Big Picture Big Sound

Four Good Days Review

By Matthew Passantino

Addiction dramas are no stranger to the movie ecosystem, because it's a chance for actors to put their range on full display. Certainly, that's probably a cynical take on movies trying to bring awareness to a devastating and all-too-uncommon issue, but many great actors have navigated towards these kinds of projects. Glenn Close and Mila Kunis are the latest to take on an addiction story, co-starring as mother and daughter in Rodrigo Garcia's "Four Good Days."

The movie had its original bow in the Before Times, at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. It didn't receive stellar notices and with the industry shutting down soon after, it took until now for the movie to find a home and see the light of day. The movie opens with Deb (Close) being startled by noise coming from her front door. She's not entirely sure what the source of the jostling is immediately, but somewhere in her mind she knows who is on the other side of the door. Her daughter Molly (Kunis) identifies herself and Deb hesitantly opens up. Deb looks like she has seen a ghost or the shell of someone she once knew. Molly is frail and jittery and confused as to why her key isn't working. Deb informs her they changed the locks after Molly and her boyfriend robbed her and her husband Chris (Stephen Root).

Molly is an addict and Deb reminds her of a deal they struck: She wouldn't be allowed in the home until she was clean. Molly is at her mother's doorstep to insist she is done using drugs, but Deb has been lied to and hurt by Molly before. She isn't ready to believe her, and after years of pain and watching her daughter fall deeper into addiction, she doesn't let Molly in on only her word. Molly seems adamant in her decision to get clean, so Deb finally offers to drive her to rehab, where they learn about a monthly shot that could aid in the recovery process. Molly just needs to stay clean for four more days to start receiving the treatment.

4GD_body.jpeg

"Four Good Days" often follows a relatively predictable arc, which has been seen before by previous movies centered on addiction. The ups-and-downs of the story don't create any kind of dramatic tension, but Close and Kunis' relationship is what keeps the movie going. When Molly shows up back home, it's the first time we are meeting her as an audience, but the performances signal it's about the thousandth time Molly and Deb have been in this exact situation. Their decade-long journey through Molly's addiction has weathered Deb, and Close shows us that in every look; she is a master of carrying her characters' histories in her eyes. Most recently, "The Wife" provided a good example of Close's greatest power as an actress. She has had to force herself to be stern with her daughter, who she is exasperated by, but it's always coming from a place of concern and not resentment. Deb has learned over the years she needs to protect herself, even if it means never trusting her daughter again.

Kunis' performance works best when paired with Close because Molly's addiction has created such strain. The screenplay gives Kunis' character more chances to slip into melodrama and histrionics, including a distracting scene where all her guilt and trauma boils up in front of a class where Molly has been invited to speak to about overcoming addiction. In a movie where the actors work hard to build a lived-in dynamic, this scene feels too showy for its own good.

"Four Good Days" dips its feet into discussing big-picture issues, like addressing the opioid crisis. Most recently, the Julia Roberts-Lucas Hedges movie "Ben is Back" waded in this territory, in order to elevate the movie with some nuance and bigger discussions. "Ben is Back," in that aspect, was a bit more effective and committed (though only slightly more) than "Four Good Days." Here, the movie is interested in going deeper without ever committing.

Garcia is a good director of actors, previously teaming with Close on the 2011 film "Albert Nobbs," which was a longtime passion project for the actor. Garcia's "Mother and Child" was another example of him working with great actors and shepherding characters' histories through the performances. That's the strong suit of "Four Good Days," and it's enough to warrant a recommendation for another movie of its ilk.

What did you think?

Movie title Four Good Days
Release year 2021
MPAA Rating R
Our rating
Summary Glenn Close and Mila Kunis create a fraught history between their characters in the new addiction drama.
View all articles by Matthew Passantino
More in Movies
Big News
Newsletter Sign-up
 
Connect with Us