ADDICTION (2003)
PLOT-After accidentally killing a homeless mugger, a businessman's life spins out of control as his bloodlust increases.
VIOLENCE-Lots of bloody stabbings.
SEX/NUDITY-Some clothed sex, and a (very powerful) scene with a crying topless junkie woman.
WHY I WATCHED IT-The guy who wrote it actually starred in another great flick I saw earlier this year, STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN AT SUNDOWN.
THE DOPE-This film is one big metaphor illustrating the seriousness of addiction itself. Why do we do things to hurt ourselves just in the name of momentary satisfaction, or as a brief escape from our troubles? Rather than face the world and work to make the best of things, we instead go the seemingly easier route, only fucking things up worse in the process, and hurting those who care for us. ADDICTION screenwriter Joshua Nelson�s characters are reflective of all the things that cause addiction. Weakness, stress, financial trouble, marital woes, family, aging, vulnerability, and helplessness. Those in the film who are hurt the worst by the main character "Bob" are most often the ones who least deserve it, making their deaths very upsetting for the viewer (and rightly so). In the end, he hurts those he loves the most, in a powerful statement about self-destructive behavior. The last movie that hit me the way this one did was REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, if that tells you anything. This film is flat-out one of the best independents I�ve seen in months, and deserves much attention and praise. Excellent, well-made, gripping work.
MEMORABLE SCENES-In a rare (and pleasant) moment of sick humor, a prostitute momentarily stops itching her STD-ridden crotch long enough to pull her hand out of her shorts and extend it to one of the new hookers on the block.
NOTES-This flick has a website with a ton of information available. Check out AddictionTheMovie.com and bask in the indie goodness.
(October 2003)