“Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self-respect and everything that goes along with your self esteem.” – Kurt Cobain

When we first meet Molly Preston she is taking medication while her protective sister Macy Preston is hurrying her along out the house. The two sisters enter a gathering. From the outset, body language tells us that Macy and Molly have a tense relationship. Reasons for their strained relationship become apparent when Molly steals away from her elder sister to indulge herself with alcohol and drugs with a group of girls at the back of the house. It seems that whenever Molly is not in sight Macy’s mind is not at rest. Macy’s concern for her younger sister leads her to spy on the group. Macy is joined by a young male called Daniel behind the corner of the wall. She becomes more anxious as she witnesses the extent of her sister’s alcohol abuse from her hidden vantage point. As the afternoon continues Macy is alarmed by her sister Molly’s increasingly vulnerable situation.

Films

Director: Grace SheridanWith Molly Fisherdodds, Louise Sheridan, Myles Egan

Addicti

Certificate 15

SYNOPSIS Caterham, mid-evening. 17 year-old Macy is waiting on her twin sister Molly to get ready. Molly is taking medication till she is hurried out the house. The sisters enter a gathering while Macy hands Molly a drink. A young girl joins the sisters. Molly leaves the two girls. Macy turns around and notices Molly has disappeared. Macy enters the garden and sees Molly drinking with two other girls, she sneaks behind a wall. Macy spies on the group while a boy called Daniel sneaks up behind her. Daniel leaves Macy, while Molly’s friend Ellie brings out weed from her pocket. Molly and the girls pass round the joint between them while Daniel creeps behind the wall with Macy again.Molly leaves the group and heads indoors while Daniel leaves Macy and assists Molly inside. Molly is lying vulnerably on the bed while Daniel takes off her coat and grabs her wrist. Later Daniel sneaks out the room as he crosses Macy. Macy enters to find Molly crying on the bed and comforts her in her arms.

Sheridan’s first feature In Her Eyes (2013) also explored the health issues of a family member and the effect they had on a young female carer. In Addiction we see this theme developed through Molly’s unknown health issue revealed to us only through the medication she must take. Here the health condition is fused with a reliance on drugs to make more pronounced her vulnerability.

In Her Eyes took us into the world of a young female suffering from neglect and having to provide for herself due to her Mum’s mental illness. Sheridan has again brought realism to Addiction by portraying the issue of disenfranchised and disenchanted youth left behind by society. The film’s strategy throughout is to maintain an uncomfortable tension by putting us into the psyche of the anxious Macy watching every single one of her sister’s moves. When Macy enters the garden to spy on her sister the sibling dynamic changes. Macey’s clear frustration and disapproval juxtaposed with Molly’s laughter with her friends highlights the difficulty of such a responsibility for someone of her age. There are more alarming sights to come for Macy (Molly Fisherdodds) when Molly (Louise Sheridan) mixes her drink with drugs and becomes defenceless.

The turning point in the story comes when Molly begins to suffer the consequences of the cocktail of prescription medication, spirits and chemicalised marijuana. Feeling unwell, she separates herself from the group and heads into the house to rest.Sheridan’s POV style of narrative development pays huge dividends now. Inhabiting the protagonist this way, through development we share her sadness and sympathy as the extent of Molly’s vulnerability is horrifyingly revealed to us. The film finishes with an implied sexual assault. Daniel, who has accompanied Molly inside on the pretext of making sure she is safe, takes advantage of her drugged state to satisfy his own carnal desires. Sheridan’s teenage non-professional actors give compelling and utterly real performances. The disturbing party life of a teenager is brought to our eyes with realism. It brings out realization of teenage youth in today’s society. Overall this second film is a another fine accomplishment for this promising young director.

Credits for this film were unavailable at the time of going to press and will be published in the March issue.

Michelle Bondos

CREDITSDirected byGrace SheridanProduced byGrace SheridanWritten byGrace SheridanDirector of PhotographyGrace SheridanEditorGrace SheridanProduction DesignerShannon DaglishProduction CompaniesGJS FilmExecutive ProducersLucinda DayRachel KellyGeorgia CooperAssociate ProducerLynn CorrProduction ManagerEllie NikelProduction AccountantDaniel MightProduction Co-ordinatorAnna HazelLocation Manager Post-production SupervisorStuart RussellAssistant Directors1st: Claire Gragham 2nd: Rebecca FordCasting DirectorJimmy Fried Visual EffectsKayla HayArt DirectorSarah GunnProps MasterIsaac NicholCostume DesignerHarry RookWardrobe SupervisorBella FlintHair/Make-up DesignerBeverly ObikaMusical Supervisor James Mclemon SoundtrackChoreographerSandra Flack Sound RecordistJacob GeldardRe-recording MixerBen StillSupervising Sound EditorJoanna Howard

CASTMollie FisherdoddsMacyLouise SheridanMollyMyles EganDanielLeah AylingEllieGeorgina CoughlanGirl 1Leah ReayGirl 2

38 │Picture and Sound │February 2014

Left to right: Molly (Louise Sheridan) Macy Mollie Fisherdodds