Stacey Dash And The Many Times Movies Reminded Us All Of The Horrors Of Addiction
Actress Stacey Dash appeared on Dr. Oz recently and in an emotional interview opened up about her lengthy addiction to opioids and her struggle to get clean. Now, five years sober, she is back in the spotlight to get the word out about the horrors of addiction and what led her to getting back on track.
Addiction issues in Hollywood has always been a big topic of discussion, and in many cases, becoming the driving force behind powerful and enlightening films which tackle the subject in a multitude of ways. Here are a few impactful films that deal with the struggles of drugs and alcohol, both real and fictionalized. In either case, an important topic to bring to light as so many suffer daily from the weight of addiction.
28 Days (2000)
A lighthearted, yet, deeply affecting film, 28 Days tells the story of black sheep Gwen Cummings (played by Sandra Bullock), a reporter who is forced into rehab after an accident at her sister's wedding. The film plays as tad comedic, at first, but soon spirals off into a deeper look at the many faces of addictions as Gwen gets to know the others in the facility culminating in an easy to stomach tale of redemption.
28 Days is available on Starz.
Requiem For A Dream (2000)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Requiem For Dream is one of the darkest and most polarizing glimpses into addiction, telling the intertwining stories of a three heroine addicts played by Jered Leto, Marlon Wayans, and Jennifer Connelley, while also showing the more pedestrian, yet as impactful, addiction Leto's mother, Ellen Burstin, has to diet pills. Hard, quick, close-up cuts of needle, dilated eyes, and the aftermath of taking drugs hits with an unapologetic realism which might be tough for some viewers, though the final arc of their individual stories shows the painful reality of using in a truly visceral way.
Requiem For A Dream is streaming on HBO Max.
Trainspotting (1996)
Director Danny Boyle and actor Ewan McGregor rose to fame with this often comical, though affecting, look at the small-time criminals trying to kick heroine addiction. Played as a wacky farce in parts, the overall reality of their situations play as a harsh reminder of what a life 'chasing the dragon' can lead to. As funny as it is poignant, Trainspotting is one of the most important films to come from the 90s in how it executes its narrative with a duality of sarcasm and suffering.
Trainspotting is available to stream on Paramount+.
Permanent Midnight (1998)
Ben Stiller stars in a story of television writer Jerry Stahl whose $6,000 dollar a week addiction leads to his inevitable downfall. Based on a book by Jerry Stahl, the writer of the popular show ALF, the film is a recap of the experiences the writer personally went through during his time on the program. A brilliant look at how drugs can implode even the most successful people, Stiller shines in a role one might not expect from the comedic actor.
Permanent Midnight is available on Prime Video.
Walk The Line (2005)
This autobiography of musician Johnny Cash scored Reese Witherspoon a Best Actress Oscar and had the world downloading Cash's music in droves. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Cash and explores his full life from childhood trauma, addiction, and eventually, with the help of his wife, recovery. Powerful and inspiring, Walk The Line is more than just a look at a life lived. It is a look at how to keep living after hitting bottom.
Walk The Line is available to stream with ads through The Roku Channel and IMDb TV.
Clean And Sober (1988)
After a tragic night of partying, a real estate agent with a drug and alcohol addiction checks himself into a rehab center in order to hide out and get sober. Through the program he reinvents himself and becomes a councillor. Michael Keaton, who was a comedic actor at the time, takes a serious turn in this story of redemption and self realization.
Clean And Sober is available on HBO Max.
When A Man Loves A Woman (1994)
This domestic drama explores the toll alcohol abuse can take on relationships and family, in this case a husband and wife played by Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan. In the film, Ryan is a school counselor who has two children, one from a previous marriage and the other with Garcia. When her drinking begins to cause her to lash out irrationally, she is checked into rehab where she confronts her illness but begins to become cold to her family. A true picture of life with an alcoholic, When A Man Loves A Woman is a hard look at love and recovery.
When A Man Loves A Woman is available to watch on Hulu and Hoopla.
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
In Leaving Las Vegas, actor Nicolas Cage's portrayal of an alcoholic screenwriter on the brink of self harm stands as one of his best performances to date. In the film, Ben Sanderson loses all he has worked to build because of crippling addiction. Looking to drink himself to death in Las Vegas, he builds a rocky relationship with a troubled prostitute named Sera (Elizabeth Shue) who agrees to not interfere with his choice to die. The film is a fever dream of self destruction and painful catharsis seen through the eyes of an addict on the edge that brings its subject matter to a riveting, heartbreaking finale.
Leaving Las Vegas is available with ads on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV, as well as Hoopla.
If you or someone you know is having trouble with addiction, there is help out there. You can reach out to www.help.org/drug-abuse-hotline to find help in your area.
