Seen: July 14th, 2007
Format: DVD
Rating: 5
I've become a bit more stringent in my rating as of late. I've been rating too many films in 6/7/8 range without a whole lot of distinction between them. I've decided to be a little more ruthless with films on the low end of these scales.
Clean is one of my first victims.
Basically, this is a "Junkie has a revelation and turns her life around" movie. I lump it in with films like Down to the Bone and Sherrybaby. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be a hard sell for me. I tend to be big on being responsible for your actions, so folks who've got themselves wrapped around the axle through their own irresponsibility don't tend to evoke sympathy. But I'm also a fan of inner strength, and that's where these characters can really shine.
The story here follows form to a large degree. There's nothing too surprising here, but films of this type are much more about the characters and their journey than what happens around them. We learn more by their reactions to the situations, than from the situations themselves.
One way that this film does differ is that it doesn't focus too much on drugs themselves. While it acknowledges the issue, it neither condemns nor glamorizes them. The film is about a woman trying to straighten her life out, not about how she got bent in the first place.
Maggie Cheung's been de-glamorized for this picture. Where should could have been portrayed as some fallen model, her look here forces us to take go beyond her facade and try to understand who the character is. This is an excellent choice by the director and Cheung pulls it off.
The look of the film is a bit gritty. There's little polish in this world, and even that seems to have a hint of chaos around it. This fits the characters and their lives well.
I couldn't get a feel for Lee at all in the film. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a lot of screen time, even though he's central to the story. We're left to infer his character largely through the commentary and actions of others. I'd have preferred to see a bit more of him to solidify his relationships before he exits.
Nolte does a surprisingly good job here. While he's very understated and even a bit stoic, he brings a quiet nobility to Albrecht that's really required to make the last act of the film work. He establishes it early and carries it through well.
What more to say? The film is good. Emily's journey is interesting enough to keep me interested, but not really enough for me to become engaged or invested. The acting is generally good. The film ended appropriately, not pessimistic, but without a happily ever after, which never fits films of this type.
The Good: Acting
The Bad: Meandering
The Ugly: Growing up
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