AMERICAN INDIES

JUNKIE

2025 / 105 min / color

Stevie’s life is anything but easy – and what’s worse, she can’t seem to get out of her own way. She’s just escaped from yet another rehab facility and is facing mounting debts and few prospects. Before skipping town, she tries to reconcile with her estranged son, but with her exceptional talent for getting in trouble, mending fences won’t be easy. Old associates from the criminal underworld show up on her path, and a whirlwind of events soon pulls her into a series of increasingly absurd and dangerous situations. William Means’s film is based on the private journals of lead actress Rocky Shay, as well as the director’s own life experiences. It’s a raw, unflinching portrait of addiction, but it’s also a humorous, deeply human story about a character you can’t help rooting for, despite all her mistakes. Critics have compared Means’s film to the high-octane, pulsating work of the Safdie brothers – you can’t ask for a higher compliment.