Drunks

Starring:Richard Lewis (II), Liza Harris, Liam Ahern, George Martin (II), Sam Rockwell, Amanda Plummer, Kevin Corrigan, Fanni Green, Parker Posey, Dianne Wiest, Billy Dove, Julie Halston, Faye Dunaway, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Calista Flockhart, Annette Arnold, Howard E. Rollins Jr., Oscar Koch, Margaret Devine, Michael Medeiros
Director: Peter Cohn
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Who knew comedian Richard Lewis could act? There is no plot to speak of in this character study, which follows AA members who meet in a Times Square basement to bare their souls. The performances, however, are dazzling. A sparse plot follows Lewis through one dark, soul-searching night in which he questions his life, his choices, and his sobriety. The direction is minimal, but Faye Dunaway, Spalding Gray, Parker Posey, Amanda Plummer, Dianne Wiest, and Howard Rollins bring out the intense emotions and dark, bitter humor of Gary Lennon's play, Blackout. We could have used more time with all of them, however, as the only fully realized character is played by Lewis. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

A 5-star script but Richard Lewis was a poor choice; a solid "B" nevertheless.......2007-02-11

This is a well-conceived story that works mainly due to good writing, and not necessarily acting. I liked the idea of the story taking place (essentially) over a couple of hours as we learn about these different characters. The opening and closing music is particularly noteworthy in its creating and reinforcing the tone of the movie. Unfortunately, my hesitation concerning Richard Lewis in a dramatic lead role (especially one that is as serious as alcoholism) was warranted after reading the production notes on the DVD - the creators of the movie even had doubts themselves that he was the right actor for the role and it's a shame he managed to convince them he could do it: he's not horrible but I feel that so many other actors could have done a far better job and imbued this story with the power it had in the script.

Too melodramatic and unrealistic to be taken seriously.......2007-01-17

Drunks is basically the story of Jim, an alcoholic who after being forced into giving a speech at AA on a "bad day", runs amok through his old neighborhood drinking and bringing up his traumatic past. Interspersed between Jim's episodes are all the confessions of the AA group he walked out on.

What this seemingly unending monologue turns out to be is a clutch of unrealistic and melodramatic confessions from various members of the group. While they try to explain that there are all different levels of recovery involved in the meeting, everyone "spills" like a newcomer.

The movie lacks both drama and some much needed comedic relief. The script is too scripted and sculptured, and winds out sounding like a recital rather than a spontaneous story of alcoholism, recovery, or falling off the wagon.

The cast is stellar, with Faye Dunaway, Calista Flockhart, Amanda Plummer, Dianne Wiest, Spalding Gray, Richard Lewis, Anna Levine, and many others. The performances are fine, it's the script and presentation that's weak. I don't recommend this movie if you're a fan of addiction stories, it just can't quite reach the soul.

Realistic Recovery.......2006-11-10

A stunning portrayal of the disease of alcoholism. The story revolves around an AA meeting in the basement of a church. Richard Lewis stars as a member on the verge of relapse. The stories told in the meeting are typical of the reality of addiction. Many heart-wrenching moments and accurate portrayals make this my favorite recovery movie.

A GREAT START BUT, JUST A LITTLE TOO SCRIPTED, FLAKY & FAKE FOR ME!.......2006-06-18

I give Drunks 3 stars because, it is good. I think seeing this move might help a certain subgroup of people seek help. I like that Drunks tried to give the viewer a almost real time sense of what it feels like to attend an AA meeting. Drunks gave a really good way too scripted shallow picture of what it is like to attend an AA meeting, from setup to finish. A few of the people standing up and giving their stories were good. Others were just a bit too shallow enough that the person felt unrealistic.

Drunks felt very very scripted as if the director and cast were hell bent on getting a laboratory perfected version of what an Alcoholics Annonomous Meeting should be like. The problem with Drunks over concern with presenting an accurate picture of an AA meeting on DVD is it acheived perfect accuracy by sacrficing the authenticity of the speakers. Too many of the speakers had absolutely nothing of value to say and were given way too much on screen time to say it. Most AA meetings are attended by people who strive to keep it real because, they have better things to do in life than listen to the total cops outs and crap some but not all of the AA meeting attendees had to say. The director of drunks should have just kept it real and let the chips fall where they may. Not even the best Hollywood writer can faithfully reproduce the events or lessons found in a real alcoholics life or recovery. The weird life hard core Drunks live is just too far out there for a sober person to write about with the same passion, conviction and familiarity that an alcoholic has based on every day experience. Three stars for accurate AA meeting format... two stars deducted because, the movie did not include drunks who could keep it real! Maybe I am wrong but I figured keeping the stories shared real is an important part of the AA experience.

