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- 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.
- 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...)
- Jeremy Urquhart
- Feature Writer/Senior List Writer
- 'The Panic in Needle Park' (1971) An underrated classic of the 1970s, The Panic in Needle Park is effectively a romantic drama about two young people who are grappling with a heroin addiction.
- 'Trainspotting' (1996) A classic British movie that certainly increased the profile of its star and director, Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor respectively, Trainspotting is a fast, entertaining, sometimes funny, but also deeply disturbing look at a group of friends in Scotland, many of whom are addicted to heroin.
- 'Clean and Sober' (1988) For the earlier years of his career, Michael Keaton was best known for his comedic roles, leading to 1988's Clean and Sober being a pivotal demonstration of his dramatic talents.
- 'Flight' (2012) A movie that contains a great Denzel Washington performance is always going to be compelling, and he's a big reason why Flight does hit the ground running.
People also ask
Can movies help you recover from alcoholism?
What is a good movie about alcoholism?
Are movies about alcohol addiction worth watching?
- Trainwreck (2015) Trainwreck is a 2015 movie produced by Judd Apatow. The movie focuses on a young writer (Amy Schumer) who is in a rut. She’s going through issues with alcoholism and addiction but decides it’s time to clean herself up when she begins writing a piece about a successful sports doctor, Aaron Conners (Bill Hader).
- The Spectacular Now (2013) The Spectacular Now is a 2013 film produced by James Ponsoldt. This movie features a well-rounded cast including Miles Teller, Brie Larson, Kyle Chandler, Shailene Woodly, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
- 28 Days (2000) 28 days is a female-led film released in 2000. The film was produced by Betty Thomas and it follows the journey of a journalist with a drinking problem.
- Smashed (2012) Smashed is a 2012 film produced by James Ponsoldt. The movie takes place in Los Angeles and follows schoolteacher Kate and her husband.
- 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.
Dec 2, 2021 · These 12 movies aren’t perfect in their depictions, but they do shine a light on aspects of addiction and recovery that reflect real life, if not quite capturing it with 100 percent accuracy.
Oct 12, 2023 · There are many films that deal with the difficult subject matter of substance abuse and addiction; dealing with the harrowing part drugs and alcohol can play in a person's life. Here are our top picks for films that shine a light on addiction. Trainspotting (1996) IMDB rating: 8.1/10. Rotten Tomatoes rating: 90%
