What sets Four Good Days apart from the many other films of its ilk are Close and Kunis, who sharpen and elevate its well-worn contours with vivid performances that are honest and grounded. US Movies, Dramas, Independent Movies. Watch David Norths remarks commemorating 25 years of the World Socialist Web Site and donate today. Meet Cleo Anthony, Netflix's 'Money Shot' Documentary Trailer Shines A Harsh Light On Pornhub, The "Most Trafficked Website In The World", 'The Skinny Shot' on Hulu Is An Ozempic "Documentary" That Plays More Like A Commercial, Where Is Estonia Located? One familiar sequence takes place in a hospital emergency room. Drug addiction is a mass phenomenon in the US, with an estimated 31 million users, almost 10 percent of the population. Downloads only available on ad-free plans. Paired with Garcias incisive take on the issue, Saslow helped create a story of addiction and its problems by focusing on the little nuances of a relationship standing in the throes of a breakdown. On the second day, Sean, Molly's ex, allows her to see their children. See full bio More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Biography Awards Filmography (by Job) Trailers and Videos Explore More Known For Four Good Days Writer (2020) Colossus Writer (2018) The Daily Show Self (2018) If you can read this, you don't need glasses. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Announcement, Wedding A year after last seeing her, 31-year-old drug addict Margaret "Molly" Wheeler walks to her mother Deb's house remembering times before her fall. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. How Playwright Sam Hunter Processed His Own Trauma, Who Plays Kam Evans on 'Sex/Life' Season 2? You can find the article that inspiredFour Good Dayson The Washington Post website. These days, it isn't bad to be Barack Obama--especially when it comes to money.When the Democratic nominee . And theres one in particular, and I looked at this girl, and I was like I want this hair, and they were like, Okay so lets get you a wig, and I was like No, I think Im going to go and bleach my hair. Miss Manners: Uninvited colleague doesnt enjoy our lunchtime conversations. If you did not receive your newspaper on Thursday and Monday after your mail is delivered, we will issue a credit to your account or mail another copy. Starring Glenn Close and Mila Kunis, the film pulls no punches in depicting the destructive potential of this nationwide problem. R.At area theaters. Molly later confesses to Deb that she was pregnant, but gave the baby up for adoption. Deb, although clearly ambivalent about the matter, stands resolute with the support of her husband Chris, fearing that aiding Molly in any way will serve as being an enabler. The film first debuted at Sundance last winter, and its finally getting a widespread release when it hits theaters next month. Four Good Days is a haunting depiction of this grim situation and its aftermath on millions of households. 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Though Mila is best known for her comedy work in films likeTedandBad Moms, her next role is also slated to be a particularly dark turn. Close felt that this weakness becomes the strength that she masterfully portrays in the film. Advice for the relationships in your life and how to boost your own well-being. What We Know, The 8 Best Soundbars To Buy In 2023, Per Experts, Chris Rock Jokes About Watching Emancipation to See Will Smith Getting Whipped In Advance of Netflix Special: Report. A new drug therapy the opioid antagonist Naltrexone, which promises to block the effect of opiates with a monthly shot, taking away the high that feeds addiction beckons. Saslows story captured that rawness and power. She insists that she is ready to be sober and begs her mother to allow her to stay for a few days before going to detox. Available May 21 on demand. 1,541, This story has been shared 1,244 times. Molly is consumed by guilt. Four Good Days is a 2020 American drama film, directed and produced by Rodrigo Garca, from a screenplay by Garca and Eli Saslow, based upon Saslow's 2016 Washington Post article "How's Amanda? Later, we meet Mollys father, Dale (Sam Hennings), who has remarried and refuses to interact with his daughter until she is drug-free. In a story that too many people know too . Watch offline. Four Good Days is about a young woman who is battling a heroin addiction. Four Good Days grapples constantly with the question of responsibility. The feature also stars Stephen . "You wouldn't treat somebody with diabetes like this," she. Its a scene that seems to run on a loop. Based on a true story from Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow, the film is about 31-year-old Molly, who begs her estranged mother, Deb, for help fighting a fierce battle . [11], On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 55% based on 80 reviews, with an average rating of 5.70/10. 