CINEMA
PROPERTY OF VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT
Movie Review
CASUAL
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Published: 05.03.21
MPAA: R
Genre: Drama.
Surprisingly I left the film with dry eyes, pulled in by Glenn Close
RELEASE: 04.30.21
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FOUR GOOD DAYS (2021)
OPENING THOUGHTS:
Four Good Days is a true story that provides us with a sorrowful inside look at a mother who is willing to give up all her energy in making sure that her drug addicted daughter can manage to be sober. The film as a whole is essentially one big argument, as we see the plot mainly from the view of the mother and her occasionally misguided optimism in getting her daughter clean.
DIRECTION:
Four Good Days isn’t the most revolutionary filmmaking we’ve seen in the past few years – in fact the direction is rather stale in comparison. Director Rodrigo Garcia provides a bland direction that holds our attention only because of the performances that reside within it.
PLOT:
We follow the week-long trial that Molly must place herself through while under the surveillance of her mother in order to receive an experimental drug treatment that’s meant to make her addiction more controllable. The story is about as barebones as you can get; we’re witnessing these characters suffer in different ways as they try to make it to their appointment. It's more of a personal character piece than anything, that focuses on the distress of our leads. However, there’s not a ton more to bite off – heavy on the family drama but not an abundant amount to latch onto.
ACTING | CHARACTERS | DIALOGUE:
Glenn Close delivers a touching performance as the mother to the seemingly hopeless case that is her daughter Molly. Close gives her all to the role and makes you feel her love and concern for her daughter's poor life choices. It's heartbreaking to watch Close unravel with her daughter, providing a passionate performance to such a drab story. Apart from an exceptional classroom scene, Mila Kunis as Molly gives an earnest performance, albeit the script never allows her to excel. Kunis makes it convincing that she's been through the ringer and is truly trying to rid herself of her addiction even if she only half believes it. Stephen Root's role as Molly's stepfather is minimal, even though he's supposedly residing in the same house as our leads. The little bit of screen time we get with him showcases his calm nature that we witness implode when pushed to the limit - but there's a lot left to be desired from the lack of his character. Four Good Days makes an impact mainly because of its hearty monologues that expel emotion after emotion - the film is built upon shouting matches and Close's questionable hope.
VISUAL EFFECTS | MAKEUP | DESIGN:
The costume design and makeup are respectful with the outfits worn feeling like average people dealing with their everyday issues - nothing is glamorized. Mila Kunis is easily the most notable transformation due to the makeup department pushing her features into someone aged by the disease they possess; her drug addiction causes her teeth to rot right out of her mouth.
MUSIC | SCORE | SOUND DESIGN:
Composer Edward Shearmur's score locks you in on the drama, always following you through every scene and drawing you into the more sincere dialogue to make you invest in Molly's road to recovery.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
When going into Four Good Days, based on the trailer I expected to leave weeping, exposed to a depressing tale of a woman who just can't break her addiction. Surprisingly I left the film with dry eyes, pulled in by Glenn Close, who delivers a performance that is leaps and bounds more compelling than the film itself. Four Good Days is an adequate watch. It's not a film that'll be in your registry for long; you might even forget about it the day after you finish it, but while you're watching it you can't help but feel for the relentless love and worry produced by Close's Deb.
ONLY In Theaters - April 30, 2021
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CONCLUSIVE VERDICT:
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