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Analysis of a movie assigned to watch. The movie title is 28 Days with Sandra Bullock...

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28 Days Movie Analysis

Taylor Franklin Grand Canyon University BHS 465: Marriage and Family Ethical and Legal Issues Larissa Rzemienski 425/2021

2 28 Days Movie Analysis 28 Days, the film, stars Sandra Bullock as Gwen (Topping, J. 2000). Gwen is a woman who enjoys being the life of the party, drinking in excess, and mixing alcohol with prescription Vicodin. She claims to simply be having fun. Opening the film, Gwen is participating in a heavy night of partying and wakes up the next day, late for her sister’s wedding. While still intoxicated, she and her boyfriend start their day with a cold beer and head to the wedding. As things begin out of control, they quickly get worse. Gwen gives an insulting toast at the wedding and falls into the wedding cake. In efforts to make amends, she steals the “Just Married” limo with the goal of locating a bakery and a new wedding cake for her sister. Unfortunately, Gwen is now under the influence of Vicodin and alcohol, causing her to crash the limo into someone’s home. This incident is what led up to Gwen’s court ordered 28 days in rehab. Through damaging relationships, limos, and garden gnomes, Gwen eventually realizes that the biggest obstacle in her life is her addiction; and to truly recover would involve taking accountability for her actions. Ethical Counseling Issues Gwen’s first interaction with her counselor is during her assumption he is a fellow rehabilitation patient smoking a cigarette by the lake. After receiving a cigarette from this man, she requests advice for how to sneak contraband into the rehab facility. Her counselor promptly informs her who he is and that behavior will get her kicked out of the program, sending her to jail for the 28 days of her mandated sentence. Regardless of this conversation Gwen pursues contraband for the first couple days. Ethically, if a counselor is required to inform the court of an individual’s inability to seriously consider sobriety, resulting in jail time for the client, they are expected to follow those rules regardless of consequence for the client. In the film, Gwen does sneak Vicodin into the facility with her boyfriend’s help. While she is physically obviously under

3 the influence of something, her counselor is required to report this incident, resulting in jail time for Gwen, rather than her chance she has been given at rehabilitation. The counselor in the movie holds a great deal of empathy towards Gwen and withholds the information of her recent behavior from the court. In the film, this situation played out well. Gwen truly did turn her life around and try toward sobriety herself. However, unfortunately, this is not the morally or ethically correct decision for this circumstance. Depending on the regulations the facility agreed to, clients have the privileges of seeking rehabilitation through the facility, or through the jail system. It is not the therapist's decision to choose where a client should spend their court mandated time when their behavior is continually breaking rules that are in place for the whole community’s protection. Legal issues surrounding this behavioral health team includes their ability to uphold rules and the consequences of breaking those rules. Without consequence, there is no need to acknowledge ill behavior or change it. Had this movie been a direct reflection of an individual’s time in rehab, many legal issues would need to be addressed. For example, the information withheld from the court regarding Gwen’s direct efforts to gain illicit drugs. This behavior from the behavioral health team would be unacceptable and unfortunately, potentially harmful for the client and all other clients trying to abstain from drug or alcohol use. If the behavioral health team turned a blind eye to drugs in their facility, it would compromise the integrity of the facility and those who are employed there.

Supervision Assistance and Prognosis Difficulties with others involved in addiction are probable. Struggles such as communication, forgiveness, recuperation, and support are familiar to those who have battled

4 with addiction and their families. As some families hold an overwhelming amount of love and support, others hold none. Those involved in Gwen’s life such as her sister and her boyfriend are both large contributors to her prognosis following her mandatory 28 days. Seeking council from supervision, the behavioral health team should address the foundation of each of those relationships with Gwen. Family counseling would also be encouraged to endure the difficulties of sobriety and reconciliation. Additionally, with these conversations, she might find that her boyfriend is involved in her past lifestyle and if she wants to move forward with her life, she might need to release that relationship from her life. Gwen’s prognosis looks incredibly good. The end of the movie, Gwen completes her time in the rehab program and ends her relationship with her boyfriend after realizing that her successful sobriety is dependent upon it. With a positive attitude and friendships, she created while in rehab, Gwen’s future is perceived to be a happy sober life. Although this is the perception of the movie’s end, reality is sometimes a little rockier. Relapse is a trial that many addicts experience. Although this is not expected, it is possible. Gwen and her family need to continue therapeutic sessions to discuss these struggles to come. Family Prognosis Working with the family involved in this situation would begin by inviting them to a family session. In this session, the therapist should ensure that only the family is present. This would provide a safe and more comfortable environment to honestly reflect, share feelings, and communicate. Considering Gwen’s inability to remember her actions and her sister being appalled by her lack of memory, Gwen’s first family session ended abruptly. However, this first meeting was a crucial step for Gwen to realize how her actions while impaired truly can impact her family. This interaction was what allowed Gwen to realize how strenuous her behavior has

5 been on her sister. Continuing family therapy sessions would simply encourage the conversation for Gwen to have an opportunity to apologize and take accountability for her previous actions. This process is one of the most difficult steps in recovery, yet one of the most therapeutic and important. Family prognosis for the sister in the film is optimistic. Gwen and her sister had a healing conversation both apologizing for their choices in the past. From childhood decisions to the way they communicate, they found a common ground. With continued communication honest like this, the family is likely to reconcile their relationship. Conclusion This film gave a comedic foundation to the conversation surrounding alcohol addiction, drug abuse, and childhood trauma. As a child of an alcoholic mother, Gwen was predisposed to indulge in alcohol and substance abuse as a form of self-medication. As she grew up, before losing her mother at the age of seven, all she knew was erratic behavior. As she grew into an adult, she naturally leaned on the same vices she saw her mother lean on. Gwen and her sister will need continued therapy to address their childhood trauma, neglect, and loss of her mother. Without working through those memories and trials, Gwen is likely to revert to self-medicating through prescription drugs and alcohol consumption.

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References

Topping, J. (2000). 28 Days. USA; Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing....