Thirty remarkable days in the life of an ordinary man.
Hotshot real estate salesman Daryl has a bad cocaine habit. After embezzling his company's money, he wakes up next to a girl who overdosed. To hide from the police, he checks into a rehabilitation program guaranteeing anonymity. Under the mentorship of counselor Craig, Daryl accepts that he has a substance abuse problem. As he falls in love with fellow patient Charlie, Daryl begins committing to a newly sober life.
- Addiction
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Character
Classical in form, earnest, spare and intimate.
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
- sparerichly built
- intimateepic
- gravecomic
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“Is Michael Keaton the best thing in Clean and Sober?”
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“Would a little humor have helped?”
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- Peter McGinnon TMDB · Aug 20209/10
Michael Keaton puts in a great dramatic performance in this movie, at a time when his star was definitely rising. This movie was released the same year as Beetlejuice, and the year before Batman. Kathy Bates also excels as Charlie. Keaton’s Money manager character Daryl has gamed the system to steal client funds, and even as his drug addiction careens towards bottom, he uses a private rehab center as a shield against being found by the authorities. As he becomes involved with Bates’ character Charlie, who he meets while in rehab, he begins to take his sobriety seriously, perhaps more so than his new girlfriend does herself. There are touches of humor and Daryl’s charm to break up the more serious moments. At one point Daryl encourages her to use a script to talk to her previous boyfriend on the phone. She gives it a try, she shows Daryl the sheet and repeats the ugly profane response she receives, telling him she doesn’t see that on there as a possible response. The movie builds up to a short speech by Daryl that is heartfelt and powerful. The details are brutal at time, and probably therefore accurate, and well worth watching. It carries a message with it, but isn’t merely a messa
Read the whole review on TMDB - Daveon TMDB · Feb 2017
Michael Keaton tries his hand in a dramatic portrayal of an alcoholic, drug addicted stock broker who finds refuge in a treatment program - but not for it's intended purpose. He slowly begins to realize that be may be there for a reason, but the arrogant nature of his personality is always at conflict. As someone with long term sobriety, I always tell people that this is close to the real thing that Hollywood has to offer. Nobody is a model citizen in this world, most are flawed, lonely, angry characters, however there is some redemption in the masses. Strong supporting roles including M. Emmet Walsh, Kathy Bates and a young Morgan Freeman. Worth a look if you can find it.
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Cast
- Michael KeatonDaryl Poynter
- Kathy BakerCharlie Standers
- Morgan FreemanCraig
- Tate DonovanDonald Towle
- Henry Judd BakerXavier
- Claudia ChristianIris
- J. David KrassnerTiller
- Dakin MatthewsBob
- Mary Catherine MartinCheryl Ann
- Patricia QuinnJune
Crew
- Glenn Gordon CaronDirector
- Tod CarrollScreenplay
- Jan KiesserDirector of Photography
- Gabriel YaredOriginal Music Composer
- Richard ChewEditor
- Tony GanzProducer
- Deborah BlumProducer
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