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55 Steps

Name: 55 Steps
Director: Bille August
Released: 2018
Duration: 115 min

Representation Score

5.0/10

Fair

2018

PG-13

Director

Bille August

Runtime

115 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

55 Steps is a character-driven legal drama that excels in its sophisticated treatment of mental health. By focusing on Eleanor Riese’s struggle for self-determination, the film presents neurodivergent individuals as active agents of change rather than passive subjects. However, the film’s impact is limited by its adherence to a traditionalist approach to other identity markers. The cast remains largely homogeneous, and the narrative lacks engagement with LGBTQ+ identities or diverse racial perspectives, staying true to the specific era’s social landscape. Ultimately, the film succeeds as a study of individual rights against systemic protocols, even if it does not challenge broader social hierarchies regarding gender or race.

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Category Breakdown

Does 55 Steps have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a traditional framework that assumes everyone is straight and cisgender. It does not include significant LGBTQ+ characters or explore non-cisgender identities.

How does 55 Steps portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on the power dynamic between a male protagonist and a female lawyer, following conventional gender roles typical of legal dramas.

How racially and ethnically diverse is 55 Steps?

Limited

The cast is relatively uniform, reflecting the specific socioeconomic and legal environments of the time. There is no intentional blending of different racial backgrounds in the main storylines.

How does 55 Steps represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative examines moral relativism and the subjectivity of truth. It challenges institutional medical authority without adopting anti-Western or anti-capitalist viewpoints.

Does 55 Steps include disability representation?

Excellent

The film provides a nuanced portrayal of neurodivergence through Eleanor Riese, granting her a significant role in driving the story and avoiding the trap of treating mental illness merely as inspiration.

Present on Screen

Provides a nuanced and dignified portrayal of neurodivergence and mental health.
Gives a significant role in driving the story to characters living with mental illness.
Effectively explores the tension between individual autonomy and institutional authority.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and non-cisgender characters.
Features a relatively homogeneous cast with minimal racial diversity.
Follows conventional gender roles rather than challenging traditional hierarchies.

Official Synopsis

The inspiring true story of Eleanor Riese, a mental illness patient herself, who brings a class action suit to give competent mental patients the right to have a say in their medication while they're in a hospital, and Colette Hughes, the lawyer appointed to her case.

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