I was a big fan of this movie for several reasons. My history with addiction, especially drinking, hit home in a way that made it difficult not to empathize with the main character. The drunken, estranged father, the disconnection with school, and the meandering uncertainty of life. Things we can relate to in one form or another. This is another movie that does so much more than entertain. As heartbreaking as some scenes were, it was genuine and raw while being beautiful and redemptive. For me, that's a solid win no matter the genre. Well-rounded, dynamic, and real. I wish I had a list of movies I knew nothing about that fell into this exact category I could just pull from the shelves and put in the DVD player. But I guess I'm working on it.
