A MILLION LITTLE PIECES

US, 2019, 113 minutes, Colour.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Odessa Young, Giovanni Ribisi, Juliette Lewis, Dash Mihok, Charles Parnell, Ryan Hurst, Charlie Hunnam, David Dastmalchian.

By Sam Taylor-Johnson.

One Million Little Pieces is based on a book by James Frey, the central character of this film having his name. There was some question as to how autobiographical this story was or that was created by its author. The book was adapted for the screen by the husband-wife team, central actor Aaron Taylor Johnson and director, Sam Taylor-Johnson.

The setting is the 1990s, the focus on James, a drug and alcohol addict, having an accident, put on a plane, sent to a rehabilitation centre for treatment. The film shows the treatment but also focuses on a number of those present in the institution, especially an older rough-mouth veteran, Billy Bob Thornton, with Giovanni Ribisi, Charlie Hunnam, and an older African-American clarinet player, a former judge, Charles Parnell.

The audience is invited into the institution, to experience daily life, the interactions, the treatments, possible solutions, possible rehabilitation.

1. Title? Drug addiction? Rehabilitation?
2. The author, journalist, his book, alleged truth, expose, apologies? His further work in writing? Screenwriting at production? Collaboration to the screenplay with the actor and Dir?
3. An American story? Universal story? The rehabilitation centre, interiors, rooms, offices, meeting spaces? The grounds? Excursions into the city, the dentist? The search for Lilly? Authentic feel? Musical score?
4. The opening? James as frantic, visual style, music, naked, the window, his fall? Waking in the plane, bewildered, ask for a drink, refused? Landing, by Bob? The relationship? Being taken to the rehabilitation centre? His attitudes, the impact of the past?
5. The later revelation of James’s story? And his writing the text for confessing? As a boy, growing up, drugs, selling, dependence, liking the drugs, the wide choice, crack cocaine, alcohol? His collapse? The revelation of relationships, the girl and hurting her? In the church, the priest, touching him, his reaction, kicking him? The cumulative effect of his past?
6. James, entering, hostility, his room, Miles and the music? The roster and the toilet jobs? Roy and his supervision, dominance, James eventual violent reaction? Roy and his collapse? James keeping to himself? Discussions with Joanne? With Lincoln and his supervision? Leonard and his friends, their wanting to welcome him? The meetings, James walking out, his hostility to the 12 steps?
7. The treatment, the medication, the consequences, in his room, sleep, nightmares?
8. The encounters with John, sexuality, naked, the shower, his advances? John’s own story, his daughter? Preparing to move out? Reconciliation with James, James’s support?
9. The other members for rehabilitation, miles and his music, as a judge, his second attempt at becoming clean? Wise advice? The boxing champion, friendly, watching the television?
10. Join in, the revelation that all the staff had been addicts, her story, listening, treatment of James, Frank? Lincoln, addict, his supervision, tough? Conversation with James and explanations?
11. James, the driver to the appointments, the dental work, unable to have anaesthetic, the pain, the consequences?
12. Leonard, his story, cheerful, articulate, wise? Yet feeling suicidal everyday? Reaching out to help James? The conversations, the confession? The advice for James to burn the papers? Leonard offering to be his father? A future?
13. Bob, older brother, his visits, James reactions? Bob eventually arriving to take him out?
14. Lilly, addiction, prostitution? Age? Flirting with James? Making contact? The danger with the rules and any female contact? The meetings, the shed? Are talking? The sign of the number of plates in the dining room? The misunderstanding, out in the rain, the visit to the room? Her escape, James and his desperation, going to find her, Leonard and his help? The rescue? Her talk with James – and her hanging herself? James and his sense of responsibility?
15. The meetings, James gradually understanding, yet hostile, the staff explaining the had that he had worked through some of the steps, especially with helping Billy? Coming out of himself? The visit to the priest, the founder of the Centre, the welcome from the priest, the conversation rather confession, James having written his text, Frank, walking out?
16. Leaving with Bob, going to the bar, asking for the biggest whiskey, the payment, his image in the mirror, smelling the drink, holding the glass, eventually turning away, the camera through the glass looking at his going away with Bob?
17. The fact that the plot, while based on some truth, was, in fact are fiction by the author? Yet a harrowing interpretation of addiction and rehabilitation?