History Film / Nell

''Nell'' is a 1994 drama film directed by Michael Apted, adapted from Mark Handley's play ''Idioglossia''. It stars Creator/JodieFoster, Creator/LiamNeeson, and Creator/NatashaRichardson.

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Occurs between Jerome and Paula throughout the movie. Heavily hinted attraction from both sides to the point that Nell seems -- or at least Paula thinks she does -- to interpret an argument between them over her status as "parents arguing," and forces them to make up.[[note]]Given that Nell wasn't raised with two parents, she might actually have remembered what her mother did if ''she'' argued with her sister -- forced the two to face each other and apologize.[[/note]][[spoiler: TheyDo]].

%%* SkinnyDipping

* SinisterSurveillance: One of the first things Paula does is install cameras in Nell's house while she's sleeping. Jerome is furious when he discovers them, but doesn't make her remove them. He even asks her if she saw how Nell spoke to him for the first time.
* StupidScientist: "Experts" at Paula's presentation, including Paula at this point, watch a film of Nell communing with her dead twin sister May via mirror. Since they don't realize there's a twin, they think she's saying "me" in her thick Carolina accent, rather than "May." (The loving chant between the sisters includes the words 'tay and may,' and it's only when Nell whispers the chant with [[spoiler:Jerry and Paula's [[BabiesEverAfter little daughter]]]] that it's revealed to be 'Thee and me, thee and me.' Nell and May could even have been playing with 'May/me' in their twin language.) Cue the psychobabble explanations: "She has an objective self and a subjective self" and her gestures are "some kind of self-comforting."

%%* CharacterTitle

%%* ImaginaryFriend: Nell could appear to have one of these at first.

* SinisterSurveillanc: One of the first things Paula does is install cameras in Nell's house while she's sleeping. Jerome is furious when he discovers them, but doesn't make her remove them. He even asks her if she saw how Nell spoke to him for the first time.

* BreakTheCutie: Arguably happens to Nell between her sister, her mother, and the medical center scene.

* CharacterTitle

* CloudCuckooLander: Nell.
* {{Cloudcuckoolanguage}}: Nell's invented language.

* DoNotGoGentle: Nell accepts that everybody dies and she will eventually die. Ties in with her [[RousingSpeech courtroom speech]].

* FriendshipMoment: Happens several times between Dr. Lovell and Nell.
* HeroicBSOD: Happens to Nell after she is taken to the medical center.
* HollywoodPsych: Paula Olsen.

* ImaginaryFriend: Nell could appear to have one of these at first.
* InnocentFanserviceGirl: Nell wears clothes, but has no problem in taking them off.
* JerkAss: Billy Fisher in the bar scene.
* LampshadeHanging: Just a bit. "She's having a good time. She's discovered popcorn! Now she can go to the movies!"

* MrFanservice: When Dr. Lovell strips down and goes SkinnyDipping with Nell, which for some reason is supposed to help her get over her fear of men.
** In theory this is because to Nell, he's not a man, he's her guardian angel and thus exempt from the 'men are monsters' lesson her mother drummed into her head.
** Early in the film when Dr. Lovell is hauled out of bed by a phone call, Neeson has a nice shirtless moment.
* OddFriendship: Happens between Dr. Lovell and Nell. Also arguably occurs between Dr. Olsen and Nell too. In fact, as things progress, they become her adoptive family.

* RousingSpeech: Nell does this in the courtroom scene.
* TheSheriff: Todd Peterson.
* TalkingToTheDead: Nell towards her dead sister.

* SkinnyDipping
* UndyingLoyalty: Nell to Dr. Lovell and vice versa. Also partly done with Nell towards Dr. Olsen.

* [[SinisterSurveillance Well-Intentioned Surveillance]]: One of the first things Paula does is install cameras in Nell's house while she's sleeping. Jerome is furious when he discovers them, but doesn't make her remove them. He even asks her if she saw how Nell spoke to him for the first time.

* StupidScientist: "Experts" at Paula's presentation, including Paula at this point, watch a film of Nell communing with her dead twin sister May via mirror. Since they don't realize there's a twin, they think she's saying "me" in her thick Carolina accent, rather than "May." (Nell never calls herself "me". She says "I" in the courtroom, but otherwise refers to herself as Nell.) Cue the psychobabble explanations: "She has an objective self and a subjective self" and her gestures are "some kind of self-comforting."

* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Nell picked up a very strange and unique accent from living alone for many years with a mother who could only talk out of one side of her face following a stroke. Even without the twin-language vocabulary, her speech is so unique and incomprehensible that it could hardly even be called English any more.

* FanDisservice: Nell in the bar room, when she exposes herself despite the verbal taunting thrown at her.

* MoodMotif: Dr. Lovell plays a Patsy Cline song, which causes Nell to run back to her cabin. Later, when in the town, Nell hears country music coming from a bar leading to the above FanDisservice scene. Mark Isham's score includes a hammered dulcimer, evoking traditional country life.

* PapaWolf: Dr. Lovell develops this attitude towards Nell, including physically shoving two people for just interacting with her (although one deserved it).

-->'''Jerome:''' You want her to grow up in a lab?[[note]]Note the assumption that Nell needs to "grow up".[[/note]]

* FanDisservice: Nell in the bar room when she exposes herself despite the mocking being verbally taunted at her.

* MoodMotif: Dr. Lovell plays a Patsy Cline song, which causes Nell to run back to her cabin. Later on when in the town, Nell hears country music coming from a bar leading to the above FanDisservice scene. Mark Isham's score includes a hammered dulcimer, evoking traditional country life.

* TheSheriff: Todd Peterson.
* TheyWouldCutYouUp: Jerry doesn't want this happening to Nell and remonstrates with Paula and Dr. Paley about their wanting to bring her into the hospital.
-->'''Dr. Paley.''' Because you can't take a baby and have it grow up in a lab.
-->'''Jerry.''' You want her to grow up in a lab?[[note]]Note the assumption that Nell needs to "grow up".[[/note]]
* [[SinisterSurveillance Well-Intentioned Surveillance]]: One of the first things Paula does is install cameras in Nell's house while she's sleeping. Jerry is furious when he discovers them, but doesn't make her remove them. He even asks her if she saw how Nell spoke to him for the first time.

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Occurs between Jerome and Paula throughout the movie. Heavily hinted attraction from both sides to the point that Nell seems -- or at least Paula thinks she does -- to interpret an argument between them over her status as "parents arguing" -- and forces them to make up.[[note]]Given that Nell wasn't raised with two parents, she might actually have remembered what her mother did if ''she'' argued with her sister -- forced the two to face each other and apologize.[[/note]][[spoiler: TheyDo]].

-->'''Jerry.''' You want her to grow up in a lab?'''[[note]]Note the assumption that Nell needs to "grow up".[[/note]]

The movie resolves in a courtroom scene where the argument of Nell belonging in the mental health center or being able to live in her cabin comes to a head. Preconceived notions and not judging by surface appearances are among the themes of this surprisingly complex film.

* OddFriendship: Happens between Dr. Lovell and Nell. Also arguably occurs between Dr. Olsen and Nell too.