Many deaths and illnesses are a result of substance abuse. Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that impacts a person’s thinking and behavior and pressures that person to be totally dependent on drugs. Once someone develops drug dependence, discontinuing the use of a drug is challenging considering there are severe psychological or physical symptoms associated with quitting. There are many addictive substances (prescription opioids, illicit drugs, nicotine, and alcohol) in the world that alter how people live their lives. Those who suffer from substance use disorder tend to find that their personalities, responsibilities, or aspirations have changed to accommodate the addiction they’ve developed. And these drastic changes in behavior and thinking make it hard for loved ones to liberate them from drugs. In Kirby Voss’ intensely authentic and palpably distressing drama We All Think We’re Special, a car mechanic becomes determined to detox his best friend in hopes of saving him.
Charlie (Jared Bankens) and Ed (William McGovern) are best friends. Charlie, living in his deceased mother’s house, spends the majority of his nights drinking, implying he’s an alcoholic. While Ed has been known to drink regularly as well, he is not as reliant on alcohol as his best friend happens to be. After a night of drinking goes awry, Charlie feels compelled to help his friend detox. While Charlie is in the shower ridding himself of the smell of alcohol while concurrently drinking more alcohol, Ed forages the house and gets rid of all the alcohol he can find. Expectedly, Ed is furious at Charlie, and so begins the withdrawal symptoms. Despite being convinced that he’s doing the right thing by forcing his friend to detox, Ed must endure every scathing comment and every manipulative tactic implemented by an ailing Charlie, who will do anything for another drop of alcohol.
Two Friends Face The Unforeseen Effects Of Alcohol Detox
Alcoholism is a major chronic disease that is often linked to genetics or environmental factors. There is scientific research as well as film and television portrayals of the disease, that suggest that alcoholism is often related to mental health issues (such as clinical depression or intermittent explosive disorder).
The film begins with Ed and Charlie drinking near a pool, engaging in casual conversation while hinting at Charlie’s alcohol abuse. At one point, Ed playfully says to Charlie: “You’re an asshole when you drink.” Charlie responds by saying, “I always drink,” which subsequently leads Ed to say, “You’re always an asshole.” This offhand exchange, which is characteristic of their friendship (and the obvious cracks), exposes Charlie’s insouciant attitude toward his alcohol dependence. Charlie aims to help Ed through his recent breakup by soothing the heartache with alcohol. For the entire night, Charlie and Ed stumble around the house without a care in the world. Initially, the interactions between Charlie and Ed are lively and innocuous, conveniently ignoring the deep-seated problems at the core of their relationship. However, once the detox begins, their relational issues emerge, causing irrevocable damage and unintended consequences.
We All Think We’re Special is a small-scale drama, mostly taking place in a house setting and largely performed by two actors. The weighty screenplay, written by Voss and Felicia Stallard, develops a deeply intimate and genuinely upsetting scenario in which a well-intentioned friend, ill-equipped to deal with the progression of withdrawal symptoms, helps his friend detox. For the most part, Voss’ phenomenally solemn direction depicts Ed and Charlie’s plight and frustration with startling realism. Ed’s harebrained attempts to help his friend detox are laudably consistent and partially effective, but his limited experience with detoxification makes it so there is a high probability that Ed will at some point decide to forgo any more effort to save Charlie, perhaps concluding he’s a lost cause. Given the serious withdrawal symptoms, Charlie’s increasingly erratic behavior is understandable but still frightfully unpleasant and potentially dangerous.
As we come to learn, Charlie’s mother did not leave him the house, which is another distasteful thing to add to his substance abuse. Not to mention the troubled, albeit partly explored past that more or less nurtured Charlie’s addiction. Charlie is clearly on a self-destructive path, and Ed is trying to do something to steer Charlie away from that path. As expected when undergoing detox, Charlie experiences severe mood swings that vary in hostility. Fortunately, Ed is a reliable friend who moves forward with the plan, even disabling Charlie’s truck to keep him from leaving.
We All Think We’re Special does not portray Charlie as a dense, directionless alcoholic but rather a bumptious and educated alcoholic who tries to rationalize his addiction while lambasting Ed for not being as smart as him. While irrelevant and meandering, Charlie criticizes Ed for being gay and for being heavily religious. But Charlie will do and say anything to get Ed to give up. Even so, Ed is tenacious, and he does what he can to disregard Charlie’s belligerence. For Charlie and Ed, the process of detox is physically and mentally taxing — and a decidedly sepulchral tone makes the film a taxing experience in and of itself. Such heavy drama is rendered compelling on account of the gripping performances that sincerely convey the hardship associated with quitting an addiction and being on the receiving end of that addiction.
Jared Bankens & William McGovern Are Outstanding
The question of whether Charlie wants to be saved, or can be saved, remains present throughout. There is a grueling sense of uncertainty and peril surrounding Charlie, which reinforces the physical and emotional stakes. There is also a question of whether Ed, who is not a medical professional, should continue with the detoxification when it pushes Charlie to his limit. Even the most well-intentioned people can do everything in their power to save a loved one from addiction and it will still not be enough.
The film itself is separated into two acts. During the first act, both actors have a natural chemistry that effectively establishes their friendship. It is the second act where Jared Bankens and William McGovern must adapt to the strenuous material. Thankfully, both actors are unafraid to boast a disheveled appearance and a restless demeanor with unparalleled authenticity. Bankens is the standout, delivering an exceptionally fevered performance that is physically and emotionally demanding.
Aaron J. Ryder’s stellar cinematography frames Ed and Charlie with extreme close-ups and medium shots that are frequently placed side-by-side in split-screen (close-up filters, such as a split field diopter, were used in the macro shots). It is the split-screen technique that occasionally captures Charlie at different angles. Other times, the split-screen captures Ed and Charlie’s perspectives during a heated interaction or is used to demonstrate parallel action (in an earlier scene, split-screen is employed to show how Charlie can hold his liquor, while Ed is unable to). Eva K. Morgan’s editing, while distractingly brisk, helps underscore the unpredictability of Charlie’s behavior. Also, it shows how fast the situation can become more urgent and frantic in a matter of seconds. All of the tension and unpredictability shown culminates in an abnormally cold conclusion that complements Voss’s drama’s despair. Howbeit, the final minutes resemble melodrama rather than unfeigned devastation.
We All Think We’re Special: Conclusion
By and large, Kirby Voss‘ We All Think We’re Special does not exaggerate or minimize the causes of addiction and the risks of detoxification. Shot purposefully with frenetic camerawork and paced quickly with rapid editing, We All Think We’re Special is not a long commitment. However, given the subject matter and the realistic performances, Voss‘ drama is relentlessly doleful. As the movie depicts, the outcome of detoxification is never controlled. And sometimes every attempt to save someone from their addiction and ultimately themselves are unavailing, and that is a reality we must at least ponder, regardless of the subsequent heartache that comes from giving up on someone.
Have you seen We All Think We’re Special? If not, are you interested in seeing it now? Let us know in the comments!
We All Think We’re Special was released on video-on-demand on June 4, 2021.
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