- Clean and Sober
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Clean and Sober 
Promotional movie poster for the filmDirected by Glenn Gordon Caron Produced by Ron Howard
Jay DanielWritten by Tod Carroll Starring Michael Keaton
Kathy Baker
M. Emmet Walsh
Morgan Freeman
Tate DonovanMusic by Gabriel Yared Cinematography Jan Kiesser Editing by Richard Chew Studio Imagine Entertainment Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Release date(s) August 10, 1988 (United States) Running time 124 minutes Country United States Language English Clean and Sober is a 1988 American drama film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron starring Michael Keaton as a real estate agent and his trouble with substance abuse. This film was a dramatic departure from comedies for Keaton. The cast also includes Kathy Baker, M. Emmet Walsh, Morgan Freeman and Tate Donovan.
Ron Howard, who previously directed Keaton in the comedies Night Shift (1982) and Gung Ho (1986), served as co-producer.
Contents
Plot
Daryl Poynter is a successful but self-destructive Philadelphia real estate salesman who is addicted to cocaine. He embezzles $92,000 of his company's money from an escrow account and then loses it all to his addiction and the stock market. Waking up one morning next to a girl who suffered a heart attack from a cocaine overdose, he tries to cover up the drug use, but the police make it clear that they know what happened. There is also the matter of the company's money. Daryl tries to flee the country but all flights are held up due to bad weather. His colleague Martin also refuses to put him up for a couple of weeks. Daryl then learns of a drug rehabilitation program which lasts about a month and which guarantees anonymity. He thus applies for it. There, he meets Craig, a tough but supportive drug rehabilitation counselor. With great difficulty, Craig helps Daryl to realize he is an addict and his life is complete chaos. He says to him, "The best way to break old habits is to make new ones."
At a 12-step meeting, Daryl meets the older, reformed addict Richard Dirks, who will act as his sponsor. Richard eventually encourages Daryl to confess at work what he's done with the money. He is promptly fired. Daryl becomes attracted to a fellow patient, a woman named Charlie Standers. She is a steel foundry worker who is addicted to alcohol and cocaine. Charlie is involved in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend Lenny, a fellow addict to whom Charlie acts as a codependent. Daryl falls in love with Charlie and urges her to leave Lenny. He finally succeeds, only to witness Lenny's manipulative way of winning her back. Daryl tries to remain in Charlie's life to help her stay sober. After another fight with Lenny, she leaves the house, attempts to use drugs and is killed in a car accident. In despair, Daryl also feels a strong temptation to return to drugs. He visits Richard, who talks him out of it. Near the story's end, Daryl, confused but hopeful and reborn, accepts his 30 Day Sobriety Chip in front of an audience of fellow members, joking with them.
Cast
- Michael Keaton as Daryl
- Kathy Baker as Charlie
- Morgan Freeman as Craig
- M. Emmet Walsh as Richard
- Luca Bercovici as Lenny
- Tate Donovan as Donald
- Claudia Christian as Iris
- J. David Krassner as Tiller
- Dakin Matthews as Bob
- Ben Piazza as Kramer
- Rachel Ryan as Karen Peluso
Reception
The film received generally favorable reviews at the time. Ebert praised the "superb supporting performances" and noted that "Although the subject matter of this film is commonplace in our society...the actual process of surrender and recovery is hardly ever the subject of films, maybe because it seems too depressing."[1]. Variety wondered if the film was "perhaps too grim"[2] The film holds a 55% (rotten)score on Rotten Tomatoes[3] and 6.6/10 at IMDb[4]
Awards
Micheal Keaton won the 1988 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor for his combined performances in this film and Beetlejuice.
References
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "Clean and Sober, August 10, 1988". Roger Ebert. rogerebert. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19880810/REVIEWS/808100301. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ Variety Staff. "Clean and Sober". Variety Reviews. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117789955?refcatid=31. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ "Clean and Sober (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes. flixster,inc.. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/clean_and_sober/. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ "Clean and Sober". Internet Movie Database. IMDb.com, Inc.. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094884/. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
External links
- Clean and Sober at the Internet Movie Database
- Clean and Sober at AllRovi
- Clean and Sober at Rotten Tomatoes
- Roger Ebert Review, Clean and Sober
Films directed by Glenn Gordon Caron Clean and Sober (1988) · The Making of Me (1989) · Wilder Napalm (1993) · Love Affair (1994) · Picture Perfect (1997)Categories:- 1988 films
- English-language films
- American drama films
- 1980s drama films
- Drug-related films
- Imagine Entertainment films
- Warner Bros. films
- Directorial debut films
- Films about alcoholism
- Films shot in New Jersey
- Films shot in Pennsylvania
- Films shot in Delaware
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