Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this isn't the typical sweet Sandra Bullock film. Sandra's character Gwen is an alcoholic undergoing rehab. The film includes themes of addiction, suicide, loss, self-hatred and infidelity. Gwen's behavior is reprehensible before she commits herself to getting better. The most upsetting is the suicide death of a main character that Gwen could have helped prevent. Two rehab residents are seen (briefly) in the midst of sexual encounters, but there is no nudity.
Families can discuss the obstacles people with addictions face. How hard is it to get your life back together? What factors contribute to alcoholism and drug abuse? What made Sandra Bullock's character finally see what she needed to do to get better? How was her boyfriend hurting her efforts? How did addiction hurt those she loves?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Ellen MacKay
Sandra Bullock sheds her good-girl image with this dramatic comedy written by Susannah Grant (who also penned Erin Brockovich). As the addict Gwen, Bullock is alternately defensive and painfully vulnerable. While every step is a tough one, the movie manages to bring a lot of humor to her plight.
Gwen is the child of an alcoholic. Her mother has bequeathed her the disease, along with the philosophy "If you're not having fun, what's the point?" It's only after she falls from a tree trying to retrieve some pills she had tossed from her window that she begins to grasp the severity of her problem.
With the (begrudging) help of her fellow group therapy patients, Gwen starts to confront the toll her addiction has taken on herself and her friends and family. Although the reconciliation between Gwen and her newlywed sister is awfully hasty, the movie demonstrates the betrayal and frustration that loved ones suffer as a result of chemical dependencies. Lily (Elizabeth Perkins) makes it clear that she is overwhelmed with disgust and rage at Gwen's lack of self-control. When she recounts the offensive toast that crowned Gwen's assault on her wedding, you will have a hard time not cringing yourself. Although Gwen is a sympathetic character, the movie doesn't let her off easily.
Two teen girls found the movie to be extremely compelling; they wept copiously at the appropriate moments. But they also liked the comedy. In particular, they found the scenes with the German dancer, Gerhardt, to be hilarious.
If you enjoyed 28 DAYS, you'll also like Sandra Bullock in the divorce drama Hope Floats. Troubled characters abound in Girl, Interrupted -- for older teens.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome sexual content, but there's no nudity. |
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ViolenceOne suitor slugs another over a woman. |
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LanguageF--k used once and s--t a few times. |
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Social BehaviorCharacter works to overcome her addiction. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoEveryone in the movie has a dependency, and most are in denial. |
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