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reviews
Chicago Free Press By Gregg Shapiro
“Rock Bottom” (Outcast Films)—Filmed
over a two-year period, Jay Corcoran’s unflinching doc about
crystal meth abuse in the gay community is as troubling and difficult
as the crisis itself. The individual stories of CJ, Raymond, Eric,
Scott, J., Mark and Peter provide up-close glimpses into the downward
spiral of addiction and the unbearably high cost and consequences.
Raymond, for example, survived 20 years of HIV only to be brought
down by crystal. The breakdown of safe-sex culture, combined with
fear fatigue, is blamed for the rise of the drug. But the hard-won
skills for resisting triggers of meth use seem to evade virtually
everyone who comes in contact with the addictive and personality
altering chemical. Even a family support system consisting of a
concerned and involved grandmother, mother and sister, like that
of Eric’s, can prove not to be enough. Hard-hitting and brutal,
“Rock Bottom” is necessary, if narcissistic, viewing.
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