The journey of an addict does not begin with the first consumption of drugs or alcohol. Nor does it focus solely on the individual; every family member and friend in the addict’s circle is also affected. The whole process, from admitting to a problem to treatment to relapse to hopefully more treatment might seem never-ending and always involves heartache. Written, directed, edited, and acted by Shane Brody, the movie BREATHING HAPPY creates a Christmas film which looks at the past, present, and future of an addict and every painful step along the way. Definitely a hard film to watch at moments but even with the surreal cinematography Brody’s depiction of addiction follows a very real and emotional (yet empowering) journey through addiction and recovery.
This year’s Christmas Eve marks a couple monumental anniversaries for Dylan (Brody). First, he looks forward to celebrating one year without drugs or alcohol. However, this proud accomplishment also coincides with a much more somber hallmark: the first holiday without his mother. He internalizes the conflicting emotions but glimpses inside his mind give the audience a view into his struggle between accepting his loss and the deafening voices from his past. He destroyed a lot of relationships in his many attempts to get sober and now only his sickly dog Angel stays by his side as he sits alone in his apartment.
As the minutes close in on midnight, a strange version of the Ghost of Christmas Past shows up in the form of Dylan’s ex-dealer who arrives in a festive but surreal dream. The visuals of the film create a beautiful and meaningful depiction of recovery as the lighting gives further insight into the mind of the main character. Tying in the festive season, Dylan’s imaginary argument with his dealer becomes bathed in alternating colorful lights. Green represents a clean life, red means giving in to the addiction. Therefore, not only do we hear Dylan’s pleas to stay sober, but the scene switches from red to green and back again, we’re cueing into the constant battle occurring within Dylan’s mind.
Another Christmas spirit appears in the form of a Golden Door and shows Dylan glimpses into his past. Both literally and metaphorically, the doors in Dylan’s life become unreliable and even dangerous. He can’t go back to who he used to be, but he can’t move forward either. The Door speaks to Dylan and shows him old home videos, but there’s a catch: Dylan cannot open the door until he officially reaches one year sober. So, while he waits, he watches a collage of clips which conjure up memories of his adoption as a small child, his first Christmas with his parents, and private moments between his family as they angrily deal with the addiction which exists within their son and brother. The clips blend together; one conversation goes into the next, creating a confusing timeline but effectively showing the cyclical patterns addicts frequently follow. The help, the threats, the promises, all keep coming and repeat and repeat and repeat. But each time there is a little less sincerity. A little less hope. And fewer people willing to stand by the addict. Some walk through the door and never come back, leaving the sick person to choose their own exit—either through the door or through the grave.
Throughout the film-length dream sequence, the theme of sleight of hand magic becomes heavily folded into the narrative. Thanks to the whimsical attitude of his father, Dylan became interested in close-up magic at a young age and is seen practicing the art form in almost every sequence. The familiar red and black images and numbers of the much-used magician’s tool becomes a metaphor for Dylan’s internal struggles. The 52 cards in his trusted deck could represent the impossible amount of choices an addict has, but no matter what card they choose, the magic trick relies on the dealer forcing the decision upon them. Viewing addiction as this metaphor makes the process of recovery seem pointless because despite the endless possibilities the addict becomes robbed of any randomness. However, card tricks are not really magic. Sleight of hand is simply well rehearsed moves. Similarly, recovery is not a magical occurrence, but something that takes a lot of hard work and a lot of repetitive small motions which will seem tedious and pointless. But over time the hard work pays off and the results amaze friends and family because they cannot see all the devotion and isolation necessary to perform a simple task. Therefore, within the magic trick metaphor, the addict is not the spectator but the magician.
One of the most powerful aspects of the film comes from how relatable Brody made the story and the characters. Dylan is not a drug dealer or one of the scary criminals seen in most movies. Instead, he is the everyman. He loves hockey, magic, his dog, and his family. But one horrific moment filled his world with pain and trauma, and he found it difficult to function without illicit drugs pumping through his system. HAPPY will impact a lot of viewers because unfortunately too many people experience firsthand the horrors of addiction, whether because of their own dark roads or because they witnessed a loved one become consumed. Personally, I found this film painfully accurate. My brother became an addict as a teenager after a sports injury required him to take an obscene amount of drugs. The next seven years his addiction brought him in and out of rehab, jail, and even life as he OD’d twice before being revived by medical professionals. My brother’s story is very similar to Dylan’s, and to so many other stories of addiction. So, don’t go into BREATHING HAPPY expecting a cheerful holiday film, but watch the movie with hopes of better understanding the debilitating sickness of addiction and how it affects so many people. The movie adds a lot of heart to a difficult story, so expect some smiles and even laughs along the way but do prepare yourself for a heavy topic. To all the addicts out there: celebrate every first and keep working hard on your magic; we are all ready to be amazed. And to all audiences: wait for the mid-credit scene to see Dylan’s full story.
BREATHING HAPPY is out on digital platforms now.
Tags: Addiction, Breathing Happy, Christmas, dreams, Magic, On demand, Rustic Films, Shane Brody
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