I watched Anonymous People this past Tuesday a new documentary film by Executive Producers Paul McCulley and John Silverman at the very beautiful New York University Skirball Auditorium. As I sat in my plush and comfortable seat alongside my wife I couldn't help to think, I was watching a corporate film rather than a serious documentary on 12 step recovery in America. The central premise of this documentary Is a one note message, constructed to entice anyone who is a member of an anonymous 12 Step program, to break their anonymity and come out to the general public. Giving us the notion somehow, this will eliminate all stigmas and remove bureaucratic barriers that create impediments to addicts and alcoholics in their quest for sobriety. Director Greg D Williams has undertaken a subject matter that's never easy and always emotionally tricky to navigate through. Unfortunately and annoying to the viewer, Mr. Williams a first time director (no IMDb credits) has failed to present an accurate portrait of recovery in America. Rather he's led us to believe that NCADD short for National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence has discovered the magic pill to the problem. The irony is Mr. Williams has fallen in the trap of being self serving to his cause, and judgmental to the very organizations that are helping the very individuals his film is trying to help.. Anonymous People has many failures to communicate its main idea and instead it comes off as self serving, sarcastic and sometimes pedantic in its zeal to enlighten us . So much for humility dictating the conversation, Anonymous People continually fails to demonstrate how the effects of this mass outing will impact the long established recovery community. Given the success 12 Step programs have demonstrated dating back to the foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935.It hard to imagine how successful the films proposals would be to the millions of suffering addicts and alcoholics worldwide. Anonymous People is as relentless in its tone and message as an addict on a mission to buy drugs and as flawed as the moral inventory of a recovering alcoholic. The film attacks 12 Step programs and their basic principles of anonymity through various interviews and lectures we are forced to endure, from self professed members in recovery to the so called addiction experts. To further drive it's painfully dull point home the film doesn't do itself any favors by labeling members of twelve step programs as "Brain Washed" and individuals "Hiding in basements."The producers of this fauxcumentary demonstrate an obvious agenda not to present a balanced message to the contrary they go out of their way not too. The theme music provides us with a sentimental muzak composed by Brendan Berry to further enhanced it's similarities to sitting in a dentist chair . It never broaches the subject of how their proposal may hurt long established organizations with proved track records. It doesn't touch on the possibility that relapse by their more famous advocates could hurt the person on the fence of entering a 12 step program. In the film actress Kirsten Johnson does extensive interviews and readings from her bio, and in true celebrity form, doesn't miss the opportunity to plug her new autobiography. This film doesn't disclose any of the reasons why anonymity is such a important component of12 Step Programs either from literature or recordings readily available to any researcher. These well known recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or Cocaine Anonymous have extensive writings on the subject of anonymity yet Director Williams does not explore nor reveals the 800 pound elephant in the room. It never bothers to explore the 12th Tradition from the aforementioned organizations that may explain why Anonymity is so crucial in their existence. Twelve Step programs have 12 traditions in place that guide their organizations and provide a moral compass to the groups that make up their organizations. Some of these include not engaging in any controversy or opposing any causes due to the nature of their Anonymity and absence of self promotion. One gets the impression that NCADD, who screened the film as well as being integral in its production is counting on exactly that passivity from all Anonymous organizations. Sitting through this promotional film in some ways reminded me of the industrial shorts some movie theaters use to play before a feature film would start. Mr. Williams has a definite calling in the 4am infomercial side of the entertainment business rather than serious documentary making. If you want to get a more complete picture of recovery and told in a balanced and comprehensive story try the 2012 award winning documentary Bill W.
Review of The Anonymous People
