The IMDB website describes this 1995 film as "Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction." This film tells the story of a young man with star potential on his school basketball team who falls apart due to his own weaknesses and the influence of his friends.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio this film carries the weight of a film like Precious. The themes are dark and the acting is gritty. DiCaprio solidified himself as a great actor as he portrays the stages of addiction and the climb out. The raw emotion is moving at times and kept me interested as the film got darker and harder to watch at moments.
The cast around him was also impressive. Although DiCaprio carried the majority of the film he worked with rising stars like Lorraine Bracco, James Madio, and Mark Wahlberg. The characters surrounding Jim were all unique and never seemed like filler. Together, the four boys weave a story of youth gone wild and the consequences of their actions.
Despite being a tough film to watch, the film is very well-made. Having been written as an autobiographical piece makes it a bit slow. The narrative is good though and keeps interest going as you follow the descent into addiction.
I give this 3.7 out of 5 stars.
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