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[email protected]. The duos trials and tribulations form the crux of the story and reflect a worsening situation of the opioid epidemic. Four days after commencing detox, she is offered an opioid antagonist in order to help her on the road to sobriety. Genres. Four Good Daysis based onEli Saslow'sWashington Postarticle "'How's Amanda?' And an hour later I am meeting up with my dealer to get high. Clearly struggling to continue, Molly stresses, I fail every single day.. Eight Oscar nominations and counting. She has two kids who live with their father. Four Good Days is a 2020 American drama film, directed and produced by Rodrigo Garca, from a screenplay by Garca and Eli Saslow, based upon Saslow's 2016 Washington Post article "How's Amanda? Based on Eli Saslow's Washington Post article . 3,922, This story has been shared 2,381 times. Molly no longer has custody. The trauma and pain infiltrate filial life and create deep wedges in the mind of the addicts and the people near them. Saslow is the co-screenwriter with director Rodrigo Garca (Albert Nobbs), the son of famed Colombian writer Gabriel Garca Mrquez. No single figure in the film is ultimately responsible for Mollys addiction and the havoc it has wrought on her family. Cannons Avengers: What If Cannon Films Did the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What transpires is what youd expect, made viscerally real by two strong actors. Watch all you want. A Story of Truth, Lies, and an American Addiction, that appeared in the Washington Post on July 23, 2016. Movie titles, images, etc. Announcement, Engagement A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to . Mollys mother, Deb, sometimes doesnt want to love her daughter after feeling betrayed time and again. 4,441, This story has been shared 3,922 times. View Print Edition (Teacher Based on the true story by Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow, Four Good Days stars Glenn Close as Deb, the mother to Kunis' Molly. Based onJessica Knoll's novel of the same name, it followsAni, a woman trying to outrun ahigh school tragedy that changed the course of her life. Check out the trailer forFour Good Daysabove. It's based on a 2016 Washington Post feature by writer Eli Saslow. Triangle of Sadness Ending Explained: Does Abigail Kill Yaya? So far, there is no book thats directly related toFour Good Days. At the 94th Academy Awards, the film's lead single "Somehow You Do" was nominated for Best Original Song. His first book, Ten Letters, was published by Doubleday in 2011. Garcia noted that problems with no solutions hold a fascination for him. When it looks like they may come to blows, they stop themselves, exchanging apologetic and perhaps even sympathetic looks in a moment of silence before parting ways. Watch all you want. Four Good Days is based on Eli Saslow's Washington Post article "'How's Amanda?' A story of truth, lies and an American addiction," which chronicled a woman named Amanda Wendler 's experience with . The lead comment from Rotten Tomatoes Top Critics, by Indiewires Ryan Lattanzio, laments the fact that the film did not sufficiently vilify Mollys mother: Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this shallow movie is left unexplored: why doesnt Deb look in the mirror at her role in Mollys addiction?. Four Good Daysis about a young woman who is battling a heroin addiction. It has a been there, seen and heard that quality. The work is a fictionalized version of events in the life of a woman from Farmington Hills, Michigan. Its a dubious distinction that she shares with another iconic talent, the late Peter OToole. The Other Fellow: What if your name was Bond, James Bond? Pre-registration is required. A monthly shot of a drug called naltrexone renders the effects of the opiates useless, as it blocks its effects. WhileFour Good Daysis pulled from real life, the only account of Amandas story is from The Washington Post article about her struggle with sobriety. What stands out so starkly, and painfully, in Four Good Days is that Mollys family is left entirely alone to deal with these immense social problems. "Four Good Days" is based on a true story by Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow. 1,241, This story has been shared 1,100 times. Great numbers of people will make an emotional connection to one or another character in the film, who are all profoundly influenced by Mollys addiction. Such a burden exacts a staggering emotional toll. Four Good Daysis a story thats familiar to many Americans, with the opioid epidemic ripping across the country in the past decade. Post chief film critic Ann Hornaday will lead the discussion on Monday, May 24 at 5:00pm ET. The articles portrayal of the opioid epidemic and the details of a mother-daughter duo ensconced in its vagaries reflect the harsh reality. Her addiction, like so many, spiraled into heroin. Deb dismisses this, admitting that Dale's implied mental and emotional abuse was the reason for her leaving, much to Molly's surprise. Molly spends the night outside her mother's house and is persistent about her recovery. The central tension of the story concerns Molly, who, after fourteen unsuccessful rehab admissions, turns to her mother for help. Four Good Days, starring Mila Kunis and Glenn Close and based on the reporting of Washington Post national reporter Eli Saslow, tells the story of a young addict who must not use drugs for four days to receive a promising treatment. The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service. The rest of the film follows Molly and her mother as they struggle to keep her clean until she can receive the shot. Last month it was announced that the