Man, Ben Stiller blew it on this one. He usually has fairly good taste when it comes to choosing projects (well, there is Cable Guy....) But, he is so good in Flirting With Disaster and his comedic work on his own Fox TV show was stupendous, but I guess he saw it as a chance to ACT. But the screenplay and direction are so heavy-handed and choppy that the movie leaves you cold. ooooh, look at me - I was such a junkie I shot up in the Maternity Ward. I took my baby on a drug buy!!! Wow - Jerry Springer fodder, but it does not make for an involving movie. Jerry Stahl actually HELPED his damaged career by admitting what a terrible drug addict he was. ONLY in Hollywood. Now that's his gimmick - I was really screwed up on drugs. Hire me. Completely overrated and from what I hear, NOT sober anymore anyway. Plus the film's decision to wrap around the story with Stiller meeting the crazy and wild sober chick is like a bad one-act with two people stuck in a motel room. Want to be devastated by addiction??? Watch Leaving Las Vegas or Trainspotting. This movie is awful.
Review of Permanent Midnight
