Blu-ray Review: Clean and Sober

Synopsis: When the comic star of Night Shift and Beetlejuice tackled his first dramatic role, the result was one of Michael Keaton's best performances ever, earning the National Society of Film Critics Best Actor Award*. Keaton plays real-estate broker Darryl Pointer whose cocaine habit consumes him until he enters a local detox program promising direction and privacy. It also guarantees one thing more: the toughest battle of his life. Powerfully directed by Glenn Gordon Caron and boasting other great performances from Kathy Baker, Morgan Freeman and M. Emmet Walsh, Clean and Sober is a hard-hitting study of beating personal demons…one day at a time.

Main Features: I have always held Michael Keaton is such high esteem. His career renaissance is well-deserved, a man of his many talents. Clean and Sober came at such a opportune time when people were questioning his abilities and range as an actor. Primarily known for comedies, this dense drama was a huge step forward in his career, justifying his then-controversial casting as Bruce Wayne / Batman. But this film showing a man truly hitting rock bottom in almost every sense professionally and personally, who better than to play the orphan who witnessed his parents' murder? The Warner Archive Blu-ray presentation is a fine addition to their catalog. 

Bonus Features: Like most of the Warner Bros. manufacturing on demand titles, Clean and Sober is scant on extra features. In this case, it's just one--the film's trailer in standard definition. 

Final Call: Even though the special features are practically non-existent, Clean and Sober stands on it's step-by-step showcasing of it's intoxicating lead, the legend that is Michael Keaton.

Grade: B+