Berlinale 2022 #33

Not sure I understand the argument of romanticization of the topic, but I do think it offers a powerful alternative perspective on the topic of opioid addiction.

Often stories of addiction place the person tackling addiction as a pitiful figure, or someone not in charge of their own story. Worse, as someone without a personality, one that’s instead been sucked away by their substance abuse. But the mother here shows genuine love and compassion here, and at moments where they’re not under the influence cares for their kids. We see her attempts to tackle addiction in rehab, going through the process, and gets as much focus in the story as her kids. It makes things more frank and heartbreaking when it’s contrasted with the addiction.

Beyond that, we have a story of two kids trying to survive and move forward in their lives while acting as a carer for their mother due to her dependencies, and these stories complement each other as everyone seeks something new and a way to move on from their untenable circumstances. It’s heartbreaking and powerful and so well-executed.