ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

jrsousa I was trying hard to remember about when I used to watch this movie with my siblings, but couldn't tell if this movie is the same miniseries that I watched in Brazil in the 80s, it probably is, because there is no other. I had the impression the miniseries was longer than 2 episodes, maybe they aired shorter episodes to fit into a week of show. It's an amazing movie, and even though as a kid I couldn't follow or understand much of the movie, some scenes got deeply marked in my memories, such as the image of Sybil showing her fists. Having come across a few podcasts among my mp3 of voices of Sybil, it reminded me of the movie and I decided to see it again.

Ilovehandbagsandshoes This review assumes you have read other reviews...Whether or not Multiple Personality Disorder exists, the fact is that this film is about the emergence of the real deal: the truth about the lives of a very disturbed mother who subjected a small child to agonising abuse. The fact that this woman had such devastating 'functional' mental illness is the most horrible fact. Behind closed doors, well within the confines of 'domestic life', this film kicks the living daylights out of the idea of 'home sweet home'.Perhaps the various personalities were not as distinct as the film depicts, but all the same, assuming the voice of a younger self, to enable you to admit to facts, is a very obvious way of dealing with things like this.I don't care if the publisher made them 'invent multiple personalities', I don't care that it was a trend in 1970s therapy, I don't even care that the shrink and the patient became lifelong friends, or if money or fame make people tell the truth - as long as the truth comes out!Personally I'm sick of the view that 'mothers are perfect' that is handed down to us by all of history and culture. Guess what people: mothers can actually be bad, really bad! So I'm just glad some films stick their neck out and tell it like it is.

nbwritersinbox Looking for light entertainment? If you are, Sybil won't be for you...However, a remarkable combination of factors make this TV Drama one of the best ever made. Why it was never adapted as a feature film, I will never know. (Possibly, Hollywood Studios balked at the controversial subject matter the drama explores?) I refuse to believe a talented director couldn't produce an Oscar-winning production. It would sweep the board! Sally Field's central performance is astonishing, compelling and deeply moving throughout 198 gripping minutes. This, plus sensitive direction and a powerful storyline, tragically based on a real victim's remarkable recovery, propels Sybil into the top echelon of any film released in America. All credit must be extended to the company who bothered to re-release Sybil on DVD. This reviewer here, I can assure you, will be seeking a copy for his permanent collection.What makes Sybil important, is a thorough examination of why complex mental health issues arise, and the value of psychotherapy itself. Neither of these issues are easy to approach, or understand by film-makers, and indeed, audiences. But Sybil does not patronize, it examines, reflects and informs. Multiple Personality Disorder, as it was then called, is now known to be a form of dissociation. The sufferer takes refuge behind a number of different "characters", since without them, reality's unbearable. The sufferer's personality is literally "shattered" due to severe trauma, usually experienced in childhood.That (the real) Sybil was able to make a full recovery is a remarkable feat. There's a great deal to be learned about psychological therapy from watching this DVD. And, hope for all who's emotional health has been damaged in the past.

Fhantome I have D.I.D. Out of the many portrayals and interviews that people in the media are exposed to, Sybil is about as close to the real thing that I've seen. Although I do tire seeing people with DID/MPD being portrayed as helpless and totally out of it. I have several friends that have DID and none of them are as portrayed in the media. I am a Paramedic and police dispatcher and have been for ten years... before that, I worked as a therapist as a social worker. I've always held a job and on those rare instances when the entire personality system does fall apart (all puns intended), there is almost always someone inside the personality system to take the reins. That's what is inherent about DID... the ability to persevere and "act normally" through the rough stuff. Sybil paved the way for future generations the way that Joanne Woodward paved the way for her generation into a better understanding of the way that DID works. I'm happy that they released the DVD (although I have yet to purchase it) now on the 30th anniversary. It is a testament to the perseverance of the human condition in times of severe abuse. I only wish that I could have met Shirley Ardell Mason and congratulated her and thanked her for her courageousness.