Suggestions on documentaries/movies about alcoholism
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 681
Pleasure Unwoven shows in an easy to understand way, how the alcoholic brain works, how it processes daily life, and explains why they act the way they do. Worth watching! They have a few segments of it on YouTube, but not the whole thing. I got it from my library, maybe your library has it?
Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 462
Hi mamabear
I haven't watched too many documentaries although Demi Lovato made an interesting one that deals with her addictions called Simply Complicated, you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTlL_w8cRA
One of the best movies I've watched about addiction is called Smashed, it really doesn't sugar coat things. Then you have the Hollywood ones e.g. When a man loves a woman, 28 days etc
I haven't watched too many documentaries although Demi Lovato made an interesting one that deals with her addictions called Simply Complicated, you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTlL_w8cRA
One of the best movies I've watched about addiction is called Smashed, it really doesn't sugar coat things. Then you have the Hollywood ones e.g. When a man loves a woman, 28 days etc
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,780
"Flight" - with Denzel Washington
"August: Osage County" - with Julia Roberts
"Guts" - written by Kristin Johnston
"Drunk Mom" - written by Jowita Bydlowska
"Shameless" is a very raw, sort of vulgar slant on the worst sides of addiction & codependency, while "Love" (Netflix series) is a milder, more subtle storyline. Love does a great job of letting it unfold naturally & showing the Codie side being just as confusing & detrimental as the addict side of things.
"This is Us" touches on all of this too - but in a much more syrupy sort of way, the way evening tv drama tends to lean itself.
And honestly - shows like Intervention, My 600# Life, Hoarders, etc all deal with the same stuff. It doesn't have to be specific to addiction - it's really about numbing away our feelings & people do it in so many ways.
"August: Osage County" - with Julia Roberts
"Guts" - written by Kristin Johnston
"Drunk Mom" - written by Jowita Bydlowska
"Shameless" is a very raw, sort of vulgar slant on the worst sides of addiction & codependency, while "Love" (Netflix series) is a milder, more subtle storyline. Love does a great job of letting it unfold naturally & showing the Codie side being just as confusing & detrimental as the addict side of things.
"This is Us" touches on all of this too - but in a much more syrupy sort of way, the way evening tv drama tends to lean itself.
And honestly - shows like Intervention, My 600# Life, Hoarders, etc all deal with the same stuff. It doesn't have to be specific to addiction - it's really about numbing away our feelings & people do it in so many ways.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: California
Posts: 467
Originally Posted by Wamama48 
Pleasure Unwoven shows in an easy to understand way, how the alcoholic brain works, how it processes daily life, and explains why they act the way they do. Worth watching! They have a few segments of it on YouTube, but not the whole thing. I got it from my library, maybe your library has it?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: California
Posts: 467
Originally Posted by Helianthus
Hi mamabear
I haven't watched too many documentaries although Demi Lovato made an interesting one that deals with her addictions called Simply Complicated, you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTlL_w8cRA
One of the best movies I've watched about addiction is called Smashed, it really doesn't sugar coat things. Then you have the Hollywood ones e.g. When a man loves a woman, 28 days etc
I haven't watched too many documentaries although Demi Lovato made an interesting one that deals with her addictions called Simply Complicated, you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTlL_w8cRA
One of the best movies I've watched about addiction is called Smashed, it really doesn't sugar coat things. Then you have the Hollywood ones e.g. When a man loves a woman, 28 days etc
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: California
Posts: 467
Originally Posted by dandylion
The TV sitcom series..."Mom" is very realistic......
Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 29
After seeing this thread, I watched "Something is Wrong with Aunt Diane" this morning. Very haunting, not because of any conspiracy theory ideas floating around--no one will ever know what was truly going on in her life. More about the cunning power of alcohol and drugs and the absolute tragedy it can produce.
Other films that have left an impression with me: documentary "Rain in My Heart" and "Glass Castle."
Other films that have left an impression with me: documentary "Rain in My Heart" and "Glass Castle."
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: California
Posts: 467
Originally Posted by DShe
After seeing this thread, I watched "Something is Wrong with Aunt Diane" this morning. Very haunting, not because of any conspiracy theory ideas floating around--no one will ever know what was truly going on in her life. More about the cunning power of alcohol and drugs and the absolute tragedy it can produce.
Other films that have left an impression with me: documentary "Rain in My Heart" and "Glass Castle."
Other films that have left an impression with me: documentary "Rain in My Heart" and "Glass Castle."
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Anywhere, USA
Posts: 869
I second Smashed. Great job of showing the power of addiction as well as major codependency and trying to get sober.
Runners up;
- Everything Must Go
- When a Man Loves a Woman
- Leaving Las Vegas (not for the faint)
- When Love is Not Enough - this one is up there for me bc it is a story of codependency and of how alanon came to be. How love truly is not enough to save them from themselves. And that sometimes it also is not enough reason to stay with an addict even if you love them.
there is also a movie either out now or about to be called “He won’t get far on foot”, a true story of an alcoholic who was forced to hit his bottom. Very relatable to watching my ex.
Also check out Band of Horses “the funeral” music video. Before i even watched it the song struck me as always “waiting for the funeral” bc i thought one day he will die from this. Upon watching the video had no idea it was about an alcoholic. Bawled my eyes out.
Runners up;
- Everything Must Go
- When a Man Loves a Woman
- Leaving Las Vegas (not for the faint)
- When Love is Not Enough - this one is up there for me bc it is a story of codependency and of how alanon came to be. How love truly is not enough to save them from themselves. And that sometimes it also is not enough reason to stay with an addict even if you love them.
there is also a movie either out now or about to be called “He won’t get far on foot”, a true story of an alcoholic who was forced to hit his bottom. Very relatable to watching my ex.
Also check out Band of Horses “the funeral” music video. Before i even watched it the song struck me as always “waiting for the funeral” bc i thought one day he will die from this. Upon watching the video had no idea it was about an alcoholic. Bawled my eyes out.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 844
I would recommend Pleasure Unwoven and google search the brain and addiction. Got my MIL to watch Pleasure Unwoven and for whatever reason it was eye opening for her. She has spent years in Alanon but didn't seem to know how active addiction works in the brain, frontal lobe and how it affects behavior and actions. Or how people can recover from it.
For a while I went through watching a lot of fictional movies where the character was an alcoholic or addict. Very dramatic, and of course had reality in there. But seeing the effects of addiction on a person, the family. vs being educated on why' well, its two different things.
For a while I went through watching a lot of fictional movies where the character was an alcoholic or addict. Very dramatic, and of course had reality in there. But seeing the effects of addiction on a person, the family. vs being educated on why' well, its two different things.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 6,262
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
