Bliss

Whatever impression the trailers or your film guide have given you - this movie is not a Sci-Fi movie - its a simple story about how a man can simply drop out of society because of things happening outside his control, and the challenges faced by homeless addicts with with mental health issues, top acting and a decent story and far better than a lot of the dross that has been unleashed on a disappointed public during the pandemic.

Mike Cahill never seems to disappoint me so far. All of his works are very creative and thought-provoking. This film is a truly awesome exploration of the human mind just like Enemy (2013) was, which is also an underappreciated and misunderstood film. There are at least 3 ways to interpret this film of what is real and what is fake, there are tons of hidden details which give hints. There's also tons of funny references to popular culture and some multiple-meaning themes as well. I say this is some fresh air in comparison to all the mindless films we get nowadays.

Another creative wonder by Mike Cahill. Unless someone fully understands, or has/had addiction and/or mental health issues, this film may be confusing.

I like how Cahill thinks out of the box, and the way this story was portrayed, was genius, albeit flawed. His screenplay was somewhat all over the place, sloppy, and did have some plot and technical issues. The story didn't flow and transition as well as it could have, like it did in his earlier film, Another Earth. Although the pacing was slightly better in this one, it still needed improvement and less filler for the 103 min runtime. For me, this film missed the mark and had much more potential than what I saw. Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek were great in their roles, as were the rest of the cast.

It's a different film, but once you get what's going on, you'll appreciate it a little more. It's a decent one-time watch. So it's a 7/10 from me.

Watching this movie was both refreshing and challenging. I had no idea that the marketing had been so off target.

It is quite remarkable in its effort of painting the depths of addiction. Still, maybe its a condition you need to have first hand experience with in order to understand the narrative.

Hopefully time will repair its rating.

Thirty-five years ago, I passed the point where drugs and alcohol brought me bliss and entered the hell of physical dependence without the payoff. I decided to stop, and every day clean felt like the pavement hitting me in the face. Eventually, the craziness of sanity was less than the craziness of intoxication, and reality became more normal than being high.

Anyone can do it, but most don't. They just like the fantasy more than life. My mother, two close friends, my cousins,, colleagues, etc. All stayed in the world of bliss until they died.

If you are using, stay here with the pain. Let it strip away from you the fantasy that is killing you. You deserve to live, and all you have to do is start where you are.

Now, about that movie. It's crap on a cracker, with the kind of mind-numbing insights people have when they are either newly sober or very, very stoned. There are better movies about addiction and mental illness, but what does it matter? If something in this movie gets through to you, use it as a way out. Get help.