Clean and Sober

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Clean and Sober

R,

1988,

2h 4m,

Drama

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Watchlist

61%

18 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

61%

Tomatometer

18 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Hotshot real estate salesman Daryl (Michael Keaton) has a bad cocaine habit. After embezzling his company's money, he wakes up next to a girl who overdosed. To hide from the police, he checks into a rehabilitation program guaranteeing anonymity. Under the mentorship of counselor Craig (Morgan Freeman), Daryl accepts that he has a substance abuse problem. As he falls in love with fellow patient Charlie (Kathy Baker), Daryl begins committing to a newly sober life.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

3.5/4

One of the strengths Michael Keaton brings to Clean and Sober is his wild, tumultuous energy, which makes his character seem less like a victim than like an accident causing itself to happen.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 6, 2026

4/4

Not the least extraordinary thing about "Clean and Sober" is that it stars popular frenetic comedian Michael Keaton... it's not only by far the best performance of his career, but will surely be on voters' minds when Oscar time next rolls around.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

May 19, 2025

4/5

Michael Keaton’s portrayal of compulsions toward unregulated chaos often have covert intent here but are also believably human. There are multiple moments here where Keaton doesn’t so much let Daryl’s mask slip but adjust in a masterful, high-wire turn.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 17, 2025

3.5/4

One of the finer films to focus on the personal responsibility involved in conquering one’s demons.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Sep 9, 2024

3/4

Keaton sets his comic instincts aside and lets his wit and energy sour into something mean-spirited.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Apr 27, 2022

2/4

...benefits from Keatons often spellbinding turn as the impressively unlikable protagonist...

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Han R

Aug 21, 2018

Michael Keaton gives his best performance here. A deep, dark, funny, true-to-life character study about modern man's struggle with addiction in contemporary America.

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Ron L

Sep 24, 2017

Intentionally focusses on the path to sobriety rather than deliberate entertaining. But that's ok, because too many films around this time didn't have that firm, serious approach to a given sensitive subject matter and rather chose to make money off it, for e.g.

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Hermione W

Jun 11, 2017

Pretty good movie. Though the second half of the film outside of the hospital isn't nearly as compelling, and the film as a whole is pretty formulaic, but its characters are very interesting to watch as they struggle with their vices, and the performances are solid, especially Keaton and Baker.

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Han P

May 24, 2017

I thought the first half of this movie was amazing, but then it kind of fizzled into predictability after that. One thing that was consistent was how good of a performance that Michael Keaton gave. This movie did drag on in places, but I do not regret watching it.

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Glenn Gordon Caron

Director

Michael Keaton

Daryl Poynter

Kathy Baker

Charlie Standers

Morgan Freeman

Craig

M. Emmet Walsh

Richard Dirks

Brian Benben

Martin Laux

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Synopsis

Hotshot real estate salesman Daryl (Michael Keaton) has a bad cocaine habit. After embezzling his company's money, he wakes up next to a girl who overdosed. To hide from the police, he checks into a rehabilitation program guaranteeing anonymity. Under the mentorship of counselor Craig (Morgan Freeman), Daryl accepts that he has a substance abuse problem. As he falls in love with fellow patient Charlie (Kathy Baker), Daryl begins committing to a newly sober life.

Director: Glenn Gordon Caron
Producer: Tony Ganz, Deborah Blum
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 10, 1988, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.6M
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: Surround

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