A terible story about ptsd'd druged woman that needs recovery. easy made easy paid, and no more than that thinks the grumpy old man.there are some woman flipping out and some cross connections that kills, but its all basic and quite freudianic. terrible music that everybody with a battery driven babys keyboard could make.not recommendecd.
26 Reviews
It's decent...
zusplace6 June 2019
Boring & bland. Not worth the rating (warning)
bastian-kreuzer10 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Recovery is a hopelessly bland, boring and confused little movie. It takes place in one location. Inside a secluded rehab center. Apart from a few outside shots of a snowy forest and a house in a forest all you get is the inside shots. Every room just basically looks the same as the other. The trailer is edited to show the viewers anything but that fact. And, yeah, the secluded rehab center has conveniently been cut off from the rest of the world by a raging snowstorm.
The movie centers around the female lead Ronnie (Stephanie Pearson), a former soldier suffering from PTSD. That's the reason why she's turned to drugs. She is also an aggressive, arrogant and obnoxious person that spends half the movie picking fights with other people. There's nothing likeable about her. Ronnie acts as though this were a prison and not a rehab center. She constantly butts heads with others for no apparent reason. She also gets recurring visions of a dead man. These visions tease a supernatural mystery but nothing comes out of that. The dead man she keeps seeing is not part of the main "horror" plot at all. The mystery of the killer is resolved quickly and is as unimaginative as the rest of the movie.
There's other characters in the movie but they're almost not worth mentioning. There's a female doctor and an almost catatonic girl that are in the movie solely because every hero/heroine of a movie needs someone to save. There's no other purpose for them. They are also slightly less unlikable than our lead so maybe the writers thought the viewers might at least root for those two. The killer turns out to be one of the patients. Her explanation: I have some bad habits. I do drugs and I'm a serial killer. That's all we get. The big reveal just sort of happens about halfway into the movie. There is a love story jammed in there as well. Its clumsy and doesn't work. The rest of the cast is there to fill in the empty space. They inevitably get into a fight with our obnoxious lead Ronnie and then get murdered in a very boring way. The director could as well used some cardboard cutouts, splashed some fake blood on them and that would have worked just as fine.
There's really not much blood and gore in this "horror" movie. The poster and the trailer tease you with it but what you get is far from that. Just some stabbings and a few blood stains. This is not nearly enough for a slasher which this movie turns out to be. Again this aspect of the movie is another disappointment.
The conclusion: The screenplay is boring and ordinary. There's absolutely no suspense, tension or mystery. There's precious little blood and gore. The lead character is arrogant and obnoxious. The killer has no real motivation. She is not scary or menacing. You won't care what happens to the characters. The actors do their best with what they're given but it is not much so don't expect any brilliant acting performances. Most of the action takes place inside so it all looks the same. Bland and colorless. The background music is horrible and annoying. It does not help to build the nonexistent suspense and tension. It will only annoy you. Mark my words.
My vote is 1 out of 10. The horror enthusiasts will hate this confused little flick. It is more of a bad drama than a horror.
EDIT: The rating of this movie somehow exploded to 6.9. Talk about undeserved. You have been warned.
The movie centers around the female lead Ronnie (Stephanie Pearson), a former soldier suffering from PTSD. That's the reason why she's turned to drugs. She is also an aggressive, arrogant and obnoxious person that spends half the movie picking fights with other people. There's nothing likeable about her. Ronnie acts as though this were a prison and not a rehab center. She constantly butts heads with others for no apparent reason. She also gets recurring visions of a dead man. These visions tease a supernatural mystery but nothing comes out of that. The dead man she keeps seeing is not part of the main "horror" plot at all. The mystery of the killer is resolved quickly and is as unimaginative as the rest of the movie.
There's other characters in the movie but they're almost not worth mentioning. There's a female doctor and an almost catatonic girl that are in the movie solely because every hero/heroine of a movie needs someone to save. There's no other purpose for them. They are also slightly less unlikable than our lead so maybe the writers thought the viewers might at least root for those two. The killer turns out to be one of the patients. Her explanation: I have some bad habits. I do drugs and I'm a serial killer. That's all we get. The big reveal just sort of happens about halfway into the movie. There is a love story jammed in there as well. Its clumsy and doesn't work. The rest of the cast is there to fill in the empty space. They inevitably get into a fight with our obnoxious lead Ronnie and then get murdered in a very boring way. The director could as well used some cardboard cutouts, splashed some fake blood on them and that would have worked just as fine.
