MovieChat Forums > Clean and Sober (1988) Discussion > Favorite Scene(s)?

Favorite Scene(s)?

posted 19 years ago by ijones-9
21 replies | jump to latest

It's hard to narrow it down to one, as this movie rocked from beginning to end, but I think one of my favorite scenes is when Daryl calls his parents asking them for money and when his mother says she doesn't have it, he suggests that they get a 2nd mortgage on the house and we see Daryl apologize for making his mother cry. The scene is brilliantly played by Keaton and works so well because it is a telephone scene and we only hear his side of the conversation...and it is just heartbreaking to see Daryl's reaction when he realizes that he has made his mother cry. I also love the scene where Daryl has left the rehab and is at a mall trying to call his dealer but unknowlingly calls his soon to be AA sponsor (M. Emmett Walsh)instead. I liked the way Walsh's character let it slide even though he knew Daryl only called him by accident and the way Daryl accepted his mistake and decided to meet with th guy and do what he said. This was a turning point for us and Daryl when we realized he might have a chance to recover.

[–] lauren7312 19 years ago

I like when the guy gets upset as his daughter for flushing his rock of cocaine...LOL. It was pretty funny.

[–] johnmorley44 18 years ago

Another vote for the phone scene, like you say it's a brilliant piece of acting because Keaton is working with nothing, and perfectly conveys the anguish and the sheer desperation of the character.

It's also kind of a wake up call for his character, even more so than finding the girl dead in his bed, where he first starts to realise how low he has sunk.

It's a great shame that most people still consider Keaton primarily a comedy actor, because he can do superb drama when needed.

[–] jleslie48 18 years ago

that scene is brilliant, but its pretty straight-forward. Nothing subtle about it. The one that blows me away is when he has to finally has to return to the office and deal with his crime. His switch from please forgive me to what are you doing to me when he can't accept that he's fired is just perfect. If you ever met a drug abuser/alcoholic, its perfect. The pure narcisism, the look what your doing to me, instead of look what I did, just dead on.

[–] Isaac5855 18 years ago

You'e absolutel right about that scene...actually, this film contains one brilliant scene after another.

[–] tklaurent 18 years ago

The very last scene when Keaton gives his sobriety speech.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Studioart81 18 years ago

Kathy Baker (sorry, not Bates) was perfect in the film. It's nice to see how their "relationship" progresses as Daryl tries to convince her to leave strung out and abusive Lenny, as he and Charlie are in recovery. It's too bad her character Charlie did not get much of a chance, as Daryl learns it is next to impossible to control someone else's destinies. She was given decent character development, but her plight was intended to straighten Daryl up to the point of really seeing the error of his ways and a whole lot more. Great movie!

[–] schnikoly 18 years ago

I agree with the previous posts naming the scenes where he calls his mother and when he goes "off script" when trying to apologize to his boss. Good stuff. I have used this film for years while working as an addictions therapist. It still is the best I've seen on the subject.

[–] Studioart81 17 years ago

One concept I did not quite get about the "phone tag" scene between Keaton and Baker is the fact that Charlie says that Craig gave her permission to use the phone. Obviously, Daryl is using the phone against the center's orders. Also, Charlie was admitted to the center only a day apart from Daryl, which means that both have not earned their "pass" for the outside yet. So, why is Charlie allowed to use the phone when Daryl and the others are not (although Daryl does it anyway)? Any ideas?

[–] waldosanmiguel 17 years ago

Love the scene whe Keaton calls his dealer. "Hey, Spence! Big D here!. Listen, don't hang up! F... you! F... you!"

Also the line to Spence the dealer. "What do mean you ain't got any? It's your f...ing job,man!"

The scene when he tells Lenny to get the f... out of his house.

When Tate Donovan tells Keaton that Kathy Baker is dancing with Ike Turner. Keaton tells him "F... you. That guy's name is Gary."

Emmet Walsh on the phone with Keaton.

Emmet:"What are you gonna bring?"
Keaton:"Drugs. Lots of drugs."
Emmet:"An inventory!"

Kathy Baker's phone conversation with Lenny and the way she deflates.

