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Drunks

1996, Movie, R, 88 mins

DRUNKS
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An Alcoholics Anonymous meeting as ensemble drama -- what a conceit. The laughter, the tears, the searing human drama: It's a wonder no one's exploited it before. And first-time director Peter Cohn puts it to good use. Working from Gary Lennon's adaptation of his own stage piece, Blackout, Cohn has assembled a strong cast (including Faye Dunaway, Dianne Wiest and Amanda Plummer), gathered them all in the basement of a Times Square church and let them what they do best. A toned-down Richard Lewis stars as Jim, a recovering junkie and lifelong drunk whose wife's death poses a daily threat to his sobriety. After opening the meeting, Lewis storms off and enters into the downward spiral that quickly takes him back to the bottle and needle, while his fellow drunks are left to carry on with their own stories. It's an actor's dream: Each is given the opportunity to stand and deliver his or her own monologue, and everyone rises to the occasion. Some are amusing -- Parker Posey is always good for a laugh -- others are extraordinarily moving, while the late Howard Rollins Jr., a gifted actor whose own well-publicized battles with substance abuse derailed his career, is simply shattering. leave a comment --Ken Fox
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