Tetrax

Has anyone seen this new show from Shane Meadows on Channel 4? Episode 1 has about the most authentic, harrowing scene of a lonely, troubled man getting smashed I've ever seen on the small screen. It most certainly doesn't glamorize it, that's for sure. Wow.

kk1k5x

IMDB gives it a good rating, so I will check it out - thanks!

Cuckoo

I found it harrowing how quickly he fell back into that dark place. The pub scene made difficult viewing............awesome acting from Stephen Graham.

MantaLady

Hey Tetrax, I posted about it on the weekenders thread last week. It was the most raw, honest and truthfully brutal portrayal of an alcoholic relapsing. Stephen Graham was absolutely fantastic and at points I wondered if he had personal experience of alcoholism to have got it so right. There were so many subtleties in his acting that I think only an alcoholic will spot. xx

Kaily

I could almost feel his hangover and that moment of realisation of the relapse when he came round the morning after ..

I have woken up like that too many times.

Sad and harrowing.

Tetrax

I didn't even get it was a relapse; I guess I still assume it to be fairly normal drinking like that. I've gotta keep reminding myself it isn't.

PeacefulWater12

Thanks for mentioning this, I hadn't seen it but I will do now.

MantaLady

It was the way he sat at the beginning nursing the pint, his mind telling him he could have it and he would feel better and just stop afterwards. Then drinking half of it really quickly and getting it filled up, coz that’s not another drink really is it...just a little top up so it doesn’t count. Then after finishing it going to the bar to say goodnight but that flash in his mind that as he is leaving a quick shot for the road isn’t a problem...he’s on his way home so it’s ok. Then before even drinking a drop of it thinking...well if I am going to have a shot and it’s going to be my last before getting back on the wagon might as well well double up. He then looks around, how to justify more drinks....great...he’ll pal up with the group that look the most drunk...then start buying rounds so he can hide how much he is drinking and get extra shots between rounds...these people are drunks and won’t judge him for the amount he is drinking. I relapsed that way many times.

For me it was clear he didn’t intend on going on a bender, he was trying to moderate in some way. But as we all know, it’s not the last drink that causes the madness...it’s the first.

The look of despair in his eyes when he was on the bus, I could feel the sickness in the pit of his stomach, the anxiety and guilt and shame....he just nailed it and what an actor! xx

Cuckoo

Yes, and the way that he wouldn't answer his fone.....shame and guilt in front of his ex wife and young son. And then the lying about having been at the hospital all day. Classic next day, absolute remorse and self loathing symptoms. I thought it was brilliantly portrayed. Really looking forward to the second episode this week.

kk1k5x

I just finished it. The acting was just ... real. The waking up scene brought up some stuff.
I started thinking how weird it is, watching this completely sober. Knowing full well that I've been pretty much the same way. I realised that I find watching drunk people (not half a glass of wine tipsy non-alcoholics, but Drunk) absolutely horrifying when I'm sober. Which led me to discover and accept that countless sober people have watched me do the things that were depicted in the episode. What a sight it must've been...

The night and the day after were just spot on. Even the ATM scene, that 'oh my god, I needed this money for ...'

Watching this just made me really happy that I'm sober. This one episode could probably replace a number of books about drinking/relapses, as long as the person watching recognises himself or herself in the character.

Wonder what people who don't have a problem with alcohol think or feel when they'd watch this? Or those who drink to excess, but have not yet come around to accepting that. It was certainly a difficult view - mostly because of the exceptionally honest and nuanced acting, which made it hit home a bit harder.

sobriiestote

MLD51

I wish I could watch it. It's possible to do in the US, but pretty complicated.

Sweetpeacan

I so agree with everyone about The Virtues what harrowing, compelling viewing that was. Tremendous portrayal of a troubled alcoholic, so on point. What a terrific actor. I will certainly be watching it again despite the fact that I found it slightly uncomfortable ;but that's probably because I recognised myself in some part. SP

kenton

Thanks for the recommendation Tetrax. Just watched it. Amazing tv. Brilliantly acted. Stirred up lots of emotions in me..... Mostly it made me feel so grateful to be sober. Alcoholism is such a dreadful condition. Thank goodness there's a cure. Can't wait for episode 2.

GrayJ

Just watched it on catch up. He played it so well. The morning after scene brought back many recent memories!

daisy1

Just watched it open-mouthed in awe of how he encapsulated the experience of relapse, to drunk, to waking up the next day. Shane Meadows must have been there to get it so right, it looked exactly how it feels. A lot of films about alcoholics trigger me a little but this shows what it's really like I thought it was brilliant.

Culture

I watched it, very good portrayal of a relapse and brilliant acting from Stephen Graham. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere, that he is teetotal in real life too!!

bimbott

Thanks for the recommendation Tetrax. I watched it last night and as others have said, Stephen Graham captured the confliction that lives in all alcoholics brilliantly. It was difficult to watch, but it certainly reinforced my decision to stop drinking.