actressis slated to star in Netflix's adaptation ofLuckiest Girl Alive, which she is also set to produce. Parents need to know that Four Good Days is a wrenching drama about a woman ( Mila Kunis) who asks her mother ( Glenn Close) to help her, not for the first time, go through drug detox and recovery. Unfortunately, its a story to which audiences have become overly accustomed. Her mother, Libby, faced the dire situations that accommodate an addiction for the same eleven years and tried to shrug herself off from the effects. Directed by Rodrigo Garca; screenplay by Garca and Eli Saslow Four Good Days is a sensitive, honest film about the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic on families throughout the. In an attempt to stop using and stay clean, she moves in with her mom and her stepfather, but also decides to try out an experimental drug that she hopes will cut her cravings. Supporting her in this journey is herestranged mother, played by Glenn Close. Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? Give her the shot! is still ringing in my ears. HOMESTAR Financial announces Donna Broderick as Newnan Branch Manager, Creed III: Boxing crowd-pleaser sends the wrong message, The Butterfly Queen visits East Coweta High, New chapter has familiar roots for Acura general manager, Bunker: A potent slice of claustrophobic WWI horror, Singer and Actress Karen Clark-Greene brings new life to local performing arts, Cocaine Bear: The most fun you can have at the movies this weekend, Newnan Parkinsons Support Group builds brain power with Ageless Grace, All in the family: Wharton descendants exhibit celebrates generations of art, Sharper: Great cast helps to overcome dull mystery. Mila Kunis, who plays the role of the daughter, worked her way through these details and explored the filial dynamics accentuated by the addiction. 'Mandalorian' Funko Pops up to 77% Off Baby Yoda and More for Season 3, Who Plays the Armorer in 'The Mandalorian'? Although at first reluctant, they are happy to see her and make the most of their time together. Request information on Retail, Preprints, Newnan-Coweta Magazineand times-herald.com advertising. As the film gets underway, Deb is agreeing, despite her best instincts and resolve, to again take Molly in, although shes not yet clean. These lead to another 4,105 emergency-room visits and another 79 people dead, every day. Its a project Newnan officials have been talking about for several years, and it was included in the resolution approved by local voters for the 2019 special purpose local option sales tax. Deb is clearly hurt. Four Good Days (2020) - drama film based upon Eli Saslow's 2016 Washington Post article "How's Amanda? Over the past year, as governments around the world shoveled trillions of dollars into the financial markets and giant corporations, while leaving masses of people to suffer through the pandemic, the opioid epidemic has only worsened. However, as helpless and isolated as the charactersor, rather, the real human beings they are meant to representmay feel, they are certainly not alone. Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts. Once shes convinced that Molly is devoted to getting clean, Deb helps her abstain from heroin prior to receiving an injection that will prevent Molly from feeling the effects of illegal drugs. His singular piece of narrative journalism on the escalating opioid epidemic in America inspired Four Good Days, a frequently harrowing dramatisation of addiction, experienced through the eyes of a mother and daughter. On Monday morning, Molly arrives at the house urging Deb to get ready so they will not miss her appointment at the detox facility. Powerhouse performances from Glenn Close and Mila Kunis anchor director Rodrigo Garcas poignant and unpredictable chronicle of mother and daughter fighting to regain the love and trust that once held them together. Theres only one catch: Molly cant start taking it until her system is completely free of all the substances shes been abusing. Amanda, whose experience the film is based on, has seen her fair share of pain in life. 'Yellowstone' Return Date Info, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? The film picks up their journey about 10 years into Mollys battle with opiates, which began with a prescription for painkillers after an injury, before segueing to crack, Adderall, heroin and Methadone and the opening of a painful rift between mother and daughter. A suspicious Deb questions the call, they argue, and Molly leaves with Sean. Four Good Days isnt a bad film, but its not the ambitious, revealing, or distinctive one that the weighty issue deserves. The film is based on a 2016 Washington Post article by Eli Saslow, who collaborated on the script with Garcia. : ; : Eli Saslow,Rodrigo Garca,Amanda Wendler; : . She pauses before anxiously asking Molly, You think its my fault that you are an addict? Molly breaks eye contact with her mother, looks down and shakes her head, no. Despite the harrowing ordeals, Deb immerses herself in the process of Mollys recovery. Despite all she has learned over a decade of disappointment, grief and rage, Deb throws herself into one last attempt to save her beloved daughter from the deadly and merciless grip of heroin addiction. Addressing high school students in a health and wellness class, she explains, I have degraded myself for drugs in ways in ways that you dont want to know. One student interrupts Molly, boasting that she would never let herself get that far into addiction. Four Good Days is a searing drama that deals with the problems plaguing society due to substance abuse. It was released in a limited release on April 30, 2021, followed by video on demand on May 21, 2021, by Vertical Entertainment. Should I have just asked? Since we're still making sure all of the bugs are worked out, the site is currently free to all visitors. 