DVD Corner

Clean And Sober Blu-ray Review

“Clean And Sober” features one of Michael Keaton’s best performances.  

Written by Tod Carroll, 1988’s “Clean And Sober” is a dramatic character piece set over the course of  a month. The story revolves around Daryl- a real estate salesman who has reached rock bottom. Not only is he in hot water for stealing 92 grand from an escrow account, but he’s addicted to drugs and alcohol. Worse still, he finds himself waking up with a woman he spent the night with who has suffered a heart attack from a drug overdose. Thinking he is on the verge of being arrested, he tries to flee the state but cannot. Instead, he opts to join an anonymous detox program. At first he doesn’t take it seriously and cares more about his collapsing work life than improving himself, but eventually the counselor (Craig) reaches him. Daryl manages to go through rehab, get a sponsor, and take accountability for his actions. He also begins to fall for a fellow patient (Charlie) who is stuck in a toxic relationship. Alas, Daryl develops a codependency with Charlie which could prove problematic. Can he turn his life around or will his life spiral further out of control? 

With hits like “Beetlejuice” and “Batman,” Michael Keaton was a true superstar in the 80’s. During this period, he also acted in a serious drama from director Glenn Gordon Caron “Clean And Sober.” For whatever reason, this film has gone under the radar, but it certainly deserves more recognition. It’s a hard-hitting story about self-destructive behavior and addiction and how it can erode one’s life. It’s a challenging watch to be sure (as is any addiction drama), but the film does end on a hopeful note that ultimately feels earned given what Daryl has gone through.

The film is a real acting showcase for Michael Keaton as it showed his versatility as an actor. He really can do it all from comedy to drama. Keaton is joined by a winning supporting cast featuring Morgan Freeman, M. Emmet Walsh, Kathy Baker and Claudia Christian. Freeman is great as always as Craig, but it’s Kathy Baker as Charlie who really shines in a tragic role. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? This is not a showy transfer, but is a nice upgrade that features a sharper print.

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? This is a satisfactory 2.0 track that does the job

The lone extra is a theatrical trailer. 

May 19, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | 80's Movie, Clean And Sober Blu-ray Review, Drama-, Michael Keaton, Morgan Freeman, Warner Archive