28 Days (2000)

To appreciate 28 Days, it's best to be thankful that director Betty Thomas hasn't forced Sandra Bullock into a remake of Clean and Sober. Instead Thomas has balanced her comedic sensibility (evident in Dr. Dolittle and Private Parts) with the seriousness of alcoholism and substance abuse, and she succeeds without compromising the gravity of the subject matter. Some critics have scoffed at the movie's breezy, formulaic portrait of 27-year-old boozer and pill-popper Gwen Cummings (Bullock), but this smooth-running star vehicle does for Bullock what Erin Brockovich did for Julia Roberts, focusing her appeal in a substantial role without taxing the limits of her talent. It's no wonder that Susannah Grant (who wrote both films) was one of the hottest new screenwriters of 1999. She writes "Hollywood Lite" without insulting anyone's intelligence.

As played by Bullock, Gwen is an alcoholic in denial whose latest bender with boozer boyfriend Jasper (Dominic West) ruins the wedding of her sister (Elizabeth Perkins) and lands her in a month-long rehab program with the requisite gang of struggling drunks and junkies. Newcomer Alan Tudyk steals his scenes as a gay German rehabber who might've dropped in from a Berlin performance-art exhibit, and Steve Buscemi aptly conveys the weary commitment of a counselor who's seen it all. Thomas has surrounded Bullock with a sharp ensemble, and the addition of singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III (as a kind of Greek chorus crooner) is sublimely inspired. Certainly no surprises here--the warring sisters will reconcile, and at least one rehabber will fail to recover--but there's ample pleasure to be found in Bullock's finely tuned performance, and in Thomas's inclusion of flashbacks and tangents that add depth and laughter in just the right dosage. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Sweet Meredith

Watch Meredith Deane as young Lily in the flashbacks with Katie Scharf who plays young Gwen. They're both adorable and cute and such good actresses. This was Meredith's first role. Then she did "Once and Again." I think she was also in Law & Order. Meredith is sassy in this role and plays the character well. As does Miss Katie Scharf who is talented and looks a lot like the main actress playing the character. December 18, 2008

Intelligent and Moving Look at Insecurity and Addictions

28 Days is a fabulous movie that stirs many emotions associated with addiction, immaturity, and insecurity. Sandra Bullock plays a character that demonstrates how many perceived strong and "vibrant" people in our lives, are too often driven by hidden insecurities and emotional pain. The movie centers around a beautiful and charismatic woman about 30 years old, that has surrounded her life with equally colorful and insecure people that routinely gather and celebrate in public places, all attempting to demonstrate that they are part of the "in-crowd". Although these people can be perceived to be having the time of their lives, it turns out they really have no life at all - and do a great job of indirectly hurting themselves and their family. Addiction to alcohol and drugs is a common outcome, and I am guessing that we all may know people like this.

The movie makes you laugh and cry, and really makes you think about those people in your lives that may mask an internal pain, with external friendliness or happiness - maybe even ourselves. I can't imagine a better actress than Sandra Bullock to play this role, and have to say I really enjoyed the intelligence of this movie.

GREAT MOVIE!

November 22, 2008

A movie that will provoke a good discussion on addictive behaviors

I work with adults, families, and adolescents who have addiction issues. I am always on the lookout for both new and older films who are about addiction that I can show to my clients. "28 Days" is one of those films. It chronicles the life of a alcoholic party girl Gwen (played by SAndra Bullock) and an involuntary trip to rehab that she does not take seriously at first. After she is encouraged to get drunk in rehab by her boyfriend, and nearly gets kicked out of rehab and put into jail, she begins to take what her counselor and her other friends in rehab are telling her about her problems drinking seriously. A death of a friend in rehab really wakes her up, and upon discharge she is intent to make changes in her life and stay sober.
This video is excellent to show to a rehab group who are "on the fence" as to whether or not they have a problem with their drinking and or using drugs (despite the fact to everyone else in their life they obviously are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs). A counselor can process this movie by asking questions such as "How are you like Gwen (the lead character) in "28 DAys?" Who is the enabler in the movie? Why did the clients at the rehab center wear signs? etc. I have found this movie to be very beneficial in producing a discussion of what is problematic, drug addicted behavior compared to social drinking.