1,000, This story has been shared 974 times. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2019 opioids were involved in 49,860 overdose deaths. The ebb and flow of the new film arent new or, sadly, even uncommon. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. In an emotional journey based on a true story by Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow, 31-year-old Molly begs her estranged mother Deb for help fighting a fierce battle against the demons that have derailed her life. Molly responds, I have woken up every morning for the last couple years and said that this is it. In an emotional journey based on a true story by Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow, 31-year-old Molly begs her estranged mother Deb for help fighting a fierce battle against the demons that have derailed her life. The song was written by Diane Warren and performed by country star Reba McEntire, who noted on her Instagram that she was "so proud to be associated with these three very powerful women", referencing Warren, Close and Kunis. In the end, Deb calmly tells her daughter, I am so sorry for causing you so much pain. The real-life problems showcased in the film caught our attention, and we decided to look through the origins of the story. Watch offline. 'Next In Fashion' Season 2 on Netflix: Follow the Designers on Instagram, Vanderpump Rules: Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix Break Up After He Reportedly Cheated With Raquel Leviss. Vertical Entertainment/Tribune News Service. signing up for national breaking news email alerts. JOIN NOW. The trailer for the That '70s Showalum's new movieFour Good Daysjust hit the internet, andit featuresa bleached-blonde Milaas Molly, a woman battling drug addiction. She takes her time trying to make Molly understand how difficult her marriage and life were for her to endure. Film director Rodrigo Garca collaborated with Saslow to adapt true-life events into this narrative feature. Four months later, Molly is still living with Deb, visits her children regularly, is getting ready for her next shot, and is on her way to recovery. The icy greeting, of course, is only a facade. We also learn more about Molly herself, a straight A student who never made it through high school. While speaking to the class, she releases her emotions, is blatant and transparent with the children about her situation and experiences, using the moment to vent. [8][9], It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. 1,613, This story has been shared 1,541 times. on June 21, 2016. On the doorstep, a ragged-looking Molly begs for a place to stay while she detoxes from heroin. Its not Kunis fault; the language of the characters is off. In an attempt to stop using and stay clean, she moves in with her mom and her stepfather, but also decides to try out. Jessica wrote on Instagram of Mila's involvement in the project, "This has been six years of relentless rewriting, rejections, studio changes, and torturous stretches of stagnation. Deb is in a wild state of anger and concern. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Eli Saslow, a Washington Post Pulitzer Prize winner who wrote the article that . But I cant apologize for trying to survive. Fill out the form below to submit your letter to the editor. Die Hard on a Shoestring: The Low Budget Die Hard Clones, Bad Video Game Movies You Probably Forgot Existed. 2020 | Maturity rating: M | Independent Movies. Powerhouse performances from Glenn Close and Mila Kunis anchor director Rodrigo Garcas poignant and unpredictable chronicle of mother and daughter fighting to regain the love and trust that once held them together. Playing out over several days, as the films title implies, Four Good Days is another intimate snapshot of Americas opioid crisis. Kunis holds her own with the multiple-nominated icon, but the dialogue is hard to sell. Flickering Myth Limited. 1,100, This story has been shared 1,029 times. For a full list of Washington Post Live programs clickhere. 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 Episode Guide: How Many Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Will There Be on Disney+? This article was published more than1 year ago. However, it has considerable side effects if opiates are still present in the body. In one scene shot in a garage, Kunis struggles to credibly deliver common lines. Eli Saslow is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for The Washington Post. Deb is clearly shaken and concerned. Post chief film critic Ann Hornaday will lead the discussion on Monday, May 24 at 5:00pm ET. