Michael Keaton is ostensibly the star of this movie. There's no doubt that he gets most of the screen time, and his character of Darryl Poynter is the one around whose experiences the movie revolves. Darryl is a hot shot commercial real estate salesman with a couple of problems: first, he's embezzled $90,000 and is on the verge of getting caught, and second, he's an alcoholic and drug addict who hasn't admitted that fact to himself, and who discovers (at the same time he realizes that his embezzlement has been found out) that a girl he picked up at a mall the night before has died of an overdose in his bed. With everything closing in on him, Darryl needs a place to escape to so that he can figure his next move out, and he decides to check himself into an addiction counselling centre to take advantage of its confidentiality. He has to lie his way through while there, to convince his counsellor (played by Morgan Freeman) that (1) he accepts that he's an addict, and (2) that he's serious about recovery so he can stay. At the centre, he meets Charley (Kathy Baker), who's dealing with her own addictions and her relationship with her husband, who is both an addict and abusive (certainly verbally; possibly physically.)While Keaton was the star, I was actually far more taken with Baker's performance and her character of Charley. She did a great job portraying this character who was struggling to overcome her drug and alcohol addiction, but who continually allowed herself to be manipulated by both Lenny (the husband) and Darryl, who develops a real obsession with her (to the point at which he seemed more like a stalker than anything else.) I thought Charley's story was more interesting and far more sad, while Darryl was most interesting when he was dealing with Charley. In the end, a tragedy involving Charley (which somewhat mirrors the tragedy the movie opened with) is what jars Darryl into finally admitting to his addictions.This isn't the most powerful movie dealing with the issues of addiction and alcoholism I've ever seen (I'd probably give that nod to 1962's "Days Of Wine And Roses" with Jack Lemmon) but it's an interesting, if somewhat melancholy, movie. 7/10

Without a doubt, one of the most under-appreciated movies of all time. If I had to pick the greatest acting performances of all time, Michael Keaton would be in the top 10. I was floored by the essence of a drug addict that Michael Keaton played. I didn't know until now, but the fact that he didn't even get a best actor nomination is a travesty. He did, however, win a Film Critic Award for best actor. The year this movie came out must have been a year of great movies, either that, or the Academy sucks. The part near the beginning of the movie where he is at his friends house, and his friend is going to play tennis, and Michael Keaton says, "do you mind getting me another one of those beers?" was exceptional, and then you knew this was going to be a great movie. Morgan Freeman does an exceptional job as the drug counselor (but then I expect nothing but great performances by this man). And the casting was also exceptional.The only problems with this movie I felt were that overall it seemed like a very low budget movie, and Kathy Baker was a drag on the overall message. I have never been impressed by her, so I may be a little biased against her.

Michael Keaton turned in the performance of his career in CLEAN AND SOBER, a somber, yet riveting 1988 drama which starred Keaton as Daryl Poynter, a go-getter real estate agent who is in complete denial about a serious problem he has with drugs and alcohol. A serious night of partying goes deadly wrong for Daryl and he finds himself a fugitive from the law and decides to hide out at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, aware of their rules regarding confidentiality. Daryl resists the program initially, still in denial, but eventually comes to realize that he is really an alcoholic and a drug addict and that he must deal with this realization if he ever wants to look at himself in the mirror again. This movie is gritty and uncompromising in its realistic depiction of drug and alcohol addiction and where the addiction can take you. Daryl is depicted breaking into his office looking for money as well as calling his parents asking them them to apply for a second mortgage on their house so that they can lend him the money. These scenes are frighteningly realistic for those who have dealt with addiction or have a loved one caught in the grips of addiction. Michael Keaton delivers a powerhouse performance, the best of his career, as Daryl, the big shot who sees his world crumbling around him and continues to deny what the root of the problem really is. Morgan Freeman gives his usual solid performance as the head counselor at the rehab center. Kathy Baker, Tate Donavan, and Claudia Christian also offer solid support as fellow rehab clients and M. Emmett Walsh plays Daryl's sponsor, a relationship Daryl accidentally stumbles into. If you have ever had a problem with drugs or alcohol or care about someone who does, CLEAN AND SOBER is an important film to see and ponder. The film doesn't answer all the questions that may come to mind about the disease of addiction, but it clearly shows where denial can take someone suffering from the disease A riveting and powerful film that should not be missed.

If you want to truly enjoy this movie, watch it with someone who has been through rehab (well, actually, he did a couple of times) and has some recovery time. (about 20 years at the time we watched this movie together) My friend and I watched this movie and He was fully impressed as was I, having seen this process taking place in the lives of several of my friends.Micheal Keaton's character goes through all the stages of recovery; the crash and burn - hitting bottom, faking it, making it and getting on the road of recovery. With a sponsor who is exactly what he needed - a bastard with a heart - he gains insight into his own life and finds his direction.What I enjoyed was that the movie did not pound a point into us. As if we could not get the concept. It let us gather in what was told and watch what happened. We see some in sight into the mind of the addict, without it being a person we really could care less about. Some how we feel for him and want him to find a good path.My friend told me that the scenes in rehab were authentic, complete with the sex that takes place. 13th stepping as they call it.Keaton plays the role so well you can forget who he is and take in the character.If you know someone who is working a recovery, you might enjoy watching this with them, not only for what they can tell you, but for what you might learn about them.