Darryl's job interviews. "I'm 34. 33. I'm 27"

[–] ToAsToAsT 15 years ago

>One concept I did not quite get about the "phone tag" scene between Keaton and Baker is the fact that Charlie says that Craig gave her permission to use the phone. Obviously, Daryl is using the phone against the center's orders. Also, Charlie was admitted to the center only a day apart from Daryl, which means that both have not earned their "pass" for the outside yet. So, why is Charlie allowed to use the phone when Daryl and the others are not (although Daryl does it anyway)? Any ideas?<

Yes- here are a few ideas:

1) Maybe Charlie was lying about having "permission" to use the phone? Perhaps she had "outside business" with someone too (maybe Lenny?)

2) Maybe Craig gave her permission to see how Daryl would react or respond?

3) Or Craig wanted to "snoop" on Daryl by sending Charlie in to use the phone? He obviously knew that Daryl was using the phone several times (because he sees him pacing back and forth from another room and even opens the door for him at one point (while they were watching the movie) as if he was "waiting" for Daryl to get up and leave.) Craig was maybe curious as to what was so urgent about using the phone and wanted to find out indirectly by sending Charlie in?

Just a few thoughts...

[–] mjkbncb 17 years ago

Great scene! Another great scene is the one that occurs just before, when Daryl ransacks his office looking for his drugs. Keaton's performance is so riveting. One can see the desperation that this addict is going through as he furiously teaars apart the office looking for his next fix.

I also like the scene right after Daryl's coffee shop chat with Richard, when he returns to the clinic and is undergoing his routine drug test. He's so happy with himself that he was able to survive his weekend pass without going off the wagon. He's definitely a man who is slowly realizing that he has a problem, but wants to be cured of that problem and is proud of himself for not succuming to temptation while on the outside. Hence his elated attitude manifested with jokes as he bursts happily through the bathroom door with Craig following close behind.

[–] hnt_dnl 17 years ago

I'd seen it several times but haven't seen it in a while. I'd have to see it again to say for sure which scene is my favorite. Just thinking about it now, I'd say the diner scene between Keaton and Walsh. Darryl lists all the bad things he's done in his life and Richard asks him point blank "Are you an addict, Darryl?" It kind of came out of nowhere, but it's obvious that this is the standard sponsor protocol. I liked the way Darryl reacted as if he was being attacked and just didn't want to face what he was.

[–] blameline 16 years ago

SPOILER ALERT: I think one of my favs was when Iris was kicked out of rehab. I didn't see that coming, and when it happened, I was kind of kicking myself for not seeing it sooner. That really made me realize how clued in Craig was about everyone in the group. I also like the scene when Darryl berates Craig about how much money he makes. We realize then that true value isn't coming from money as much as self-respect (but 90 thousand can buy a good chunk of self respect).

Next thing they'll be breeding us like cattle. You've gotta tell them. SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!

[–] stevenackerman69 16 years ago

I like it when they go to the movies and we hear Daffy singing a nutty song. The error there is that we then here the Looney Tunes theme that introduces the cartoon afterwards.

[–] jamieleefan1 16 years ago

"That guy's name is Gary." That line cracked me up too!

[–] falcon2484 16 years ago

The dinner scene between Daryl, Charlie & Lenny. It's quiet, but we can see what the characters are obviously feeling. When Daryl asks Lenny, "So, what do you do?" Charlie puts down her fork and just gives him a look. It's perfect. And after the dinner is over and Lenny is blazing up, telling Daryl to get the eff out.

The Falcon flies

[–] jwjr33 15 years ago

Daryl's rant at Craig about the 90 grand and "they don't give a *beep* was an amazing scene. I have always said that scene should be mandatory for all acting students.

[–] tohu777 12 years ago

I watched that phone scene without ONCE reflecting that Keaton-the-actor was doing a monologue into a prop phone. You imagine the mother crying on the other end, her heart totally smashed...The scene makes you cringe, it's so slimy and yet all perfectly plausible (no doubt that scene occurs in reality all over America every day).

[–] cpoet 11 years ago

I watched that phone scene without ONCE reflecting that Keaton-the-actor was doing a monologue into a prop phone.

Same here. I could hear in my mind the mother's initial happiness to hear from her boy, followed by confusion about "second mortgage" and terror that her son needed thirty grand and that knockout punch about his inheritance. And all that came from a simple closeup shot on a guy holding a phone and performing a monologue? Michael Keaton is fantastic.

[–] Studioart81 11 years ago

Especially because we only hear his side of things and not his mother's that makes it all the more realistic in my opinion.