There's really not much blood and gore in this "horror" movie. The poster and the trailer tease you with it but what you get is far from that. Just some stabbings and a few blood stains. This is not nearly enough for a slasher which this movie turns out to be. Again this aspect of the movie is another disappointment.
The conclusion: The screenplay is boring and ordinary. There's absolutely no suspense, tension or mystery. There's precious little blood and gore. The lead character is arrogant and obnoxious. The killer has no real motivation. She is not scary or menacing. You won't care what happens to the characters. The actors do their best with what they're given but it is not much so don't expect any brilliant acting performances. Most of the action takes place inside so it all looks the same. Bland and colorless. The background music is horrible and annoying. It does not help to build the nonexistent suspense and tension. It will only annoy you. Mark my words.
My vote is 1 out of 10. The horror enthusiasts will hate this confused little flick. It is more of a bad drama than a horror.
EDIT: The rating of this movie somehow exploded to 6.9. Talk about undeserved. You have been warned.
A Real Borefest
politehere5 June 2019
The movie has nice cinematography and good acting, but it's an all-girl cast. It's about a few heroin addict girls trying to get clean in a rehab center and they fight each other like prisoners would in prison. That's all the movie is all about. There are no scares, no thrills, nothing. Just because people die in a movie, it doesn't get to be called a horror movie. I think a new sub-genre should be created for movies like this so horror movie fans will know they should avoid them, something like: crime, murder. This is no Scream. It's lame and boring with a generic plot. Actually, I can barely call it a plot, because it's too basic. Close your eyes and imagine this: two girls are fighting a normal fight with fists in a well-lit corridor, one of them picks up a shard of glass and stabs the other, and the other girl just falls to the ground and dies. There's no gore either.
Now, slowly open your eyes. Did that scare you? Did you find that thrilling or interesting in any way? That's what you're going to get by watching this movie. If you found the picture I described interesting, scary or thrilling even a bit, please go ahead and watch this movie. Otherwise, save yourself an hour and thirty minutes of your life and watch something better. The gore you see in the trailer is what one of the girl's sees in her head a few times during the movie. It's got nothing to do with the main story-line, and it's merely there as an excuse to make an interesting trailer in order to deceive the audience.
And no, please don't thank me. It is my duty to warn you. If I can save even one person's time, I will have served a purpose in this world.
And no, please don't thank me. It is my duty to warn you. If I can save even one person's time, I will have served a purpose in this world.
Commits the worst sin for a horror movie, it's boring.
efullerton12 June 2019
There's not a lot to like here, the set-up of an all female mandated heroin recovery unit feels like it might have some legs, but it's sqaundered and has to lean on the tired contrivance that there's an impassable blizzard to build any kind of tension at all. The actors do their best, but it would take the finest actors in the world to deliver the maudlin heavy-handed dialog the script demands, and these aren't them. The characters become caricatures and by virtue of that there are no stakes, you don't care what happens to any of them and just hope they are all killed in some significant manner.
As you sit through real time therapy sessions you begin to wonder if there is ever going to be a turn where it becomes a genre flick, and then when that finally happens at the 1 hour mark you're so bitterly disappointed you'll want to turn it off at what is a laughably silly payoff, but stick around for that final showdown featuring the least gripping combat since the knife fight in Seizure.
As you sit through real time therapy sessions you begin to wonder if there is ever going to be a turn where it becomes a genre flick, and then when that finally happens at the 1 hour mark you're so bitterly disappointed you'll want to turn it off at what is a laughably silly payoff, but stick around for that final showdown featuring the least gripping combat since the knife fight in Seizure.
BORING
techousewife12 June 2019
Quite possibly...
tobiasklaye13 June 2019
Runs with scissors
nogodnomasters24 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Ronnie Price (Stephanie Pearson) is an ex-military heroin addict as a remote rehab center. She has periods of blackouts and sometimes commits violence. When folks start to turn up dead, she is the prime suspect. Because of the never-ending blizzard, the police can not show up. Terror runs through the recovery center as a killer is loose.
