Self-Medicated suffers boring, ineffective story
Life-altering event hits. Affected suffer and almost fall apart. Then, things get better.
Mapped onto any number of situations, this simple narrative structure rarely fails to bore.
Deep, interesting characters can save this sleeper story model, and, hopefully, screenwriters opt for good characterization or try for complexity in the plot. Self-Medicated, a first time effort from writer, director and actor Monty Lapica, opts for the snake eyes — predictable plot and cookie-cutter personalities. It is partially saved by incredible performances and original camera work, but only partially. The film still leaves an impression of deja vu, for, indeed, it feels like it has been seen before, again and again.
The life-altering event that sets the plot in motion is the untimely death of an unnamed family man (Cadillac Ranch’s Ray Benson). The affected are his wife Louise (The Jackal’s Diane Venora) and his son Andrew (Lapica). The two fall into drug abuse, and Andrew, a talented teenager, lets his grades slip and falls into the stereotypical life of the young American profligate. He smokes, drinks and parties his nights away, getting into trouble and finding clever ways to get out of it. Louise, who becomes the oft-maligned object of Andrew’s newfound vehemence, decides the best way to help her son is to have him forcibly taken to a rehabilitation center even though she needs help as well.
The story fails by hitting the expected resolution — Andrew helps himself and his mom. That is hardly a surprise and cause for immersion. Blatantly stock characters are not entertaining, yet Louise is the exemplar of a flawed yet loving mother and Andrew is a simple teen who falls and is redeemed. If the film aims to urge its viewers to help themselves and love others, it vastly underestimates the complexity of life situations audiences are accustomed to and learn from.
The story and characters may hardly be unpredictable, but Self-Medicated is surprising in its unabashed fervor. It takes its melodrama very, very seriously. The way the film presents its subject creates the effect of very serious melodrama. The camera moves and shakes at times to take on the view or environment of a character, as when Andrew is angrily approaching another person. The effect is much like Children of Men’s realistic camera movements used to enhance feeling.
Self-Medicated also takes some chances in its framing of characters, particularly Andrew. The camera places its main character on far sides of the frame in times of loneliness and change, as when he first strips for search by a counselor at the rehabilitation clinic. It feels neat to notice these things, but these gestures do not complement the action as much as the frame use in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, for example.
Self-Medicated’s shining star is Lapica in his role as a troubled teenager facing overwhelming obstacles. His performance is astounding, and no exaggeration is meant in this appraisal. Rarely does one find an adolescent’s troubled life portrayed with such genuine feeling and authenticity. Lapica’s every glance and facial movement communicates volumes; his are such movements as writers base entire chapters on.
In one sequence, for instance, Andrew has had too many drinks and, after a few jokes, receives a lecture from his girlfriend on the error of his ways. Lapica acts a great drunk, and his transition from over-friendly, to defensive, to hostile, to enraged is more than perfect. It seems real. If only Lapica had written this movie with such authenticity and skipped the superficial narrative.
The film ends with crying, repenting and embraces that, although acted to perfection, are obviously acted. Not only does Self-Medicated rely on cheap plot devices to reach its conclusion, it reaches it far too easily and unbelievably. Unfortunately, no acting prowess could have saved the ending from its construction, and the film proves that even great actors need great writing.
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