traumas.

  • time period
  • modern day
  • contemporary
  • flashbacks
Q3

What is the mental health theme in Clinical?

The film explores mental health and trauma recovery, showing the complex dynamics between therapist and patient. It emphasizes that recovery requires genuine connection, and depicts how those helping others often carry their own unresolved wounds.

  • mental health
  • trauma
  • therapy
  • recovery
  • psychiatrist
Q4

How is betrayal explored in Clinical?

Betrayal appears throughout the film in both personal and professional contexts. The story examines how emotional scars from betrayal complicate the healing process and the difficult path toward forgiveness.

  • betrayal
  • forgiveness
  • relationships
  • emotional scars
Q5

What does survival mean in Clinical?

Survival in the film encompasses both physical and emotional dimensions. The protagonist must fight to reclaim her life and psyche after traumatic encounters, demonstrating the resilience required to overcome severe trauma.

  • survival
  • resilience
  • trauma
  • overcoming
  • closure
Q6

Who is Dr. Jane Mathis?

Dr. Jane Mathis is a trauma psychiatrist who is herself struggling with the aftermath of a horrific incident involving a former patient. She works to help others while dealing with her own unresolved emotional scars and quest for redemption.

  • protagonist
  • psychiatrist
  • trauma
  • recovery
  • redemption
Q7

Who is Nora in Clinical?

Nora is a troubled patient whose actions initiated the central trauma that drives Jane's journey. Her mysterious presence throughout the film serves as both a haunting reminder of Jane's past and a catalyst for confrontation.

  • nora
  • patient
  • antagonist
  • trauma
  • catalyst
Q8

Who is Alex in the film?

Alex is a patient of Jane's who represents the challenges of overcoming personal trauma. His relationship with Jane becomes a vehicle for exploring the complex dynamics of therapist-patient relationships and the difficulties inherent in recovery.

  • alex
  • patient
  • trauma
  • relationship
  • recovery
Q9

Who is Miles in Clinical?

Miles is Jane's boyfriend who provides stability and support during her turmoil. His character represents the external pressures and complexities involved in loving someone dealing with a traumatic history.

  • miles
  • boyfriend
  • support
  • relationship
  • partner
Q10

Who is Terry in the story?

Terry serves as Jane's colleague and friend, offering both support and challenge. He provides guidance while pushing Jane to confront her own struggles, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and connection in the healing process.

  • terry
  • colleague
  • friend
  • support
  • therapist

Movie threads

More Movies Like Clinical, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Clinical tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Claustrophobic psychological thrillers like Clinical

Stories where a confined space becomes a pressure cooker for psychological breakdown. If you liked the oppressive, high-tech environment of Clinical and how it amplified the protagonist's mental unraveling, this thread features similar movies. Discover other tense stories where characters are trapped, both physically and mentally, leading to a suspenseful exploration of fractured psyches.

  • claustrophobic
  • paranoid
  • suspenseful
  • unsettling
  • anxious
  • psychological
  • Tone: dark, tense, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, methodical build
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread often center on a character confined to a single location—a clinic, a bunker, a single room—where external threats merge with internal demons. The story unfolds as a slow or steady escalation of tension, revealing that the true enemy may be within, culminating in a confrontation with a traumatic past or a fractured identity.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared oppressive atmosphere, the use of a confined setting as a narrative device, and a focus on subjective reality. They deliver a consistent feeling of being trapped and watched, making the viewer experience the protagonist's paranoia and dread firsthand.

Dark movies about trauma and its consequences like Clinical

Bleak journeys where confronting past trauma leads to tragic consequences. For viewers who appreciated Clinical's heavy exploration of PTSD, child abuse, and mental health, this thread finds similar films. These narratives focus on the grim and often heartbreaking consequences of unresolved trauma, featuring morally complex characters and emotionally devastating endings.

  • melancholic
  • haunted
  • unsettling
  • grief
  • psychological
  • heavy
  • Tone: dark, melancholic, bleak
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist being forced to confront a deeply buried traumatic event, which triggers a downward spiral. Hallucinations, unreliable perspectives, and a blurring of past and present are common. The journey is less about healing and more about the tragic cost of facing demons, often ending with the character's destruction.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a serious, dark tone and a focus on the psychological fallout of trauma. They are united by their heavy emotional weight, exploration of mental health crises, and a commitment to showing the bleak, sometimes hopeless, reality of psychological damage.

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Movies Like Clinical

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Every angle

Clinical (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Clinical in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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