October 13, 2008

A "coming of age" story of people who are learning to grow up at an older age

Moving story about not only a woman who gets thrown into rehab, but also who has repressed her feelings, her life and finds herself maturing into an adult after drinking her younger life away. When she first gets into rehab, it's not only a typical scene that one might see in a rehab facility, but also one where, since the stunting of her emotional, responsible and relationship senses are that of a young, out of control child who raised herself. Through the movie, she learns how to be alive, how to be sensitive, that the man she thought was so great for her isn't at all and why, and she gets the beginnings of how to grow, get in touch with not only her feelings, but learns what is not good for her and to walk away. She learns to ask for help from those who are healthy and to walk from those who are not, slowly, and through a process that we can only wish some people would get, yet without the tragedy (although that's how some people must learn it, as for some they simply don't see it until they really hurt someone (or even kills them in some people's lives.)

This isn't only a good story for alcoholics or drug addicts, but also one for those who haven't grown up as adults for whatever reason. To learn that people make mistakes, to learn that human touch and feelings are really what life is about, not the girl or guy with the nice suit or those who are trying to make an appearance of having money, "friends", or the potential of the mansion on the hill, the so-called "Glamorous life." She grows to see through all the BS and get real with herself, get in touch with her feelings, realize that being able to be vulnerable is the best gift she can not only give to herself, but also to those around her, and she learns not only how to be a friend to others, but how to recognize who her friends really are.

Great flick they outta show and discuss in high schools and colleges (although there are some parts that are graphic - drug use, etc., but then if we are real about it, most kids are seeing this stuff to one degree or another anyhow!)

The lessons in this movie come SO late in life for some people, and for some not at all, living lives that are akward, fake, idealized, but then these people never really are happy on the inside, nor do they know how to really connect with other people. An awesome gift for someone who needs to grow before they can really feel what it is to have a family relationship, a true friend, a real life and be happy with who they really are (weather they hide in anxiety, drugs, alcohol, self-indulgence, or whatever it is that keeps them from being who they really are and not trying to put on a mask to feel OK or better than others. To simply be happy with who they are - monetarily rich or poor, healthy or sick, no matter what it is that they are trying to escape by the egotistical "look at me, look at my [whatever], look at what I have" syndrome that keeps SO many people from true happiness, and is sad to watch, as these people don't really feel, are not in touch with their feelings, and miss out on what life is really about and unfortunately often times self-medicate with alcohol, drugs, sex, gossip, talking to others as though they don't know anything (the "know it all" syndrome) whatever to make themselves feel good about themselves, and that often has other people who are centered in their lives dropping them by the wayside, as they don't care for the drama. November 27, 2007

"Take Care of the Little Things"

When I began watching this film, I had a sense early on that I might not like it all that much as I thought the character of Gwen and her drunken antics were somewhat overdone, until the scene where she crashes the limo. Such incidents do happen with addicts in denial and unaware of their dangerous behavior while under the influence. As the movie continued, I was impressed with how this film showed a realistic portrait of the events and situations that take place in a rehab facility. There is good humor throughout the film as humor is a needed assett when struggling through difficult times, but there is also debatable explanations on the meaning of life and why people make the choices they do as the scene with Gwen and her boyfriend gives an exchange of two very different outlooks on life. Gwen also comes to take accountability as she discovers the owning up process. The scenes involving her and her sister are touching and believable rather than coming off as forced or sappy, and the supporting characters grow on you despite their issues. Filled with superb writing that lends itself to many moments of laughter, sadness, and positive affrimations that are true to life("Something bigger than us will care and determine our outcomes when we take care of the little things")28 Days is one of the best movies to come around in a long time. August 28, 2007

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