Hard to watch, hard to stop watching

Rating: 10/10 (21 September 2003)

I seem to be on a drug movie binge tonight. I just posted some comments about "Spun," which has some obvious similarities with this movie. I think this movie has more universal appeal, though, and for good reasons. To me, this is simply a fantastic film, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
The four main characters are each likable, or at least very sympathetic, and we become very drawn in to their situations. And so, when things start to go horribly, horribly wrong, it does become painful to watch. Yet, one can't turn away, and I don't think it's just the "auto-wreck you gotta look at" effect.
Here's my theory: I have a good friend whose life has been, for several years, tragedy after tragedy, stupid mistake after stupid mistake, and unbelievably (literally!) bad luck after unbelievably bad luck. I keep thinking (as does he) that things can't get any worse. And then, they get worse. And I keep waiting for that point where his life finally turns around and good things start happening, but they don't. I can't turn my back on him, because he is in fact a good friend, has been there for me when I needed him, and I care for him very much. That's exactly the feeling I have for the characters in this movie. I want so badly for things to turn around for them, but things don't turn around, but I can't give up on them because I've become attached. And things do get truly awful for them.
A lot has been said for the style and, in particular, the fast-edits and the symbolic shorthand sequences indicating that a character is taking his/her particular drug. Some think they are gimmicky; I on the other hand feel that they are integral to the story, and are a pretty good way of describing the immediate effects of the drug and the emotional undercurrents (as distinct from the drug effects) that one feels when one is taking a drug (been there, done that, ruined my life thank you very much).
I give this movie 10/10. Admittedly I have an agenda here, but I really want all the kids in my life to see this movie before they encounter drugs for real. I don't know if it would stop them, but at least I'd feel like they knew what the worst-case scenarios were, and that they were making semi-informed decisions.