SELF-MEDICATED

US, 2005, 107 minutes, Colour.
Diane Venora, Monty Lapica, Michael Bowen.
Directed by Monty Lapica.

Self- Medicated is an accomplished first feature by a young film-maker in his twenties. Monty Lapica not only wrote the script but produced and directed the film. He is also the star, along with Diane Venora (Bird, Romeo and Juliet) as his mother. Lapica says that the screenplay is based on his own experiences after the death of his father.

Lapica plays Andrew, a young 17-year-old in Las Vegas. He mixes with the wrong crowd, drinks, is on drugs, plays practical jokes on people – which the police do not appreciate. His mother, on the other hand, is upset at his behaviour, while she herself is unwilling to acknowledge her dependence on prescription drugs which she is continually asking him to buy for her.

There is an alarming section of the film where Andrew is abducted, with his mother’s permission, during the night and taken to an ultra-strict rehabilitation centre. The regime is tough, brutal and humiliating – a kind of aversion therapy institute. The film shows that the staff have their own problems and the psychiatrist is particularly vindictive. Andrew and some others escape – but he is brought back on his mother’s orders.

The film is an exploration of contemporary American youth, living in a city like Las Vegas, prone to the difficulties of drug and rebellion. The film also questions methods for rehabilitation.

1. Monty Lapica’s film? Writing, producing, directing and being the star? Based on his own experiences after his father’s death? His dedication of his film to his mother? His age, experience, a first film, a student film? The qualities, the defects?

2. Dramatising his experience, the moral perspective, a moral fable? A warning yet offering hope?

3. The Las Vegas setting (his own home city)? The panoramas, the lights, the casinos? The contrast with ordinary, homes, school? The locations as authentic? The transition to the institute and the desert? To Honolulu?

4. The musical score, the final song?

5. The title? Drugs? Therapy?

6. The introduction to Andrew, firing the paint balls at passers-by, held up by the police, his mother having to get him? His age, his father’s death two years earlier? His not coming to terms with his grief? Drug taking, drinking? His relationship with Nicole? At school, asleep, the belittling by the teacher, his answering all the questions about Gutenberg, walking out of class, ringing Seth, their going out on the town, drinking? His friends? An aimless life?

7. The portrait of his mother, her taking prescription drugs, the death of her husband and her grief, her love for her son, her anger with him, his anger and hatred towards her? The difficulties at home? Watching home movies? The place of his ashes? Her growing more desperate, her friendship with Nicole, telling her in advance about her plan?

8. The sudden taking of Andrew, the guards, handcuffs? Being bundled into the van, driving through the desert? His arrival at the institute, the humiliation of the search? Discussions with Dan, no swearing, no insubordination? The penalties? The interview with the doctor, his IQ tests and his rapidity? Going to meals, no talking? His interaction with the other adolescents at the institute? His reactions, swearing, angers? His being punished? His interrupting the counselling session, insulting Dan? His being made to stand? His continuing to mock? His coming back and pretending to have repented but making signs? The continued antagonism towards Dan, the doctor and his wanting him to take drugs? The more kindly counsellor and the discussion about sport? The violence experienced in the treatment?

9. The nature of the regime, the psychological impact, physical? Harsh? Discipline? The sessions, the revelations by the young people, Michael and his Korean background, John and his brother’s suicide, the promiscuity of the girl and her having been abused by her stepfather? The invasion of privacy? His inability to cope with his grief?

10. The sketch of the staff, Dan, discipline, allegedly the best counsellor, hating swearing, giving impositions, his running off the open sessions? His final exasperation and his swearing outburst? His being vindictive, taking Andrew again? The doctor and his role, the guards? The kindly counsellor?

11. The escape, Andrew and his plan, the fire, its working, the boys running? The search and their being found at the phones, in the field, the others being caught, Andrew and his hiding, overhearing them? Ringing Seth, going home, confronting his mother?

12. The return, meeting Nicole, going to the party, the breaking through the police barrier and his pretence about his younger brother? In the sauna, discovering what Nicole had done, his anger?

13. The encounter with Gabriel, the talk, offering the job of cleaning the car, not being able to, his weeping, giving him the money, Gabriel’s sound advice? How well did this touch of magical realism work at this juncture of the film?

14. His being taken again, his mother’s reaction? The plane ride, his fooling the guard in Honolulu, the hospital? His escape, the key? Phoning his mother, telling her to come off the drugs, her relenting?

15. His return, his father’s ashes prominent, his reaction and anger? The visit to Sidona, the ashes? The long talk to his father and to God – how well did this work dramatically?

16. Nicole, getting the letter, her encouraging him to study, to turn his life around, his decision to do so?

17. The earnestness of the film, the emotionality? How credible the story? How persuasive the moral in dramatic terms?