Clean and Sober (1988) Synopsis

When moderately successful Daryl (Micheal Keaton) wakes from a cocaine/drinking evening to find last night's date a little too passed out, he bundles her up and dumps her at a hospital and drives away. Then we find that he also has bad financial troubles. One wretching scene when he calls his parents very late at night asking for his inheritence now when it will do him some good is very well done. He needs to return stolen money at work before they find out what he's done, plus he needs more cocaine. When he finds the young lady he dumped at the hospital died he commences to find a way to avoid going to jail.He decides to check himself into a chemical dependency program, that way maybe the police won't find him, and if his employers do find him they'll realize he has found the error of his ways and is trying to rectify himself. Though once in rehab he runs head long into Craig (Morgan Freeman) who knows Daryl better than he knows himself. Craig is not at all sympathetic to anything Daryl is feeling or fearing. He knows because he's been there, but Daryl still tries to defy rules that just don't apply to him, he's different, not like those other junkies. He is made to comply or get out, which would mean to jail from both his employer and the death of the girl.Once finally in and part of, Daryl begins to see his part in much of the troubles in his life. He also notices fellow inmate Charlie (Kathy Baker) which is a distraction he does not need right now. Fixating on her gives him a pal to do all this work that needs to be done with, except, Charlie is married.Again I say, the writer has either been there or has really, really watched "there," because the behaviors are true. The lying, the promises, the rationalization, and the pain that takes place in these situations. As usual, it won't get the praise it deserves because for many it hits too close to home. They'll watch it happen to stars in the tabloids but it's happening in our own neighborhoods and schools. Open your eyes people!

When moderately successful Daryl (Micheal Keaton) wakes from a cocaine/drinking evening to find last night's date a little too passed out, he bundles her up and dumps her at a hospital and drives away. Then we find that he also has bad financial troubles. One wretching scene when he calls his parents very late at night asking for his inheritence now when it will do him some good is very well done. He needs to return stolen money at work before they find out what he's done, plus he needs more cocaine. When he finds the young lady he dumped at the hospital died he commences to find a way to avoid going to jail.He decides to check himself into a chemical dependency program, that way maybe the police won't find him, and if his employers do find him they'll realize he has found the error of his ways and is trying to rectify himself. Though once in rehab he runs head long into Craig (Morgan Freeman) who knows Daryl better than he knows himself. Craig is not at all sympathetic to anything Daryl is feeling or fearing. He knows because he's been there, but Daryl still tries to defy rules that just don't apply to him, he's different, not like those other junkies. He is made to comply or get out, which would mean to jail from both his employer and the death of the girl.Once finally in and part of, Daryl begins to see his part in much of the troubles in his life. He also notices fellow inmate Charlie (Kathy Baker) which is a distraction he does not need right now. Fixating on her gives him a pal to do all this work that needs to be done with, except, Charlie is married.Again I say, the writer has either been there or has really, really watched "there," because the behaviors are true. The lying, the promises, the rationalization, and the pain that takes place in these situations. As usual, it won't get the praise it deserves because for many it hits too close to home. They'll watch it happen to stars in the tabloids but it's happening in our own neighborhoods and schools. Open your eyes people!

Published Time: 2021-02-23 22:20:15