In spite of the admirable performance by Sharon Leal, the material contained in Addicted is clichéd and (mostly) predictable to go along with questionable performances by other cast members and more than a couple cringe-worthy scenes. The DVD released by Lionsgate offers impressive video/audio transfers and a forgettable selection of bonus material.
Addicted
(2014)
Genre(s): Drama
Lionsgate | R – 106 min. – $26.98 | February 10, 2015
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Bille Woodruff Writer(s): Zane (novel); Christina Welsh and Ernie Barbarash (screenplay) Cast: Sharon Leal, Boris Kodjoe, William Levy, Tasha Smith, Tyson Beckford, Emayatzy Corinealdi DISC INFO: Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1) |
THE MOVIE – 2.0/5
Addicted is based on the apparently – since I’m out of the loop when it comes to books outside the occasional crime novel – popular erotic novel of the same name by Zane. From my reading, this adaptation is far away from the novel and even from an outsider’s point of view, its utter garbage.
The story centers on wife and mother Zoe (SHARON LEAL) who runs a high-end small advertising agency. She has a good-looking husband (BORIS KODJOE) who is a successful architect and has two beautiful and seemingly well adjusted children. Things seem to be perfect but her life is about to become more chaotic.
One day Zoe attends a gallery showing an on-the-rise artist named Quinton Canosa (WILLIAM LEVY) whose artwork Zoe admires and hopes to sign him to an exclusive deal to distribute his work into other forms, a deal which would be a much needed lifeline for her company. When she meets the man face-to-face in a clichéd embarrassing way, it’s attraction at first site and it’s apparent that Quinton wants Zoe and the reverse was mutual, though Zoe resists… for the time being.
When Zoe goes to his loft for Quinton to look over the contract papers, to which he immediately signed in a nano-second, this also signed her own little contract in a lust-filled affair and passionate sex. Despite even seeking a therapist, Dr. Marcella Spencer (TASHA SMITH), Zoe continues the affair while also playing wife back home but something else is going on: a sex addiction which goes beyond even Quinton but also a random stranger (TYSON BECKFORD) she met at a club one night, opening up even more experimental situations.
However, the affairs come at a cost. At home she’s inattentive towards her husband and children and her business is falling into financial ruin especially after snubbing a rich businessman missing a dinner because, once again, was making passionate love with Quinton in his secret warehouse on top of a car (the movie tries to one-up the sex scenes). Zoe also begins lashing out at her therapist after trying to get Zoe to reveal her childhood memories which she has repressed. To make matters worse, Quinton has fallen in love and wants her to leave her husband.
Addicted is plain and simply a feature-length soap opera just with explicit sex scenes thrown in to tantalize the audience, keeping them awake through a mundane, boring, clichéd and predictable story, although the “twist” near the end did throw me but was more laughable than anything.
The acting also is a bit spotty. Although Sharon Leal, whose best known for her role on “Boston Legal”, does her best to trudge through a murky screenplay and Boris Kodjoe, in his limited capacity, wasn’t bad (personally I hope he gets better material as he has a modicum of charisma to be more mainstream) but William Levy was awful and Tasha Smith didn’t do much better, though the therapist character didn’t exactly disperse sound advice.
The film was directed by Bille Woodruff hasn’t had a great track record helming gems like Honey (and its ill-advised sequel), Bring it On: Fight to the Finish and TV movie Drumline: A New Beat. His direction in Addicted was basic with some OK cinematography by Joseph White (Silent Night, Mother’s Day remakes). But the movie’s faults belongs squarely on the screenwriters with not only the clichés but presenting a character who isn’t entirely likeable and the sex addiction angle that wasn’t handled very well and felt more like a cop out.
In the end, Addicted is just another failed adaptation that I’m sure the studio felt would capitalize on the erotic romantic drama craze opened by ’50 Shades.’ It’s really not worth your time even with the lovely Sharon Leal delivering at least a decent performance for a poorly written character.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 1.25/5
This release comes with a matted slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital Copy.
Getting Intimate with Zane (3:10) is an interview with the author as she discusses her novels and the movie adaptation.
Filming Addicted with the Hottest Men on the Planet (5:45) is a profile of the actors featured in the film.
Deleted Scenes (4:50) – There are three scenes cut down and/or removed from the final film; nothing earth-shattering and wouldn’t have made the movie any better.
VIDEO – 4.25/5 | AUDIO – 4.5/5
Lionsgate releases Addicted onto DVD presented with a 16×9 enhanced 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and for the most part, it looks good with minimal artifacting or pixilation and colors generally seem clear.
The film does sport an aggressive Dolby Digital 5.1 track providing for fine dialogue levels and impressive depth with the LFE channel kicking it into gear every so often (such as the two nightclub scenes).
OVERALL – 2.25/5
Overall, in spite of the admirable performance by Sharon Leal, the material contained in Addicted is clichéd and (mostly) predictable to go along with questionable performances by other cast members and more than a couple cringe-worthy scenes. The DVD released by Lionsgate offers impressive video/audio transfers and a forgettable selection of bonus material.
Brian Oliver, The Movieman
Published: 01/31/2015