Stay Awake

Once in a while you watch a film not expecting much and get deeply involved and moved emotionally. Stay Awake relies heavily on the emotional journey of the young sons and both Wyatt Oleff and Fin Argus are terrific. Rarely is as much conveyed by the looks the two leads give each other, as the dialogue, which is both measured and honest.

The film avoids melodrama and gets under the skin of the two protagonists, so we, the audience, feel the pain and love of dealing with a parent who is hopelessly addicted to prescription drugs.

We don't learn much about the mother's broken relationship or her descent into addiction, we assume it is similar to the other stories told by similar addicts at a NA meeting.

Although the film could point the blame at the pharmaceutical industry, it decides instead to focus on the devastation and constant worry it leaves on the family, not to mention the difficult life choices and sacrifices it causes.

Whilst it is usually the case that a film dealing with these choices might have scenes of siblings screaming at each other, Stay Awake focuses instead on the bond between the brothers who provide the emotional support needed to each other rather than from their mother, who tries to maintain a false aura of normality when everything around is falling to pieces.

A great script, music score and the use of school, hospital and work locations is used to great effect to underscore the cycle both brothers have become trapped in.

Highly recommended.

This is a great indie film about addiction. As the filmmaker himself said, it doesn't focus on the addict, but, instead, the people around. Here, our two heroes suffer their mom's drug addiction. The script is great, well paced and most important, the characters are very engaging, it's easy to identify with them and we're engaged from the beginning to the end. The story seems simple, basic but is never boring and finally is complex, the relations are much more complex than what they seem to be. The cast is flawless, Wyatt Oleff, Fin Argus and Chrissy Metz give all three solid, perfect performances. STAY AWAKE is not a film that you'll forget soon after watching it.

"Stay Awake" more like "try to stay awake" encapsulates the struggle viewers face enduring this cinematic journey. From start to finish, the film feels like an endurance test rather than an engaging experience. With a rating of 4/10, its sluggish pace and lack of excitement make it a Herculean task to maintain attention throughout its unnecessarily protracted runtime. One can't help but wonder if the story could have been more effectively told in a concise 45-minute TV special, saving audiences from the arduous journey of sitting through a drawn-out narrative lacking in substance. Despite hints of potential, "Stay Awake" fails to deliver compelling plot development, leaving viewers grappling with boredom and longing for a more captivating experience.

This film has a huge heart. Its strength lies in the three leads, Chrissy Metz, Wyatt Oleff and Fin Argus. It's understated, authentic and thank goodness didn't devolve into an Afterschool Special.

My only beef with the film was that they set up the possibility of the younger son confronting the doctor responsible for turning his mother into an addict but didn't deliver. The heartache that the brothers endured as a result of their mother disappointing them time and time again was real and I ached for them.

One subplot was a great example of subtext dealing with the youngest brother dealing with his sexuality but unable to truly express himself because he was trapped in a small town. Oleff handled the scenes like a true pro. Understated and poignant.

We need less superhero movies and more stories about the subject.