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.
Category Archives: Florence Pugh
Oppenheimer (2023)
Barbieheimer, the crafty, endearing portmanteau of Barbie and Oppenheimer, the two biggest blockbusters of the summer, became mainstream weeks months before the dual-day release of each movie. Moviegoers flocked to the theaters in greater fashion than even 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. This ultra-successful and undeniably popular film has become universally accepted as bringing people back to theaters following the COVID-19 pandemic. Some would say that it saved movie theaters entirely. As someone who sees two, three, or sometimes even more movies in the theater in any given month, and often being one of a small handful of patrons, I am in that camp.
Don’t Worry Darling (2022)
Don’t Worry Darling, Olivia Wilde’s (Booksmart) may have been the most talked about movie of the year. While the film garnered much buzz, it was the much-publicized dysfunction between some cast members (most notably Wilde and Florence Pugh) and different versions of why Shia Labeouf exited from his role (he said/she said story from he and Wilde) and how it played out in the reputable news outlets, as well as the tabloids and social media. There was much worry that Wilde’s second directorial effort would be known for the hoopla around the film rather than the film itself. With a production budget of $35 million (compared to just $6 million for Booksmart), I’m sure Wilde felt considerable pressure for her film to succeed. Despite its lukewarm ratings among critics, 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, it has resonated with audiences (82%). While not a perfect movie, I was thoroughly engrossed in the setting, the characters, and where the story would lead.
Fighting With My Family (2019)
Based on the true story of WWE wrestler Paige, Stephen Merchant’s Fighting With My Family follows a tried and true formula of rags to riches story. While it only offers a little in terms of something we haven’t seen hundreds of thousands of times in the theater, it does provide us with a new avenue: that of a World Wrestling Entertainment superstar. Starring Saraya (Florence Pugh – A Good Person, Don’t Worry Darling) as Paige, this movie tells her story and the story of her entire working-class English town, where they own an inviting wrestling gym and run an independent wrestling league.