"Mental" is a 2012 Australian black comedy film directed by P.J. Hogan, starring Toni Collette as Shaz, a free-spirited young woman hired as the nanny for the dysfunctional Moochmore family. The family's matriarch, Shirley (Rebecca Gibney), is plagued by mental illness and often retreats to her bed for days on end, leaving her husband, Barry (Anthony LaPaglia), to run their household on his own.
Shaz quickly makes an impression on the Moochmore girls--Coral (Lily Sullivan), Jane (Malorie O'Neill), Michelle (Chelsea Bennett), Leanne (Nicole Freeman), and youngest daughter Siren (Morgana Davies)--with her zany behavior and unconventional methods. She encourages the girls to embrace their individuality and helps them deal with their issues, including bullying, eating disorders, and sexual identity.
As Shaz becomes a part of the family, she also exposes their secrets and helps them confront their inner demons. She challenges Barry to stand up to Shirley and to stop being a passive bystander in his own life. Along the way, they encounter a number of eccentric characters, including a shark hunter (Liev Schreiber) and a group of mentally ill patients who escape from a nearby facility.
"Mental" is a darkly comedic tale of family dysfunction, mental illness, and the power of acceptance and connection.