FOUR GOOD DAYS: A Profound Examination of Addiction

Four Good Days, from writer and director Rodrigo García, is a profound examination of a family deeply affected by the opioid crisis, daughter Molly a 10-year addict, and her mother is a constant battle of holding on and letting go. Where many films have focused on the addiction itself, Four Good Days examines the interactions with those that battle the disease of addiction and the effects that ripple from years of abuse.

In Just Four Days

Four Good Days is impactful and observant in its first few moments, setting the stage between the past and the present. Juxtaposing the bright memories of mother and daughter on the beach to the broken and dull-colored images of a woman walking down the street in her socks. There is a clear definition of the divide between pre-addiction and after, and this divide, in its many forms, continues to frame the narrative of the story.

Shifting permanently to the present, Deb (Glenn Close) hears banging on her front door. As she cautiously pries the door open, she finds her daughter Molly (Mila Kunis) standing in front of her, her thin and frail body speaking to the years of drug abuse she has endured. Yet, where one would expect a mother to welcome their daughter they have not seen in a year and a half, Deb refuses to open the door and embrace her. This is not the first time Molly has returned home, claiming she was ready to detox. This is not the first time lies have been sputtered to obtain access to shelter and the chance to gain money to score.

Immediately you see the need for survival in Molly, trying anything she can to be allowed in the house. There is panic and fear in her movements, both in her hands, body, and eyes. Deb, as pained as she is in preventing her daughter from coming in, holds resolute and strong. But like most of the walls we build, hers eventually break down. Taking her daughter directly to rehab, Four Good Days begins to establish the push and pull between mother and daughter that will continually threaten to cross the divide. And as Molly finishes her fifteenth detox, and with the statistics against her, the divide between them begins to close as one of the doctors informs them of a shot that would prevent the absorption of opiates by the body, making the ability to get high impossible for one month. With just a shot, Molly could effectively begin a true recovery without fear of relapse. The only catch is she needs four more days of sobriety to safely receive the injection.

An impossible task, Deb opens her door, breaking down the walls and crossing the divide, giving her daughter a place to stay and a support system to make sure she gets the shot she needs to save her life. But as they both will discover, addiction comes in many forms – and healing goes deeper than an injection.

Character at its Core

Four Good Days does not find its success in the technical aspects of the film. To be honest, the fact that the film concludes and you are not left thinking about composition, score, and lighting speaks to the film’s ability to make its characters the central aspect, all technicality blending in around them. While for many this could be to the film’s detriment, it does wonders to give both Mila Kunis and Glenn Close a solid platform to give their characters life and the space to evolve. And do they ever.

At its core, Four Good Days is an in-depth examination of addiction, and the strain it can put on relationships – specifically here with the relationship of mother and daughter. Mila Kunis is unrecognizable as Molly, her frail body, sunken eyes, and broken teeth speaking to the make-up design team. And where some actors are worn by the makeup, Kunis gives herself to the image and embraces the challenge of encompassing an image of addiction and struggle. In a stand-out career performance, Kunis disappears into her role, giving depth and care to each element she tackles and brings to life.

Glenn Close matches Kunis’ performance, their chemistry is undeniable and at times heartbreaking. They each bring credibility to their roles and to each other, crafting a unified performance with care to deliver accuracy, as well as depth. Close particularly balances the layers of unwavering strength and underlying devastation, almost bordering obsession without losing empathy from the audience – and without taking away from the overarching perspective of the film. This is definitely a top performance for the veteran actor.

The Opioid Crisis and Addiction

Four Good Days is a quietly intense examination that looks not only at the addict but also at the family. Initially interesting though is the idea of the addict, the film posing the question – are we all addicts? While Molly’s addiction is easily recognizable, the potential addictions of those around her are not as easily noticeable. For Deb, there is a question of addiction with regards to control and even her own substance abuse. Deb needs to be in control, to be the one who saves her daughter – and her daughter has to do it the way she wants her to. Where much of the need for control comes from fear and past experiences, she needs Molly to survive and thrive. With regards to her own substance abuse, one can question her need to cope with alcohol. As Molly may have become addicted to heroin (among other things) through the prescribing of Oxy at only 17, there is a deeply rooted psychological turmoil surrounding her self-worth and the feeling of abandonment. Her addiction has roots in both the opioid crisis, as well as a need to cope.

This is observed in the carefully placed perspectives of Deb grabbing multiple glasses of wine when she is anxious, stressed, and unable to control a situation. Not saying she is an alcoholic, but no other forms of coping and management are presented for Deb. Further compounding this is Deb’s inability to refrain from drinking for the four days that her daughter is attempting to stay clean – you find yourself questioning her need for the coping mechanism and her inability to go without.

What really shines through in Four Good Days is addiction as a disease. There is no shame crafted around the character of Molly. Her mother fondly remembers the Molly pre-addiction, and still sees her shining through even with her disease. A former high school friend embraces her at the grocery store, speaking to the health class she now runs, and acknowledging the value Molly has in her unique perspective and ability to bring to her student’s knowledge of the same challenges Molly has faced. Characters even put into perspective the understanding that while family members are doing all they can to support their loved one, no matter where the individual is in their recovery or relapse, they are the ones doing the work.

But Four Good Days does not glorify, nor lean into the disease of addiction as being the only detriment to both addict and family. Blame is also a constant thread that is thoroughly examined. While there is an acknowledgment of the disease, there is a constant “relapse” into blame throughout the film. Claiming her daughter is in this mess because of the doctors prescribing the medication, blaming her mother for leaving her, blaming her daughter for the items that were sold to supply her addiction – the blame weaves in and out, many times as a weapon in their weaker moments of struggle, shifting the weight of accountability and understanding.

Conclusion: Four Good Days

You can feel the intensity, the fight against time, contrasted to the slow grind of waiting for the day Molly can receive the injection. It is beautifully crafted, a deep character study compounded by the sense of time – or lack thereof. As this time ticks past, audiences will find their investment in Deb and Molly’s story growing, an intensity to see their story to the end of the clock. Delivering solid and unforgettable performances from Glenn Close and Mila Kunis, Four Good Days is brilliantly done, and quietly effective.

Have you seen Four Good Days? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Four Good Days will be released in theaters and on VOD on April 30, 2021.

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