A mother helps her daughter work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse.
Chuck says:
While it fails to reach the urgency of the Julia Roberts’ feature Ben is Back or plumb the depths of despair like Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, Rodrigo Garcia’s Four Good Days still manages to make a few salient points where the issue of drug addiction is concerned. Starring Glenn Close as Deb, the beleaguered mother of her drug addicted daughter Molly (convincingly played by Mila Kunis), the film plays out in a far too familiar manner yet gets by on the conviction of the performances of the two leads.
Having gone through rehab 15 times, Molly is at the end of the end of her rope. And while Deb is fully aware that her daughter is a master manipulator, she still falls for her pleas and agrees to help her stay clean for four days so that she can receive a radical treatment that may permanently curb her addiction. While there is a bit of manipulation during the third act and the ending seems a bit pat, the movie still effectively shows the tragedy of opioid addiction and its ripple effects on those in the addict’s life.
2 1/2 Stars
Pam says: It’s a heartbreaking beginning as Deb (Glenn Close), Molly’s (Mila Kunis) mom, turns her away. An obvious addict, Molly is searching but it’s not clear if she truly wants help or just a way to feed her next fix. Deb, supported by her husband, shuts the door and turns her back on her daughter–something that is gut-wrenching for both Deb and the viewer. This incredibly emotional beginning plunges us into the trauma inflicted upon a family by an addict.
The story is of a mother’s love for her child, no matter the cost. We watch as Deb wants nothing more than to have her promising child back and helping her get through a week with no drugs is what she is tasked to do. The last four days are pivotal and trust, something that has been broken time and time again, must remain in tact for any possibility for not just success but life itself for Molly.
Writer/Director Rodrigo Garcia expertly takes us on this journey as we want Molly to succeed, but we know her track record doesn’t bode well. With this story, we walk in Deb’s shoes; reluctant to help, but knowing we would and could never shut out our own daughter. It’s a mystery until the end as we are on pins and needles waiting for the next shoe to drop.
“Four Good Days” is a familiar topic, unfortunately one that effects so many, but Garcia comes in a little heavy handed, particularly as he places blame on the medical system for his main character’s addiction. While the truth is there, the writer is too straight forward, not allowing the viewer to come to their own conclusions or think for themselves. And it is Close’s duty to relay that information with her character, again coming on much too strong and giving it a contrived result.
Kunis is unrecognizable in her role, emaciated and gaunt, keeping viewers on the edge of their seat as to how her character will end up. While she transforms herself physically, the onus is upon her to bring credibility to Molly. Once a promising student with her future ahead and now a drug addicted mother of two, Kunis is believable and reminds us that this can happen to anyone.
The pacing of the film falters, but in the end, Garcia brings it all home. While the story itself is too overt and in places feeling contrived, the tension it creates as we see the world through a mother’s eyes is captivating. This film may be compared to “Beautiful Boy” or “Ben Is Back,” but certainly doesn’t hold a candle to either.
2 1/2 Stars
