In 1998, Ben Stiller would make There's Something About Mary, which besides from being a great comedy seemed to mean Ben Stiller could only make one of two film about them 1 - a comedy or 2 - a comedy where embarrassing stuff happens to Ben Stiller, but hey you can't entirely blame Stiller on all this, it's what the studios want more then likely --- 1998 also saw Stiller star in this drama which was based on the autobiographical book by Jerry Stahl, a TV writer in the 80's/90's who wrote for popular shows such as ALF and Moonlighting as well as having an heroin addiction.
The film really failed to get an audience on initial release, and it's never been re-assessed in the last few years which is a shame because it's probably one of Stiller's best performances and is a pretty good film.
Stiller is telling most of the film in flashback to a woman (Maria Bello) that he picked up, she knows he's a recovering addict and he tells the story starting with a green card marriage to Elizabeth Hurley who sets him up with a job writing for not-ALF (it's called Mr. Chompers here but it's an obvious expy), he does well with it until his drug use gets him kicked off the show, he then gets a shot at another show where the star is a recovering addict but she insists he kicks the habit first and after attempting to be on a methadone program a new dealer introduces him to more drugs and it ends up costing him his job.
Hurley throws him out when after telling him she's pregnant (his kid - the two did have some sort of feelings) but she kicks him out when he shoots up in the bathroom almost straight away, the strain is even further put on when he shows up to the birth high. The final flashback is Hurley getting him to look after the baby in desperation and ends up trying to get a fix with the baby still in the car.
One aspect that's surprising of the film working is some of the supporting cast known from working with Stiller in comedies - Janeane Garofalo and Owen Wilson - as well as people like Fred Willard popping up, it's surprising it's doesn't fuck up the tone of the movie for people, which the same can be said for Ben Stiller, there was a danger the film could make people in the more dramatic stuff but it's never the case. I think this movie is more convincing then many drug films in the drug are bad m'kay category maybe because you feel the addiction and even the moments of getting clean are such a choir and the mess that has been made because of the stuff and it feels quite non-judgmental.
Overall I'd say it's certainly a four out of five film for me, which may rise if I thought about it more - it's certainly behind Trainspotting and Requiem For A Dream but I still rate it highly enough.
Stiller is telling most of the film in flashback to a woman (Maria Bello) that he picked up, she knows he's a recovering addict and he tells the story starting with a green card marriage to Elizabeth Hurley who sets him up with a job writing for not-ALF (it's called Mr. Chompers here but it's an obvious expy), he does well with it until his drug use gets him kicked off the show, he then gets a shot at another show where the star is a recovering addict but she insists he kicks the habit first and after attempting to be on a methadone program a new dealer introduces him to more drugs and it ends up costing him his job.
Hurley throws him out when after telling him she's pregnant (his kid - the two did have some sort of feelings) but she kicks him out when he shoots up in the bathroom almost straight away, the strain is even further put on when he shows up to the birth high. The final flashback is Hurley getting him to look after the baby in desperation and ends up trying to get a fix with the baby still in the car.
One aspect that's surprising of the film working is some of the supporting cast known from working with Stiller in comedies - Janeane Garofalo and Owen Wilson - as well as people like Fred Willard popping up, it's surprising it's doesn't fuck up the tone of the movie for people, which the same can be said for Ben Stiller, there was a danger the film could make people in the more dramatic stuff but it's never the case. I think this movie is more convincing then many drug films in the drug are bad m'kay category maybe because you feel the addiction and even the moments of getting clean are such a choir and the mess that has been made because of the stuff and it feels quite non-judgmental.
Overall I'd say it's certainly a four out of five film for me, which may rise if I thought about it more - it's certainly behind Trainspotting and Requiem For A Dream but I still rate it highly enough.
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