A Million Little Pieces (2018)

Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson | 106 minutes | drama | Actors: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Odessa Young, Giovanni Ribisi, Juliette Lewis, Dash Mihok, Charles Parnell, Ryan Hurst, David Dastmalchian, Tom Amandes, Charlie Hunnam, Andy Mackenzie, Eugene Byrd, Andy Buckley, Keith Barber, Albert Malafronte, Carson Meyer, Frederick Lawrence, Deep Rai, Ingrid Rogers, Bill Blair

Oprah Winfrey embraced him and praised his book, and the editors of Amazon.com put it on their “Best Books of the Year” list. No wonder ‘A Million Little Pieces’, the debut by American author James Frey, became a bestseller in 2003. Frey’s story, in which he reminisces about the time when he was heavily addicted to alcohol and crack, went down well with many readers. Just like the sequel ‘My Friend Leonard’, by the way, which appeared two years later. Frey was shaken when the website The Smoking Gun revealed in early 2006 that he had fabricated (or at least heavily exaggerated) a substantial portion of his memoirs, most notably the criminal activities he allegedly engaged in to to support his addiction. For example, he would not have spent 87 days in jail, but only a few hours after he hit a cop under the influence of crack. Where the book mentions that the collision would have resulted in a violent skirmish with several police officers, in reality Frey had behaved so exemplary that he was already outside after five hours. On the Oprah couch, he admitted that some passages in his book had exaggerated a bit, but that candor didn’t prevent him from seeing some lucrative writing deals go up in smoke. That didn’t stop Frey from continuing to write, though; Under the pseudonym Pitticus Lore, he published a series of young adult books with a writers’ collective, of which ‘I am Number Four’ was made into a film in 2011 and Frey is also the creator of the story of ‘Queen & Slim’ (2019).

‘A Million Little Pieces’ was made into a movie by Sam Taylor-Johnson and she cast her husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead role. The talented Brit literally and figuratively exposes himself here as he takes on the role of the walking wreck that James Frey was during the worst period of his life. After falling off a balcony in a completely bonkers state, he is sent to rehab by his brother (Charlie Hunnam). There he comes into contact with a strict but compassionate counselor (Juliette Lewis), who knows how to get rid of the fact that childhood trauma is at the root of his problems. James does not want it, he prefers to smash his room to pieces out of frustration. He deeply dislikes the twelve-step program because of its religious connection. With all the ups and downs that come with it, he works his way through it. He does this with a motley crew of fellow sufferers, including a roommate named Miles Davis (!) (Charles Parnell), the older Leonard (Billy Bob Thornton), who himself is tired of life but holds hope in the much younger James, no matter how obstinate he is. There is also the beautiful Lily (Odessa Young), who knows how to fan the fire in James. Opposite is John (Giovanni Ribisi), who challenges him and brings out the worst in him. James goes through deep valleys to master his addictions. It is also painful for him: because of his short fuse and aggressive excesses, he visits a doctor more than once. For example, after a clumsy fight in the shower. Hallucinations abound too (note the dance scene in a feces-stained hallway). But what will last the longest on your retina is undoubtedly the bloody root canal treatment that is performed without anesthetic (because anesthesia can have unpleasant effects on drug addicts). Ouch!

A film with such raw and intense emotions is ideal fodder for filmmakers, so it’s no wonder the Taylor-Johnsons got their teeth into this. Aaron Taylor-Johnson undergoes the humiliations like a true martyr; respect for the complete devotion he shows here, for he does not shy away from torment. Anger and aggression, the madness of addiction, the despair, the denial, the powerlessness; The British actor goes through all phases with impressive intensity. It is therefore not due to his performance that the film does not fully satisfy. This is mainly due to the fact that ‘A Million Little Pieces’ does not distinguish itself from other films that deal with addiction and withdrawal, such as ’28 Days’ (2000) and more recently ‘Beautiful Boy’ (2018). It would have been so nice if Sam Taylor-Johnson had taken a different tack and ditched the clichéd reflective voiceover, the explanatory flashback, and the imaginary friend and come up with a more refreshing approach. But she follows all the well-trodden paths of the genre, so that once James ends up in rehab, the film has little new to offer. All possible unpredictable, raw edges have been skilfully brushed away, just like Frey’s identity. Because if you take away his addiction, who is left? Between the lines we hear that he is wanted in three states and that, despite his young age, he has already taken so many drugs that his vital organs are badly damaged and that it is actually a miracle that he can still stand. It is obvious that his girlfriend left him because he couldn’t stay off drugs. As deep and thoughtful as Aaron Taylor-Johnsons plays his part, so flat and impersonal are the words they put in his mouth.

In ‘A Million Little Pieces’, Sam Taylor-Johnson saw an opportunity to let her husband Aaron shine in a battle of physical and mental exhaustion (a role often loved by the Academy Awards selection committee and other prestigious awards). She forgot, however, that a movie with a dedicated lead actor alone is not there yet and that a story about overcoming a drug addiction hits harder when the road to recovery is one of ups and downs, relapses and resurrection.