Looking back at Primal Fear and the dangers of using mental illness for villainous plot twists Depicting mental illness at its most extreme paints an ugly picture of what living with it is actually like. Social Sharing Depicting mental illness at its most extreme paints an ugly picture of what living with it is actually like Posted: Apr 15, 2021 2:45 PM ET | Last Updated: April 15 Edward Norton in Primal Fear.(Paramount Pictures) Anne-iversaries is a bi-weekly column by writer Anne T. Donahue that explores and celebrates the pop culture that defined the '90s and 2000s and the way it affects us now (with, of course, a few personal anecdotes along the way).