Allison is a young woman with a wonderful fiance, a blossoming career, and supportive family and friends. However, her world crumbles in the blink of an eye when she survives an unimaginable tragedy, emerging from recovery with opioid addiction and unresolved grief.
This film starts as a slow-burn… the type where everything is cozy and heartwarming while it builds up to the intersection of joy, inattention, and addiction. It opens at an engagement party where the love that Allison (Florence Pugh) and her fiancé Nathan (Chinaza Uche) have for each other is indisputable as they gather with very close friends who have made their impact on the relationship. Allison is in rare form as she plays her beloved piano and sings to her future husband, replicating their first meeting. Slowly, the emotions heighten as Allison is in the driver’s seat chauffeuring her best friend Molly (Nichelle Hines), Nathans’s sister, and her boyfriend (Zachary Garmers) while they excitedly chat about old times and choosing wedding dresses. As Allison looks back and forth from the road ahead of her to the back seat where her friends are, you can almost feel that life is about to change dramatically.
In the blink of an eye, a dump truck appears out of nowhere, and before Allison can react adequately, a crash alters her life forever. Allison wakes up in the hospital surrounded by her mother, Diane (Molly Shannon), and her fiancé, Nathan. With the worst timing ever, an agent appears needing questions about fatalities. At that moment, Allison receives the news that her friends did not survive the crash. The next several years of her life are spent spiraling downward as she tries to deal with the guilt associated with the incident, which she doesn’t believe she is responsible for, yet she still must come to terms with the outcome.
The outcome is exactly what carries the most significant parts of the film. In the aftermath, Allison and Nathan never reach the altar, and Frank and Molly’s father, Daniel (Morgan Freeman), becomes Ryan’s guardian. As Allison and Daniel try to navigate their new lives, they spiral out of control and end up on the same path to healing. What drives them together and pulls them apart is an emotionally compelling rollercoaster ride that reveals the raw impact of addiction and the harsh reality of acceptance. In the end, Daniel’s mysterious tattoo, “Amor Fati,” the Latin phrase meaning Love of Fate, brings all the loose pieces of the film together.
Director Zach Braff does an excellent job of building and breaking down Daniel and Allison’s roles so intricately that neither grabs the audience’s attention for too long at any given time. This allows the ability to let go of the emotions tied to adversity and focus on the ones tied to clarity and growth, which ultimately sets the stage for forgiveness and acceptance. For those fighting addiction or understanding its impact, this is a perfect film that makes clear the understanding that no one can, nor has to do it alone.
In Theaters Friday, March 24th
