Drunks
Actor-comedian Richard Lewis and Academy Award winners Faye Dunaway and Dianne Wiest lead an all-star case that includes Amanda Plummer, Parker Posey, Spalding Gray, Calista Flockhart and Sam Rockwell in this poignant story of friendship, survival and redemption. The first film to take an in-depth look at the inner workings of a twelve-step program, Drunks is a probing journey into the lives of a group of recovering alcoholics who gather in a Times Square church basement for an AA meeting. Collectively they share their hopes, fear, triumphs and frailties — keeping their faith even as a dramatic upheaval threatens the life of a man they all admire. At the beginning of the meeting, Jim (Richard Lewis) seems particularly troubled. His sponsor encourages him to talk that night, the first time in seven months, so he does. Jim tells the story of booze, drugs and resurrection – but storms from the meeting before he finishes. As Jim wanders the night, searching for some solace in the bars and drug spots of pre-beautification Times Square, the meeting goes on. We hear the stories of survivors. They range from humorously quirky to profoundly sad. Drunks premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and earned strong reviews during its theatrical release. It was one of the first films to receive the entertainment industry’s Prism Award, which recognizes films that offer a realistic depiction of alcoholism and substance abuse.