TV Junkie (2006)

Directors:

Michael Cain
Matt Radecki

Release Date:

23 May 2008 (Sweden)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Making Real Life Isn't Easy

Plot:

A man tries to discover his purpose in life after searching through 3000 hours of video and over 5000 photos.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Marijuana Joint | Cigarette Smoking | Joint | Drug Addict

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Rick Kirkham	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Brokaw	...	Himself (archive footage)
James Brown	...	Himself (archive footage)
George Bush	...	Himself (archive footage)
Charles Dalaklis	...	Himself (as Chuck Dalaklis)
Bill O'Reilly	...	Himself (archive footage)
Dan Rather	...	Himself (archive footage)

Runtime:

Norway:89 min (TV version) | Brazil:107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Certification:

Sweden:7 | Norway:10 (TV rating) | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16

Company:

Deep Ellum Pictures

Trivia:

Official Selection 2006 Sundance Film Festival, Documentary Competition

Movie Connections:

Features "Inside Edition" (1988)

Held my attention, however...

It was like listening to a bad AA or NA speaker, that is to say, someone who spends 97% of their time telling what is was like, and somewhat glorifying (as best one can) the so-called "high times" while spending only 3% of their time focusing on the solution and how truly life changing recovery can be when one puts as much effort into it as they did getting high.

That said, it was like a car wreck that you don't want to see, but from which you simply cannot avert your eyes. Which is why I rated it as I did - had it not held me I'd have scored it much more harshly. Rarely have I seen a person so far afield from the concept of personal responsibility, which I realize is not the typical strong suit of your average addict, but I've known far more than my fair share of alkies and addicts, and this poor guy just seemed to feel that life/the employer/the wife/anyone close at hand was doing it to him! And I literally screamed at the set at one point where his son is terrified and sobbing "WILL YOU PLEASE give that poor child a hug?!!??!?" There is no doubt that the insanity that is addiction was accurately portrayed, but it was a bit much to take for the majority of the documentary. And did the wife EVER once go to Al Anon/Narc Anon? That made me want to pull my hair out as well, that she was helping him stay sick and cluelessly allowing herself to be miserable in the process.

All in all, I'd recommend it, but brace yourself. I kind of let it blind side me a bit, I suppose. And it was hard to watch. The last 5 to 10 minutes was my favorite part.