28 Days

Gwen Cummings (Bullock) has a problem with booze. We know this because we see her dancing on a table and making a tit of herself at her sister's wedding. Soon she's drying out in a ward of rehabilitating coke fiends, smack heads and morphine addicts under the beady gaze of counsellor Cornell (Buscemi). And does Gwen like Pacific Haven? Not one jot. But does she learn the error of her ways, earn her sister's forgiveness, come to terms with her rotten childhood, dump her unctuous English boyfriend Jasper (West), lay off the hard stuff and emerge a clean and sober, righteous Gwen? You betcha. Trust Hollywood to come up with a feelgood movie about AA. This is a botch, but you can see it wants to be warm, witty and wise. Bullock dispenses with the lip gloss and the blush, and enjoys some choice moments. Director Thomas goes for a jitter-cam feel that's supposed to read as intense, gritty and raw, but comes across as TV, while screenwriter Grant aims for feisty self-determination but hits cute self-absorption.