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From Australia comes this powerful, hard to view portrait of a couple who quickly slide into the nightmarish world of cocaine use. Several dynamic performances bring home the film’s message – drugs destroy the soul.

Man, this was difficult to view. Along with the R-rated content of graphic sex and continual use of obscene language, we see two beautiful young people degenerate into creatures whose only ambition is the next fix. They will lie, use, steal and threaten both strangers and loved ones in her to get that high.

Throughout my career as a film reviewer I have maintained a --- of not telling you to go to a movie or stay away from it. I believe my opinion, the story’s synopsis and the content description should aid readers in the decision whether or not to support a film. Since this is such an important support matter, I will offer up the following advice. (First, read the content.)

I once heard that that the first use of (cocaine or heroin, I can’t remember which) is the greatest high you’ll ever experience. And that people will spend the rest of their lives seeking that same high from that drug and never quite achieving it. Perhaps that is propaganda. But seeing and hearing of countless lives destroyed by such addition would indicate that there is truth to that platitude. Parents can talk to their kids until they are blue in the face, the resulting promise “I won’t do drugs” being forsaken sometimes in the same day. A picture is worth a thousand words. And if I thought that this film might keep some teen from that first time experiment, I’d say take them to it. If I had a teenager, I’d take him or her to this film. It just might scare the temptation out of them. You know I don’t want kids being subjected to profane language and graphic sexuality in movies. But if this depiction would aid in their resistance to the peer pressure of drug use, then I think this exception would be worth it.

Today’s audiences are willing to accept graphic portrayals of a self-destructive lifestyle with content that beats up the viewer as much as the actor. Here are two gut wrenching films that deal with addiction, but lack the objectionable language and detailed sexual situations.

Days Of Wine and Roses. A drunk marries and their lives descend into alcoholism, with one later finding sobriety. Writing, directing and acting (Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick) all extraordinary, with poignant ending.

The Man with the Golden Arm. Frank Sinatra plays a convincing junkie and we sense the dark hole a drug addict lives in. It is a horrifying examination of addiction.

Distributor: Dendy Films