"Darkness Before Dawn" was produced in 1993, yet it still seems extremely timely and relevant. The film packs a dramatic punch about drug and alcohol addiction, and it showcases excellent performances.
Guy Grant first met Mary Ann when he was in the throes of heroin addiction. The couple start a relationship and eventually marry with the common ground of their respective addictions. Mary Ann is a nurse who steals pills from the hospital and occasionally gives herself a special injection. It is only a matter of time that she will move into Guy's world with heroin.
Both Meredith Baxter and Stephen Lange were outstanding in the respective roles of Mary Ann and Guy. There was an ebb and flow to the drama as both characters would hit rock bottom, make the promise of starting a "clean slate," then fall back into the debilitating addiction.
The film develops the idea the Mary Ann and Guy only have so many opportunities for recovery. Guy is the first to finally gain sobriety, and Mary Ann eventually finds her own path. Some of the most heartbreaking moments of the film were the flashbacks when little Mary Ann lived with an abusive father. Her sister Sandra provides great support in her journey to recovery.
Based on a true story, "Darkness Before Dawn" is a primer for the experience of addiction and recovery. It is a frank appraisal of the lying that necessarily follows from addiction. It also presents the more hopeful outcome of regaining one's balance in life by following the adage of Shakespeare, "This above all to thine own self be true."
Guy Grant first met Mary Ann when he was in the throes of heroin addiction. The couple start a relationship and eventually marry with the common ground of their respective addictions. Mary Ann is a nurse who steals pills from the hospital and occasionally gives herself a special injection. It is only a matter of time that she will move into Guy's world with heroin.
Both Meredith Baxter and Stephen Lange were outstanding in the respective roles of Mary Ann and Guy. There was an ebb and flow to the drama as both characters would hit rock bottom, make the promise of starting a "clean slate," then fall back into the debilitating addiction.
The film develops the idea the Mary Ann and Guy only have so many opportunities for recovery. Guy is the first to finally gain sobriety, and Mary Ann eventually finds her own path. Some of the most heartbreaking moments of the film were the flashbacks when little Mary Ann lived with an abusive father. Her sister Sandra provides great support in her journey to recovery.
Based on a true story, "Darkness Before Dawn" is a primer for the experience of addiction and recovery. It is a frank appraisal of the lying that necessarily follows from addiction. It also presents the more hopeful outcome of regaining one's balance in life by following the adage of Shakespeare, "This above all to thine own self be true."