In the cases where Drunks did not work was when the people did not feel like fully fleshed out human beings. The passion was there but their was no depth or insight into what made the person tick beyond their heavy dialogue. What makes a person appear "real in movies are the subtle little things". Humans are very intellegent people, we notice the little gestures, the hair twirling, the slight curl or quiver of the lip when emotions are stirred.

Thats where Drunks fails to accurately protrsy the AA experience. There are often many subtext's and personal interplays among audience members. Also there were no keep it real people who say something pointed to kind of give folk a gentle nudge when they start copping out. I mean I know you can't attack someones cop out directly at AA meetings but, in most meetings someone usually counters with something even in a subtle way that gets the group back to keeping it real.

I liked seeing the one dude fall off the wagon get wasted and climb back on at the end with another group it might not have been a really happy ending but it was sort of real. If I had done this movie I would have made the AA scenes more subtle and real. I would have had two group members lose it and fall off the wagon. They both would have reverted to old druggie \ whino ways which I would have given more insight too. I would have had both backsliders paths crossing as one lay dying from abuse of drugs and booze driving the other to find a new AA group meeting with the movie closing as he starts the AA process all over again. Drunks was ok far as it went. Drunks is hardly a waste of money because, its message while not strong as it could have been is potent and there for all who need to hear it. I am happy to have drunks in my collection as a tool to help others.

It let me peek inside an AA meeting and not being a Drunk myself I never had reason to visit one.

drunks made me wanna get drunk.......2005-08-06

ok, first of all I've been to AA and lemme tell you it's not anything like the people in this movie... most people don't like to ramble on and on at AA meetings like every single person in this movie did. (I actually was forced to watch this at an alcohol class I had to take for a DWI)

I will admit addiction is a bitch, but these characters are over the top and unrealistic.

sidenote: and this is coming from me someone whose been hospitalized for alcohol withdrawal, malnutrition, and drug 'overdoses' (when someone takes you to the ER cause they think your gonna die) probably about 8 or 9 times (I went through a bad 5 year period in my life but i'm allot better now)
and I even had sex in rehab the highlight of my alcoholism!

my point is people who act like the people in this movie end up dead or in prison like 5 minutes after they leave there house. (example: the jerry lewis character "jim" i think it was.. he was trying to mainline heroin after he'd drank a fifth of whiskey a 6 pack of 24oz (= a 12 pack) and a dozens of mixed drinks at the bar... ok, if he wasn't getting close to having alcohol poisoning and dying the heroin would have killed him right then and there. the simple fact is real life addicts like this aren't addicts, they are statistics because they die.

that's why this movie is unrealistic. people in AA want help, not a pity party ... and that's why i didn't like this movie, there is way to much "look at me, my life is horrible" whining.

I mean even with all the bad things that happen to me i'm still pretty happy with my life, and have hope for the future =)

now i'm going to go buy a good movie that will make me happy.
b/c this movie is a slap in the face to alcoholics and it'll only make you wanna drink even more.

Average customer rating:

TBTEDITV

Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

The Best That Ever Done It Television

Average customer rating:

A 5-star script but Richard Lewis was a poor choice; a solid "B" nevertheless
Too melodramatic and unrealistic to be taken seriously
Realistic Recovery
A GREAT START BUT, JUST A LITTLE TOO SCRIPTED, FLAKY & FAKE FOR ME!
drunks made me wanna get drunk

Drunks
Starring: Richard Lewis (II) , Liza Harris , Liam Ahern , George Martin (II) , and Sam Rockwell
Director: Peter Cohn
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00007L3ST

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

A 5-star script but Richard Lewis was a poor choice; a solid "B" nevertheless.......2007-02-11

Too melodramatic and unrealistic to be taken seriously.......2007-01-17

Realistic Recovery.......2006-11-10

A GREAT START BUT, JUST A LITTLE TOO SCRIPTED, FLAKY & FAKE FOR ME!.......2006-06-18

drunks made me wanna get drunk.......2005-08-06

Average customer rating:

A 5-star script but Richard Lewis was a poor choice; a solid "B" nevertheless
Too melodramatic and unrealistic to be taken seriously
Realistic Recovery
A GREAT START BUT, JUST A LITTLE TOO SCRIPTED, FLAKY & FAKE FOR ME!
drunks made me wanna get drunk

Drunks
Starring: Richard Lewis (II) , Liza Harris , Liam Ahern , George Martin (II) , and Sam Rockwell
Director: Peter Cohn
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video