Four Good Days

Four Good Days is a moving drama film released in 2020, directed by Rodrigo García, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eli Saslow. The film is a searing examination of the opioid crisis through the lens of a mother-daughter relationship, featuring powerful performances from Hollywood A-listers Mila Kunis, Carla Gallo, and Glenn Close.

The movie tells the riveting story of Molly (Mila Kunis), a long-time heroin addict who is haunted by a decade-long substance abuse. She makes the tough decision to turn her life around after numerous unsuccessful rehab attempts throughout the years. Kunis portrays her character with an emotional stripped-down rawness as she fights to overcome her addiction.

Participation is a central theme in the film. We see Molly need help to stay clean, and without support, she is powerless. Enter her estranged mother, Deb (Glenn Close), a woman torn between the relentless love for her child and the crippling reality of Molly's destructive addiction.

Glenn Close delivers an impressive performance as Deb, whose strength and determination are matched only by her frustration and heartache. Deb's tough love approach, relentlessness, and belief in her daughter's potential to beat her addiction, offers a deep exploration of a parent's struggle – often torn between hope and despair.

The movie gets its title from a critical period in Molly's treatment plan. Her prospects improve after learning about an opioid antagonist that will physically make it impossible for her to get high. However, she must remain clean for four more days before she can receive the treatment. As the title implies, those are four hard days, filled with fear, impatient longing, and tense anticipation.

Carla Gallo also shines in the supporting role of Molly's sister, illuminating a different side of the crisis's familial impact. The sisters' painful interactions reflect past betrayals, broken promises, and countless disappointments, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative.

What sets Four Good Days apart is its ability to humanize the struggle of addiction. It offers a gritty, unfiltered look into the grim reality of opioid abuse while underlining the significance of empathy, understanding, and compassion. Director Rodrigo García successfully avoids a black-and-white portrayal of addiction and recovery, instead of embracing the process's gray, messy ambiguity.

The film's transitioning aesthetics contribute significantly to the narrative. As Molly navigates her emotions during these four days, the movie follows her journey through an array of color tones, shifting from a bleak, drained-out palette to infuse more color as Molly steps closer towards her recovery. These shifting tones subtly underline the movie's emotional transition, further evoking the emotional turmoil and recovery glimpses within Molly's journey.

Much of the film's impact lies in its painstakingly accurate conversation about opioid addiction, shedding light on what addicts and their families go through. It is based on Eli Saslow's 2016 Washington Post article, injecting journalistic credibility into the movie's narrative. Moreover, the story was inspired by real-life mother and daughter, Amanda and Libby, making it a realistic portrayal of lives affected by addiction.

The sheer brutal realism of the movie does not shy away from showing the physical and psychological tolls taken by drug addiction. Kunis's transformation is a testament to this as she fully immerses herself into Molly's character, evoking significant empathy from the audience.

Four Good Days is a powerful drama that expertly explores the complexity of addiction through a familial lens. It raises necessary questions about rehabilitation, relapse, and redemption within the framework of America's opioid crisis, thereby coming across as an important film for our times.

While it's a sobering and at times gut-wrenching watch, the film's approach to the narrative provides a beacon of hope, demonstrating that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit has the power to prevail. Four Good Days offers audiences a captivating, compassionate, and gritty exploration of the battle for sobriety and the impact it has on familial relationships.