Self Medicated (2005)

33% of critics liked it
(36 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(781 ratings)

Monty Lapica's drama Self-Medicated tells the story of a 17-year-old boy who is having a very difficult time dealing with the grief he experiences after his father dies. After the boy slides into a wicked drug addiction, as well as legal problems, his mother reaches the end of her tether and has her… More Monty Lapica's drama Self-Medicated tells the story of a 17-year-old boy who is having a very difficult time dealing with the grief he experiences after his father dies. After the boy slides into a wicked drug addiction, as well as legal problems, his mother reaches the end of her tether and has her son admitted to an adolescent hospital designed to force him into confronting his issues. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed By: Monty Lapica
Written By: Monty Lapica
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Mar 24, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Mar 1, 2009
Studio: ThinkFilm

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
It's just horrible stuff.
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
Though the script and storytelling could have used more polish, Lapica's honesty provides the lasting impression.
Jan Stuart, Newsday
Lapica's lack of distance from his story is both the film's strength and its weakness.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Note to fledgling directors: when making a movie, you don't have to do everything yourself. In fact, you probably shouldn't.
Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times
Self-Medicated must have been cathartic for writer-director-producer-star Monty Lapica to make, but its therapeutic value for audiences is questionable.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
On the basis of this film, Monty Lapica, at 24, has a career ahead of him as a director, an actor or both. He also has a life ahead of him, which the film does a great deal to make clear.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
A more seasoned writer would steer clear of false, assembly-line contrivances.
Scott Tobias, AV Club
It's a personal story that feels like it's been constructed from other movies.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
There are nice touches, particularly in Venora's performance and Timothy Kendall's editing, but the film's maudlin edge illustrates the dangers of directing your own material.
Ted Fry, Seattle Times
It's just a little too simplistic and not a very compelling story.
Jim Hemphill, Reel.com
Monty Lapica's Self-Medicated is a powerful, personal piece of independent filmmaking
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
As it stands, the film is more often self-absorbed than self-aware.
Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Daily News
Heartfelt it clearly is. Disciplined and focused on what's truly intriguing about the story, not so much.