Disrepair

To be honest, I was at first excited to watch. I'm an East Coast girl and a big John Reardon fan but WOW did this miss the mark. I saw it was only four short episodes on Bell and thought it wouldn't be too bad to sit through. I can understand what they were trying to do but getting past the first scene was hard. Wooden and forced acting and hollow writing. And that's when it didn't feel like the actors were struggling to make up the words on the spot. It was like that throughout the show. The ex-wife character was one of the better actors but still fell victim to contrived dialogue. The few good moments of the show were completely wiped clean during that final scene, that was so cringeworthy and overdone. It did the exact opposite of what it should have done.

Many of us know someone who has gone through something like this. Stories about addiction are important but Disrepair feels like a film school project that tries way too hard and is super cringey, which makes it fall flat. It's awkward and clumsy and not in any way that benefits the story or characters.

Disrepair feels contrived, pretentious at times, and often overacted. John Reardon was good as always.

The film really got to me because I've lived through something similar. Jake's fight to stay sober and fix things with his family felt so real. Like the movie was pulling scenes straight from my life.

I loved how honest it was. Addiction isn't some dramatic movie plot here; it's just hard, ugly, and exhausting, just like in real life. Jake doesn't magically get better overnight. He messes up, he hurts people, and he has to work for every bit of progress. The way his family doesn't just forgive him right away felt true to me. Trust takes time to rebuild.

The acting was good, especially Jake. You could see the guilt and hope in his eyes. Every awkward conversation with his family, every moment where they don't know whether to believe him again. Just like in real life.

If you've ever dealt with addiction (yours or someone else's), this movie will mean something to you. It's not flashy or over-the-top. Just real, painful, and sometimes hopeful. One of the more interesting films I've seen in a long time because it actually understands the problem.

I might question some parts of the movie itself but....... it's the story that spoke to me.

So inspiring and stimulating, this is truly about human struggles and a true Journey, I love the storyline and I truly feel that with the overload of content out there this one really stands out with its authentic message. I like watching shows that you can actually learn something through someone's growth process , sobriety and the obstacles standing in one's way to maintain it , the acting is great as well. I highly recommend watching if you want to learn more about people struggling with addiction and life in general. Good job on brining content that's actually meaningful, compassionate and raw.

Disrepair hit me in a way few movies do. Not because of flashy effects or a twisty plot, but because of how raw and honest it felt. Watching Jake Thomas try to rebuild his life after years of addiction was incredibly moving. The film doesn't sugarcoat the damage caused, but it also doesn't let you forget the hope that comes with trying again.

A friend of mine went through something very similar, and she said this was the first time she saw her struggle reflected so truthfully on screen. The performances were powerful, especially in the quiet moments where Jake faces his past. Disrepair isn't just about addiction-it's about the messy, painful, and courageous work of healing.

A friend of mine worked on this and I was curious to see if it lived up to the awkwardness she described.

It did.

I feel the writing is perhaps the film's weakest point. The dialogue feels unnatural and overwritten, often getting lost in clunky exchanges and underdeveloped story arcs. There are plenty of great examples of authentic, believable dialogue ("Manchester by the Sea", "Before Sunset") that show how it can be done well. Disrepair, unfortunately, often chooses for characters explaining rather than expressing which underestimates the viewer's ability to read between the lines.

The performances suffer as a result. While there are a few moments where the cast shows glimmers of promise, most of the acting feels forced and unconvincing. In my opinion, either the direction or the script (or both) left them with little to work with. I believe most actors have the potential to be good, so I hesitate to say it was an acting issue. But it also could have.

The cinematography = inconsistent and awkward. Off-kilter framing and poor lighting make it more distracting than atmospheric, engaging or intentional. It doesn't feel like a stylistic choice either. The color grading is distracting and mismatched from scene to scene.

I respect any creative effort that tries to tackle addiction seriously and I appreciated the idea of focusing on three men dealing with this issue.

It doesn't need to feel polished or overly cinematic, and it shouldn't. But in the end, what I feel is a lack of technical and narrative skills impedes a potentially nice story.

It's a tough watch for all the wrong reasons.