If there was a substance that epitomised 1980s America, it was cocaine. Whether a party drug or fuel for yuppie lifestyle, it became every day occurrence in the life of tens of millions of Americans. Among those who made Pablo Escobar rich there were those very much like the protagonist of Clean and Sober, 1988 drama directed by Glenn Gordon Caron. The plot begins when Daryl Poynter (played by Michael Keaton), hard-working and apparently successful Philadelphia real estate broker, wakes up one morning unaware of the serious problems he gotten himself into due to his cocaine habit. Karen Peluso (played by Rachel Ryan, porn star who would later become Keaton’s real life girlfriend), girl whom he picked up a day ago, is in his bed comatose after suffering drug-related heart attack. Arrival of police makes Daryl nervous, because he had embezzled 92,000 US$ from his firm in order to cover his drug debts and use it for some bad stock market deals. After failing to leave country, he decides that the best place to hide and figure out what to do is drug rehabilitation clinic that offers confidentiality to their clients. Daryl checks in, but Craig (played by Morgan Freeman), former addict and main drug counsellor, is experienced enough to know that his motive for coming to clinic isn’t desire to get rid of addiction. Daryl is only gradually forced to realise that he has serious problem and that he must confront it before he gets his life back in order. In the meantime, he meets his sponsor, former addict Richard Dirks (played by M. Emmet Walsh), and also falls in love with fellow patient Charlie Standers (played by Kathy Baker), crane operator in local steel mill.
Clean and Sober represented feature debut for director Glenn Gordon Caron, best known as the author of popular television series Moonlighting. Script by Tod Carroll with its serious theme and dark tone represented quite departure from television comedy, and this is the same reason brought attention of Michael Keaton, actor at the time best known for comedic roles. Keaton did great job by intense portrayal of a deeply flawed character that acts irresponsibly, unethically and often destructively, but ultimately wins audience’s favour when he finally accepts that he would need to take long road to redemption. Keaton is aided by great and diverse cast, which includes Morgan Freeman in one of his early roles, veteran character actor M. Emmet Walsh in somewhat unusual role of elderly ex-addict and, finally, Kathy Baker in the role of plain-looking woman whose no-nonsense attitude wins protagonist’s attention despite being surrounded by much more attractive women (like other female patient, played by Claudia Christian). Even Luca Bercovici in thankless role of Charlie’s criminal husband leaves good impression. Caron directs film well, but can’t do much when film shifts from serious drama about addiction in the first half into cliched melodrama that deals with Daryl’s often attempts to woo Charlie following their release from clinic. Because of that, Clean and Sober becomes overlong and might test patience of many viewers. Despite that, Keaton’s intense performance won critics and, most importantly, Reagans who liked anti-addiction message of the film, very much in line of their “Just Say No” campaign. Thanks to this film, a year later Keaton became Batman, and did so quite deservingly.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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