Thanks for the memories!

Memorable, crazy movie

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

I'm glad I finally sat down to watch this movie, despite the fact that the region 1 DVD release of the movie (the version I saw) used a very crummy print. Although the movie doesn't go full-throttle to depict the real hell some addicts go through, the movie still has several uncomfortable (as they should be) scenes that give us some idea of the life of an addict. I also appreciated that the movie ends with not everything rosy in the main character's life, that there is still a lot of work for him to go through. Keaton gives a real solid performance - I didn't think of his comic roles in other movies while watching this movie. Though Morgan Freeman and M. Emmett Walsh also deserve kudos for their supporting roles. My only real objection is that the subplot about the woman who died in Keaton's character's home at the beginning of the movie is dropped around the midway point and never brought up again. From what I saw, the cops and the father of the woman should have still been searching for Keaton. Otherwise, this is a real good movie, well worth your time.

Clean and Sober is quit different from most movies I have seen dealing with drugs (as a main theme). Most of the film takes place during and after rehab, which is somewhat unusual (but not bad in any way). Michel Keaton is really good as a drug addict. The role is different, but shows his more serious and adult side. This being said, the movie, unlike most drug movies, isn't really "powerful" or extremely dramatic. In fact, its rather dry in that area, but is still good (and even somewhat better than a lot of drug films) because its very realistic and believable. It also goes in depth with the characters personal lives outside of drugs, rather than focus on their actual drug addiction. Its a good movie overall, definitely recommended to any fan of Michael Keaton or anyone who likes well made but realistic drama's. I rate it 8/10. Rated R for Strong Language, nudity and drug use

If you've ever thought that all Michael Keaton does is comedy, see this movie! What a performance he gives us. You watch his despair like you are watching a caged animal who wants so desperately to get out but can't. The entire casting is spot on and they all interact very well. Morgan Freeman is superb; no other word can describe his performance. The interaction between Freeman and Keaton is so believable and, at times, funny. You just know that Freeman is going to win, but that Keaton's going to give him a good run for his money. You may not recognize this Michael Keaton and you may yearn for the Keaton of "Beetlejuice", "Speechless", etc., but hang in there, this movie is worth the viewing and watching how Keaton plays Daryl as if he IS Daryl. Now, that's acting.

Clean and Sober is a sobering drama about the tragedies of addiction. Michael Keaton is Daryl Poynter, a fast-talking washed up real estate who finds an acquaintance in his bed, dead from a cocaine overdose, and himself facing real criminal sanctions after money goes missing. As a drug and alcohol addict, though refusing to admit it, he checks himself into a rehab clinic only to avoid his employers who are looking for the missing money and cops who want to interrogate him about the dead girl. For Daryl, rehab is only a safehouse, not a reality. He doesn't face the fact that he has real problems and needs real help to get back on his feet. Things are whirling too quickly out of control for him to keep up on the outside and his experiences in the clinic are his own, sobering experience.The clinic is overseen by a former addict, Craig (Morgan Freeman), who is Daryl's counselor who can only help Daryl when Daryl helps himself. Craig tires playing games with Daryl, who has no interest in cleaning up, but only hiding out, and even faces getting kicked out. Daryl finally wakes up largely due to interactions with fellow residents in the clinic, each having their own horror story about how their addictions tore apart their lives in one way or another, putting them in debt, neglecting their families, neglecting their health and so forth. Daryl slowly starts to witness the reality and stops considering everything to be a big joke. These are real people with real problems, and he's one of them. He even goes so far to try to help someone else recover from the pitfalls of their addictions, befriending Charlie Standers (Kathy Baker), who still lives with an abusive, junkie boyfriend. Unfortunately, for her, she is beyond saving, and her helplessness leads to her own destruction.After watching Clean and Sober, you can see similarities between the stories as well as the characters among this film, the Sandra Bullock comedy, 28 Days, and the Angelina Jolie drama, Girl Interrupted. It is a powerful, though sad, drama and one well performed by all involved. And, it is, as a previous viewer wrote, "an honest look at real people."