More often than not, I enjoy movies, television shows, books, and music dealing with addiction. When a show, a song, an autobiography, etc., effectively chronicles the compulsive and desperate realities of substance abuse, I will give it my undivided attention. When a character adeptly captures the euphoria of being drunk, high, or stoned, followed by the bleak and inpatient hopelessness that awaits when that high wears off, I am reminded of how prevalent, powerful, and relentless addiction is. Two critically limited series (Dopesick – 2022 and Painkiller – 2023) brought pharmaceutical pill addiction to the forefront in ways that film or television hadn’t before. The ability to tell an addiction story over 8-10 one-hour-long episodes allows a director more opportunity to delve into the depths of the disease while allowing for deep character examinations. That is not to say that a film that centers around addiction can’t be captivating. Numerous examples have shown this. Unfortunately, Zach Braff’s (Garden State, Wish I Was Here) well-intentioned A Good Person was not one of them.

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