Movie Review: Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

Last night I was looking for something good to watch and I decided to watch Days of Wine and Roses. I had heard positive things about it, so I decided to give it a try. Two hours later, I was left speechless. This truly was one of the best movies I have ever seen. Jack Lemmon plays Joe Clay, a public relations specialist, who is the guy that is always ready for a drink. He's the poster child of "social drinkers." He wines and dines with clients and potential clients, but always makes it to the office the next day, only asking for coffee. Joe meets and falls in love with Kirsten and after dating for a short while they get married and move into together. Kirsten never drank before she met Joe, but since they met each other they both always take "a couple of hits." Joe's drinking gets worse and worse, while Kirsten, who's left at home with their child, begins to drink more and more. Joe realizes that his drinking is really having a negative impact on his life. As he tells his wife: "I walked by Union Square Bar. I was going to go in. Then I saw myself, my reflection in the window, and I thought, 'I wonder who that bum is'? And then I saw it was me. Now look at me. I'm a bum. Look at me! Look at you. You're a bum. Look at you. And look at us. Look at us. C'mon look at us! See? A couple of bums." Just as the life of an alcoholic has its ups and downs, this movie is like a roller coaster of emotions. It gives an honest look at the battle to control an addiction. It also shows how easy it is to "fall of the wagon" and revert back to the devastating lifestyle. There are parts of this movie that are unbelievably funny. Other parts are disturbing and unsettling. Jack Lemmon is absolutely perfect in his portrayal of Joe Clay. The on-screen chemistry between Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick is unforgettable. All I can say is...see this movie!!!