I just watched the movie, “28 Days” and must say that I enjoyed it. I was not bowled over by the movie; I was not touched by the movie; I merely “enjoyed” it.

If anyone has had a loved one that has been addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex, this movie brings back flashbacks of unhappy times spent with unhappy people. I found that for people that have actually lived through the tragedy of addiction and of those addicted, the movie was far too shallow of a presentation of its reality. For people who have never experienced addiction or loving someone who is temporarily or habitually addicted the movie is once again too shallow for them to ever watch it and understand those involved better.

This movie seemed to be the classic cliché of addiction. Sandra Bullock plays an alcoholic. She faces jail or rehab for running her car, while drunk, into a building. She chooses rehab which will last for 28 days. Thus the title of the movie. Of course she doesn’t think that she is addicted. She generally acts condescending of those around her as they attend meetings; pray for strength; and form support groups where they “get in touch with their feelings.”

Does it sound familiar yet? It should because every movie about attending rehabilitation centers is the same story with various actors and actresses comprising the only true difference. I found it ironic that there is a thread about the addiction to soap operas and the unreal look at life they offer one. So too, this movie. Not that it was without factual substance about life in rehab but that it followed the soap opera formula of (a) enter rehab and be condescending to those who are addicted because they are not (b) not accepting or being accepted by the support group because of the attitude shown by the main character (c) reaching a crisis stage and trying to turn it around after all (d) flash backs of being the child of an alcoholic mother and the ignored little sister of an older well-adjusted sibling (e) meeting someone famous in rehab and developing a relationship inside the place (f) roommate in rehab that overdoses during treatment and then dies which brings about conviction on the part of the addict (g) various people inside the rehab center who are stereotypes found in all of these movies (h) finally being released and deciding to stay addiction free.

Does it sound familiar yet? If it doesn’t, then you’ve never seen a movie that has been done about addiction and rehabilitation before.

I would have enjoyed the movie more if they had been able to find some humor or would have injected some true insight about addiction. Blaming an alcoholic mother (while often true about alcoholism and addictions running in families) was really stating the obvious, easy answer. Less obvious causes would have at least informed the viewer and given insight to this affliction. This way very little was entertaining OR informative.

I need to add here that one part of the rehab experience that was pure movie and had no basis in the reality of rehab centers. They show Bullock’s fiancee visiting her and the two of them go off alone together to romance etc. When I visited a “real” rehab center, they would not allow me to be alone with the patient. I could join some of the group things, or attend educational formats but I was not allowed alone time to wander. If Sandra Bullock had indeed ridden off in a car with her honey and gotten drunk and then returned, she would not have gotten back into the center. She would have been taken immediately to jail. It’s all about locks and keys and supervision. It’s about no radios for patients so they don’t do the association between music and their addiction. It’s about many things not shown in this movie. Yes, I know that it wasn’t meant to be a documentary. But, I didn’t want the unknowing to take it as a factual accounting of life in rehab.

I really have always enjoyed Sandra Bullock as an actress. I still do. She did an admirable job with this poorly written script and at least presented a good portrayal of the stages of recognition when one is an addict. Too bad everyone else in the movie were such lightweights and too bad that the script itself was so weak. It offered little challenge to showcase any acting ability.

There were two moments of comic relief during the movie. One is when they show a flashback of Bullock toasting her perfect sister at the wedding reception. I’ll not spoil it for you by taking away one of maybe two laughs throughout, I’ll let you watch and enjoy it. The second laughable highlight of the movie is one line that is spoken by one of the residents in rehabilitation. As one person leaves the institute, someone says that they hope he makes it on the outside. This one resident says, “They say that only 1 of 3 people make it the first time they leave. I hope that he comes back because that will increase our chances when we get out of here.” My one smile throughout.

My guess is that only one in three people seeing this movie will ever remember anything worthwhile about it. 


Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older