June 2005 (2005-06) (CineVegas International Film Festival)
August 31, 2007 (2007-08-31) (United States)
Running time
107 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Self Medicated is a 2005 American teen drama film written, directed by and starring Monty Lapica.[2] Based on actual events in Lapica's life, the film is about a troubled teenager whose mother has him kidnapped at age 17 by a private company and forcibly committed to a locked-down psychiatric institute. Lapica was not originally going to star in the film. According to the subsequent documentary, The Making of Self-Medicated (2007), he did so after casting calls failed to produce a suitable candidate.[3]
Plot
On the edges of Las Vegas, 17-year-old Andrew's life is spiraling out of control. Unable to cope with the loss of his father, Andrew's descent into drugs and violence is gaining momentum, and the once promising young man is now headed for self-destruction.
Andrew's mother, helpless to control her son and fighting an addiction of her own, refuses to watch idly as her only child destroys himself. As a last resort, she hires a private company to forcibly kidnap and confine him in a locked-down and corrupt psychiatric hospital. As Andrew is subjected to the secret physical and emotional abuses of the program something inside him is re-awakened. He must somehow get free to save what's left of his life, but to do that, he knows he must first face his own demons head-on.
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Self-Medicated has a score of 37% based on 38 reviews. The critics’ consensus reads, "Self-Medicated features some nice performances, but is too sentimental and unfocused to be a truly compelling film."[4]
The Hollywood Reporter said there was "a raw, unmannered intensity in Lapica's performance sets the requisite tone for the entire production. Self- Medicated is just what the doctor ordered.",[5] and Variety said the film was "a searing portrait of an out-of-control youth . . . strong acting from all quarters and an especially blistering performance from Lapica. Packs a startling punch!"[6]
After complimenting the musical score by Anthony Marinelli and cinematography by Denis Maloney, Jeannette Catsoulis writes for The New York Times, "When the institutional 'abuses' promised in the press notes fail to materialize (unless you count enforced standing and essay writing), the story becomes a monotonous loop of escape and recapture."[1]
