A Million Little Pieces review – stylish but heavy-handed drug drama

In 2003, James Frey took the world by storm with “A Million Little Pieces,” a detailed memoir of his time spent in a rehabilitation clinic for drugs and alcohol addiction that became a huge bestseller after it was selected for Oprah Winfrey’s famous Book Club. Ina  plot twist nobody could have anticipated, it later emerged that Frey had fabricated some of the events depicted within, prompting many fans – Oprah included – to claim he intentionally set out to deceive the public.

The resulting fireworks eventually fizzled out (Frey is still a successful author and they made this movie, didn’t they?), and yet the conversation that arose during this alleged incident of literary forgery made for a fascinating debate. Which is what makes it even more frustrating that director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s A Million Little Pieces eschews what is arguably the most interesting part of Frey’s tale in favour of a mostly watchable but unremarkable drug drama we’ve seen a dozen times before.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, known for his work in the Kick-Ass movies, plays Frey, an addict whose antics result in his being enrolled in rehab by his brother (Charlie Hunnam). Frey is reluctant to begin treatment, convinced he’s not an addict, and it’s only when he starts to befriend his fellow patients (Billy Bob Thornton’s charismatic oddball; Giovanni Ribisi’s flamboyant creeper; Odessa Young’s troubled crack addict) that he begins to find some redemption.

This is clearly something of a passion project for Aaron Taylor-Johnson, working here with his now-wife for the second time since John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy. As such, he gives a performance that’s both expressive and committed, often to the point of exposing himself (sometimes literally) in ways you’ve never seen before. It’s a shame, then, that the script is such a mess. As scenes end suddenly and characters disappear without a trace, the film tackles its themes with the heavy-handed approach of a public service announcement, hitting you over the head with blatant metaphors and repetitive talky scenes about the dangers of addiction.

Though the film doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny, it does earn a fair few points for its admirably surreal style, and it’s a style that’s inventive enough to keep your attention for the length of the runtime. Even when working with the flimsiest material (Fifty Shades of Grey, anyone?), Sam Taylor-Johnson – who made her name as a visual artist – has always been able to make a film look nice and fancy – even in those places where “nice and fancy” needn’t apply, like in this film’s – how to say this? – “faecal waterfall sequence.”

There’s a good chance this A Million Little Pieces, just like the book, will prove comforting to lots of people in spite of its shortcomings. It’s just unfortunate that – despite a lead performance that shouldn’t be ignored come awards season and some stylish direction – the film squanders its narrative potential as it brushes off the controversial aftermath. You end up wishing they’d taken a page out of Frey’s book and invented a whole lot more. 

★★★☆☆

By: Jack Martin

Get A Million Little Pieces showtimes in London.