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- Rachel Getting Married. While many may know director Jonathan Demme for tense horror and thrillers like "The Silence of the Lambs" and "The Manchurian Candidate," he also has made several dramatic films about outsiders, who are misunderstood or not accepted by others.
- When a Man Loves a Woman. Luis Mandoki's "When a Man Loves a Woman" takes its title from Percy Sledge's song of the same name and centers on Alice Green (Meg Ryan), a school counselor, who drinks excessively.
- Clean and Sober. After establishing a career in comedy in movies like "Mr. Mom" and "Beetlejuice," Michael Keaton transitioned into drama in Glenn Cordon Caron's "Clean and Sober."
- Wild. Jean-Marc Vallee's 2014 biopic about Cheryl Strayed's solo backpacking trip across the Pacific Crest Trail focuses on a self-imposed path to recovery after a long struggle with heroin addiction.
- Georgia May
- Beautiful Boy (2018) Directed by Felix van Groeningen. Starring Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney. Biography, Drama (2h) 7.3 on IMDb — 68% on RT.
- The Basketball Diaries (1995) Directed by Scott Kalvert. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lorraine Bracco, Marilyn Sokol. Biography, Crime, Drama (1h 42m) 7.3 on IMDb — 47% on RT.
- Flight (2012) Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, Don Cheadle. Drama, Thriller (2h 18m) 7.3 on IMDb — 77% on RT. Some people can't even get out of bed when they're hungover, while others can fly planes.
- Ray (2004) Directed by Taylor Hackford. Starring Jamie Foxx, Regina King, Kerry Washington. Biography, Drama, Music (2h 32m) 7.7 on IMDb — 79% on RT. The majority of the population could never play the piano (or saxophone, or organ, or trumpet, or clarinet...)
- 28 Days. 28 Days stars Sandra Bullock as a woman who is forced to attend rehab due to alcoholism. It is a feel-good movie with perfect mix of drama and comedy, especially with Bullock’s outstanding performance.
- Flight. Flight brings us the story of an airline pilot who miraculously saves the lives of his passengers by safely landing during a plane crash.
- Clean and Sober. Michael Keaton started his career doing comedies, but this film gave him the chance to prove that he wasn’t a one-dimensional actor.
- My Name is Bill W. This movie tells the story of Bill Wilson, a WWI veteran who once suffered serious drinking problems. He eventually got back on his feet and started Alcoholics Anonymous, together with Dr. Bob (Robert Holbrook Smith), a fellow former alcoholic.
- Rush
- Permanent Midnight
- Gia
- Beautiful Boy
- Clean and Sober
- Flight
- The Anonymous People
- Leaving Las Vegas
- Everything Must Go
- My Name Is Bill W
‘Rush’ follows the lives of two anti-narcotics police officers working undercover. Both struggle with addictionafter trying the drug they are trying to track and destroy to keep their cover. The movie is a useful reminder of how people can develop addictions without intending to do so. It depicts how helping one another can be key in overcoming usi...
Based on Jerry Stahl’s autobiography of the same name, this movie follows Jerry’s growth into a successful comedy writer. It also addresses his struggles with addiction, which begins with prescription drugs and evolves into heroin and cocaine use. The protagonist battles with his problems with substance use throughout, and at the end of the film is...
Starring Angelina Jolie in the title role, ‘Gia’ depicts the life of one of the first US supermodels, Gia Marie Carangi. In the film, Gia attempts to overcome her drug addiction to cocaine by replacing it with methadone, to which she then becomes addicted. This movie shows how the title character can overcome her addictive behavior and depicts the ...
‘Beautiful Boy’ is based on real events. It details the life of Nic Sheff, who has a severe addiction to crystal meth, and his father, who attempts to help him become sober. The movie focuses on the negative and heartbreaking impacts that drug abuse has on a person’s life and their loved ones and friends’ lives. It shows the continuous struggle and...
‘Clean and Sober’ follows events in the main character, Daryl’s life after he awakes next to a woman who has overdosed on drugs and realizes he has embezzled money from his company. He joins a rehab program to escape legal issues, and while there is helped to accept that he has a cocaine problem and must overcome it with addiction treatment.
‘Flight’ is about an airline pilot named ‘Whip’ who is initially lauded as a hero for preventing his aircraft from crashing. However, it then becomes apparent he was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine while in control of the plane. Initially, Whip is still addicted to drugs and lies about events, but he ultimately confesses to his crime and...
This documentary shows the real lives of people struggling with alcohol and drug abuse disorders. It features regular people as well as famous figures as they talk about their journeys to addiction recovery. The documentary aims to strip away the negative stigma attached to AUDs and SUDs and shows how rehabilitation is possible.
A successful screenwriter who feels he has nothing left to live for decides to head for Las Vegas to drink his life away. As the protagonist refuses to stop drinking, the lives of those around him begin to unravel too. Ending in tragedy, this movie shows the dangers of refusing help or treatment.
When salesman Nick Halsey turns up drunk at work one too many times, he loses his long-term job, and his wife leaves him. The movie addresses the adverse effects an addiction to alcohol can have on a person’s private and professional life and mental health. It also shows how it’s possible to walk away from alcoholism and how life changes can help w...
This movie chronicles the life of stockbroker and World War 1 veteran William Griffith Wilson, who develops an alcohol dependence after losing his fortune in the 1929 stock exchange crash. It depicts the formation of the now worldwide organization Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), charting the protagonists’ journey to recovery.
- Flight (2012) Robert Zemeckis’ Flight stars Denzel Washington as “Whip” Whitaker, a pilot who gains a Sully-esque reception after he (relatively) safely lands his out-of-control aircraft in a field.
- The Lost Weekend (1945) The Lost Weekend was thoroughly controversial upon release—pressure from the liquor industry nearly got the film shelved. It was the first time that a mainstream Hollywood film had addressed alcoholism, and the timing was right: American soldiers returning from fighting in World War II were beginning to confront the challenges of both post-war trauma and readjustment to life on the home front, and may were struggling.
- Beautiful Boy (2018) Based on twin memoirs from father David Sheff and son Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy stars Timothée Chalamet as Nic, a teen whose methamphetamine and heroin use threaten his own life, and drive a wedge between himself and his father, played by Steve Carrell.
- Permanent Midnight (1998) Another movie based on an addiction memoir, this influential indie film from 1998 (you can tell it’s the ‘90s by the prominent placement of “Smack My Bitch Up”) stars Ben Stiller as novelist Jerry Stahl, who recounts his life and struggles with addiction in-between frequent pursuits of sex.
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21 titles. Sort by List order. 1. Clean and Sober. 1988 2h 4m R. 6.7 (7.3K) Rate. A hustling drug addict checks himself into rehabilitation to escape trouble with the law and realizes that it's exactly what he needs. Director Glenn Gordon Caron Stars Michael Keaton Kathy Baker Morgan Freeman. 2. 28 Days. 2000 1h 43m PG-13. 6.1 (55K) Rate.
May 1, 2024 · These movies convey the struggles of addictions, recovery from alcohol and more. These 30 highly recommended movies tackle a tough, widely relevant topic with grace. We rounded up the best...
