Those of you who know me might wonder why I chose to rent The Adderall Diaries, since it's completely not my cup of tea. Even using that analogy shows how much this movie wouldn't be my style. However, since it was James Franco's time as Star of the Week on Hot Toasty Rag, I thought I'd give it a chance.
This very heavy drama centers on Franco, a writer who learns the hard way that memories are not necessarily truthful. Just because you remember something doesn't mean you aren't remembering a warped version to vindicate what you want to believe. This is the type of movie that makes you think afterwards, so you can understand why I wanted to take a chance on it. If some of the darker themes were cut out, I'd probably have enjoyed it much more, so I would caution the more squeamish viewers out there that there will be many uncomfortable moments throughout the 90 minutes. As it is, through the drugs and self-abuse, I felt an intense amount of pity for the main character who wasn't able to cope through life without adding in a bevy of complications.
If you watch this movie, you'll be treated to some great performances by Franco, his onscreen father Ed Harris, and accused murderer Christian Slater. Amber Heard's character in particular drew out my sympathy. She's Franco's love interest, and while she has lived through darkness in her life, she's not as damaged as the man she's drawn to. Any girl who's tried to reshape herself for the sake of keeping a bad boy interested will feel for Amber in this movie. You'll also see a young boy playing the troubled teen version of Franco, and if his face looks familiar, it's because it's a pre-famous Timothée Chalamet.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are some canted angles and handheld motions that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to sex scenes, drug use, and violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.
This very heavy drama centers on Franco, a writer who learns the hard way that memories are not necessarily truthful. Just because you remember something doesn't mean you aren't remembering a warped version to vindicate what you want to believe. This is the type of movie that makes you think afterwards, so you can understand why I wanted to take a chance on it. If some of the darker themes were cut out, I'd probably have enjoyed it much more, so I would caution the more squeamish viewers out there that there will be many uncomfortable moments throughout the 90 minutes. As it is, through the drugs and self-abuse, I felt an intense amount of pity for the main character who wasn't able to cope through life without adding in a bevy of complications.
If you watch this movie, you'll be treated to some great performances by Franco, his onscreen father Ed Harris, and accused murderer Christian Slater. Amber Heard's character in particular drew out my sympathy. She's Franco's love interest, and while she has lived through darkness in her life, she's not as damaged as the man she's drawn to. Any girl who's tried to reshape herself for the sake of keeping a bad boy interested will feel for Amber in this movie. You'll also see a young boy playing the troubled teen version of Franco, and if his face looks familiar, it's because it's a pre-famous Timothée Chalamet.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are some canted angles and handheld motions that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to sex scenes, drug use, and violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.