Disrepair

What I really loved about this series is how it doesn't pretend. It doesn't dress itself up to make you feel good or deliver some neat, perfect ending where everyone magically gets better. Instead, it leans into the uncomfortable truth that not everyone changes. Not every situation gets resolved. Sometimes people just stay stuck - and you're left watching, hoping, getting frustrated... and realizing how familiar that feels.

The main character isn't some heroic comeback story waiting to happen. He's messy, lost, and at times, completely hopeless. You want him to figure it out. You want him to finally fight back against the chaos closing in on him. But instead, he almost embraces the collapse. There's something brutally honest about watching someone sit in the wreckage of their own life because the fire feels safer than the unknown. Isn't that something we've all either seen or felt in our own way?

What really stood out to me is how this show captured not just his struggle, but how his downfall ripples through the people around him. His family isn't perfect either - they've got their own battles, and sometimes it feels like they're just surviving, holding on by a thread. The dynamic felt painfully true to life. Some people are forced to be strong for others who can't carry themselves. It's exhausting. It's messy. It's real.

And then there's the ending - or really, the lack of one. No big breakthrough. No redemption arc. Just the uncomfortable silence of life continuing, unresolved. I didn't mind that. I actually respected it. Because that's reality. Things don't always get better. Sometimes all we get is the chance to keep moving forward, even when it's unclear where we're headed.

Sure, there were flaws - a few scenes could've looked sharper, and some dialogue didn't land perfectly. But honestly? That just added to the rough, unpolished vibe of the whole story. Not everything needs to be pretty to be powerful.

I'm surprised by how harsh some of the criticism has been. For me, this wasn't about flawless execution. It was about telling a story that reflects how hard, ugly, and unfinished real life can be. Watching this reminded me that it's okay to sit with the discomfort, to not have all the answers, and to appreciate what we have even when it's far from perfect.

Huge respect to the cast, the crew, and everyone behind this project. You captured something raw and real - and that's what stayed with me.

5/10

This review is 100% my own and not written by the filmmakers, friends or family.

While Disrepair aims to explore a serious topic, it doesn't quite succeed in delivering the emotional depth it needs. The characters feel like they're stuck in a loop, and they fail to engage, making it difficult to stay invested. It's hard to feel any kind of empathy when the characters come across as wooden and disinterested. There don't appear to be any redeeming character qualities for us to grab onto and root for. No one is looking for a super happy ending here with a story like this but we need something to root for and if the characters come off disinterested, so can the audience. Addiction is a struggle people must fight with for the rest of their lives. Maybe it's just a casting issue. Perhaps stronger actors could have made it more believable.

It feels like the show is dragging out every single scene, making what could've been a powerful moment just drag on and on until you lose interest. I get that they're trying to build tension and attempt to show real life but instead it just feels like a slog.

Some performances don't help, either. No character really gives that emotional punch that you'd expect from a show about addiction. Any attempts at an emotional punch felt like it was being overly pushed onto the audience. I will admit though, the ex-wife character almost had some decent moments and seemed to be one of the more believable actors.

In the end, Disrepair feels like it's trying to be deeper than it actually is. It's predictable.

I feel that those who struggled to see the vision may be those in society who expect perfection at every turn, and nothing less. Those who are never satisfied. Which is in a way ironic, because for me, that is part of the polarization of the reality in this short series: that the picture perfect outcome isn't easily attainable. If at all, ever.

We watch the main character's inability to recover fully, with a hope that he finally "gets it" and begins to turn a corner. Frustratingly, he fails - miserably, and his effort is (respectfully) pathetic to a degree. He sees the house burn down around him, and takes comfort in the flame rather than flee for safety, attempt to put it out, save the others in the house...anything! Isn't that exactly what so many go through as they face their version of their addiction or bad habit? Is it not relatable that those around him have their own struggles that are at times magnified or diminished by their main character who often steals the 'spotlight'?

That the story comes to an end, without resolution, and leaves an ambiguous open ending is, to me, very much reminiscent to what real life is: messy, uncertain, and noncommittal. That was the takeway and what made the story of this family's struggle to simply exist peacefully very much relatable.

As far as constructive criticism for the production itself- could there have been some improvement of the visual direction of some scenes? Sure. Could the dialogue also tighten up in some areas? Yes. I found it out of touch for the negative reviews to be as markedly stern as they were. The story wasn't difficult to follow along to, and there was a qualitative value in the frustration felt as a viewer, towards the characters. Which, again, I felt was intentional. Some not-so-perfect people are having to pull up for an even moreso not-so-great person in order to make all of their lives bearable. THAT'S real life. And it's what I came to appreciate after having watched. I wanted to see what became of these brothers. But we don't get that. Which again, is very much how life is: appreciate what you have while you have it, even if it's incomplete.

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and creators.

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.

Disrepair pulls you in from the first scene and never lets up. In just four episodes, it follows Jake's early recovery with honesty, heart, and intensity. Matthew Sauvé gives a powerful lead performance, and the entire cast feels incredibly real. The writing is sharp and realistic, the pacing is perfect, and the emotions are there without ever feeling forced. The direction and soundtrack build a quiet tension that sticks with you. It's, moving, and refreshingly grounded. Canadian TV needs more shows like this. Ten stars without question. I hope this is just the beginning and that a new season with only further this inspiring story.