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! Why That's Good News for the Dems. Contrary to the complaints of the critics, perhaps the greatest strength of Four Good Days is its nuanced and compassionate attitude toward all its characters. Four Good Days. Like the story that inspired it, this movie focuses on the uncertain relationship . On Rotten Tomatoes, the film review aggregator, it holds an approval rating of just 51 percent based on 74 Top Critics. A New York Post reviewer terms the story well worn, while another from the Tribune News complains that the films ending offered more questions than answers. The characters are collectively burdened with a sea of regret that stem from their love for Molly and their desire to help. There, Deb has a chance encounter with Molly's ex-boyfriend Eric, who inadvertently reveals that Molly had been pregnant. "Four Good Days," starring Mila Kunis and Glenn Close and based on the reporting of Washington Post national reporter Eli Saslow, tells the story of a young addict who must not use. I am SO proud of the fact that Mila Kunis read the 63rd draft of my script and was like yeah, I get this girl, and so grateful for her shrewd third act notes that helped me take the 64th draft into another stratosphere.". Heres what we found out! Human beings undergo particular experiences and have different physical and psychological susceptibilities. The work is a fictionalized version of events in the life of a woman from Farmington Hills, Michigan. What if more counseling had been available at school? Save for a few emotional interactions, Four Good Days is a mechanical and processed depiction of the consequences of addiction. The Book of Eli is a movie starring Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, and Ray Stevenson. This causes Deb to openly express her optimism and hopes that this time, Molly will finally recover. In a particularly emotional scene, Molly explains to her mother, I thought you couldnt stand to be around us, around me, referring to how her mothers departure affected her. Before you watch Four Good Days, heres what you need to know about the true story behind the emotional drama. Tens of millions more suffer from the scourge as family members and friends. Yes, Four Good Days is based on a true story. I think we equate addiction with personal weakness in ways that dont make scientific sense necessarily, and thats also informed a lot of how our medical community has treated addiction, from, over the last 20 years. Film director Rodrigo Garca collaborated with Saslow to adapt true-life events into this narrative feature. Hows Amanda? Her story was first told by Eli Saslow in a Washington Postpiece headlined Hows Amanda? Close is at her best when Deb is struggling to feel normal during a quick catch-up lunch at a diner, for instance, with her good daughter (Carla Gallo) as Deb suddenly realizes that shes forgotten her wallet at home. Lead actor Glenn Close delved into the issues of motherhood to get a perspective for her character. A Story of Truth, Lies and an American Addiction.. A Story of Truth, Lies and an American Addiction" Fukushima 50 (2020) - Japanese drama film based on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster which was caused by the 2011 Thoku earthquake and tsunami Addiction opens a dark and grim path that can break down the person piece by piece over a period of time. Philip K. Dick & Hollywood: The Essential Movie Adaptations, The Most Obscure and Underrated Slasher Movies of the 1980s, Ten Underrated Movies From 1988 That Deserve More Love, Gun Honey spinoff Heat Seeker announced by Hard Case Crime and Titan, Action thriller The Siege gets a trailer, poster and images, Director Peyton Reed on needing to go smaller for Ant-Man 4. All rights reserved. Facebook Twitter Flipboard Reddit Pinterest . A Story of Truth, Lies and an American Addiction", "Glenn Close & Mila Kunis To Star In Drama 'Four Good Days', Capstone Launches Sales Cannes", "Reba McEntire is dropping "Somehow You Do," her theme song from the 'Four Good Days' soundtrack", "Diane Warren Lands 13th Oscar Nomination For 'Four Good Days' Song "Somehow You Do"", "2022 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences", "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama", "Four Good Days', Starring Glenn Close And Mila Kunis, Acquired By Vertical For U.S. Release", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Four_Good_Days&oldid=1142253578, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 10:26. In the new film, Molly learns she must stay sober for four more days in order to be eligible to receive an opiate antagonist shot, which will stop her body from being able to get high and, hopefully, help her stay clean. Even the dialogue may evoke dj vu. Mila Kunis looks nearly unrecognizable in what may be her most dramatic, heartbreaking role yet. She and Deb go grocery shopping, where they see Coach Miller, who invites Molly to speak to her class about drug addiction. The film ends with a line about the real-life mother and daughter who inspired the film, Amanda Wendler (Molly) and Libby Alexander (Deb). All rights reserved. Deb remains suspicious of Molly's intentions, but by the end of the day, secretly begins to have hope. A RottenTomatoes.com Tomatometer-approved critic, Jonathan W. Hickman, is also an entertainment lawyer, college professor, novelist, and filmmaker. Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games. Free to attend.