Self Medicated

Self-Medicated is a truly refreshing movie. The most enchanting aspect of the movie is its true-to-life characters and brilliant acting.

The characters are human - just real people, with real failings and real weaknesses, real moments, real heartbreak, real warmth, real everything ... a story that is beautifully told. A sometimes dark yet romantic movie, a family movie even, an intelligent movie about human relationships and the complexities involved.

This is an absolutely wonderful movie that has no false moments, the background score is terrific, the acting is brilliant, especially Diane Venora who is quite extraordinary. There are many funny scenes in the movie, the movie is well-paced and the script well brought out, the dialog is enjoyable. A truly fine movie.

Absolutely recommended for people who are pretty bored of the big budget fake Hollywood scripts, with their phony characters. This movie keeps it real, and close to the heart.

Movies like "Self Medicated" don't come around often. The originality factor in independent features has been sadly lacking in recent years, but hope should be restored after a film of such dazzling and brilliant creativity like this one.

Nothing about it seems to be familiar, and the finished product will leave you totally amazed and compelled. The interactions between the characters are what fortify this film and breathe life into it.

In the long run, this is an amazing piece of cinema, and should be seen by anyone who thinks independent films of exceptional quality aren't being made anymore.

This movie was such a nice surprise, so captivating and true. Few movies keep you thinking long after they end. Movies are supposed to entertain and most do so without requiring even one ounce of thought. It's sad that some people prefer movies like that. Thankfully this movie is all about thinking and feeling. This is really a human experience kind of flick. The story is touching and simple, as true things tend to be.

What a wonderful movie this is. I was awestruck at how the life of one person could be so changed after an experience like the one Andrew went through. I won't give away the plot, but suffice it to say that it provides us a chance to think, feel, and hopefully develop a little sympathy.

This film is something very special.

Go see it! It's all true. It's subtle, down-to-earth, and allows the audience to observe and relate to the characters. The mother and son who are the main characters in this film have a life crisis to deal with, and both become alienated by their own self-destructive behavior. For me, I felt a very strong connection to the characters, their loneliness, and general fear about what to do and how to create/sustain their lives.

It's a real and true to life kind of film. If you cannot be sensitive for a couple of hours you certainly won't appreciate it, but if you can it is well worth the time. I think that everybody should have an experience that causes you to take stock of your life.

From all the reviews so far, I'm thinking I've stumbled upon a meeting of the Monty Lapica Fan Club.... Meanwhile, there's this film I saw last night with an audience that merely got up and walked out when it finished. And this particular indie theater is the kind of place where audiences easily clap when the credits roll -- unless the film is a dud.

This may not be the worst movie I've seen, but it's no Basketball Diaries. For starters, I commend Lapica for his multiple efforts, but he would have done better to have an actual teenager play the lead. I kept looking at this mid-to-late-20s guy and wondering why he was trying to portray a high school angst-ridden druggie. I don't care how intelligent the character (i.e. Lapine) is, he was just too-- neatly pressed, and too old, to be believed.

The dialog was wooden, the acting either stilted (Lapica and various reprobates) or overblown (Bowen), and the cinematography often washed-out and grainy (and not for effect). I'll give editor Kendall points for good flow and no continuity errors. But he had to work with trailing characters who said their lines and went nowhere -- and a big hole in the form of the pivotal but missing father whose death remained unexplained, and whose memory was as poorly detailed as the home movies that featured him.

There was a homogenized blandness to the proceedings that had me wondering if this project was backed by the Mormons or some other white-bread Christian group.... Despite the profanity, it had a fundamentalist ring to it. As a result, I had to keep focusing my attention consciously instead of being drawn in. The story may be based on actual events, but I had a hard time believing in it because almost everyone was isolated and self-centered. And so I remained unmoved by the plight of a handsome young narcissist who miraculously mends his ways thanks to the homeless black angel "Gabe"(riel), reminiscent of a Bulworth plot device.

All in all, it just goes to show what GQ looks and financial backing will do for a fella (who is this Tommy Bell producer-dude anyway?).... but I'm crashing the party here. Both the film and all the gushing about it smacks of major pretense. In fact, "Self Medicated" almost made me wish I was when I sat through it.