This is a bittersweet slasher, slow at times.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
This is a bittersweet slasher, slow at times.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Eh..
wicker-9346013 June 2019
Thoughtful Thriller
mike_truesdell-404477 July 2019
I personally enjoyed this film. It did not scare me with horror. It did not dazzle me with action sequences. It did not shock me with graphic depictions. All of which are probably basic elements of horror thrillers. It made me think about the various issues that plague such individuals . . . but not too deeply. I was entertained, which, I believe, is the primary purpose of a movie. I was drawn into a state of isolation and vulnerability in a realistic setting. The cinematography was beautiful, and effectively trapped me in an institution in the middle of nowhere, cut off from the rest of the world by a blizzard. The plot twists might have been tuned more tightly, but they kept me guessing, and they kept me engaged until the end. And, as far as the all girl cast . . . I don't see the problem.
killer not scary enough
SnoopyStyle12 June 2019
Bonnie checks into a court ordered rehab in a remote female facility. She often blacks out, has a hallucination of a scary man, and comes out of a violent trance. After such an attack on another patient, Dr. Taylor decides to return her to jail but a snow storm has shut in the facility.
This could have been a good horror but it's not shot in the genre. The killer is not scary enough and the jump scares aren't there. I like the characters. It could have better. It really needs a scarier killer.
This could have been a good horror but it's not shot in the genre. The killer is not scary enough and the jump scares aren't there. I like the characters. It could have better. It really needs a scarier killer.
Boring
draftdubya13 April 2021
I've no clue why the female doctor is so giddy for a very violent person. I have never seen a movie that have absolutely no people to root for. They would've drugged Ronnie till the transport came.
For some reason this place has only one guard that let them go full violent till the last moment. A place with highly violent drug addicts will let them roam as they please. No one thinks to hid in the room they keep the drugs since it would be the most hardened area.
For some reason this place has only one guard that let them go full violent till the last moment. A place with highly violent drug addicts will let them roam as they please. No one thinks to hid in the room they keep the drugs since it would be the most hardened area.
How is this even rated so high?
DarianFisher14 August 2019
I was going into this film with high expectations due to high rating on here but was totally disappointed.
Acting was subpar, the editing and camera shots were amateurish at best and the story was really boring. I fell asleep a few times trying to watch this trainwreck. I dont usually rate 1 stars but this one truly deserves it.
Acting was subpar, the editing and camera shots were amateurish at best and the story was really boring. I fell asleep a few times trying to watch this trainwreck. I dont usually rate 1 stars but this one truly deserves it.
They Can't All Be Winners
Foutainoflife29 June 2019
This needs a lot of work. It's low budget but it was filmed ok, the acting was subpar but I've seen worse and the story lacked depth. The characters weren't likeable and it was all a bit predictable. It just doesn't deliver enough for the viewer to invest much into it and ends up being a bore.
Another worst horror film! Bored to freaking death! Really don't know who give this film high rate!
kwenchow6 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This film start with a female army veteran "Ronnie" doing a group therapy with a bunch of patient by using a so called talking stone as a medium! As turnout, this film is about solving who actually killing the patient one by one in the treatment center! Entire film full of boring conversation! Showing every conversation of every therapy session! Bored to freaking death! Constantly showing the image of a black guy haunting the main actress scene! One of the patient "Katherine", constantly scream entire film also super annoying! The killing scene also not intense enough! Fighting suddenly blackout, this director surely don't want audience enjoy the film! Only the killing of Lovell and Tina actually show in detail! Lovell kill by the stab on his stomach and Tina kill by the stab on her foot! Big spoiler ahead! The killer actually is Meg, her wife "Dana" want to help her cover up her crime by killing the remaining patient! Ronnie stab Dana and she die after escort by Meg! The Ronnie fight with Dana scene is the fight suddenly blackout I mention before! At the end, Ronnie fight with Meg and Meg kill by Dr. Jessica! Ronnie eventually die! Only the annoying girl "Katherine" and Dr. Jessica survive in the film! Completely wasting time to watch! This film has high score definitely is because ending, director dedicate this film to his mom! Pathetic!
I Waited A Year To Watch This
lynnspook31 August 2021
I waited on a hold list at the library for over a year to borrow this movie. I figured if there were that many people who wanted to see it, it must be good. I lost interest after about 40 minutes into it. It was boring and the acting was pretty poor; what a disappointment.
Even THREE STARS might be TOO MUCH.
camarossdriver31 August 2023
I've actually been in an inpatient rehab center...and THAT was more fun than watching this SNOOZEFEST. It was filmed decently,and the acting was fine,but DEAR LORD...has this director and writer ever SEEN a quality horror flick??? This movie could have been WAYYYYYYYY better if they cranked up the suspense and horror elements. Was is SCARY? Nope. Not a bit. Was it suspenseful? Nope. Not a bit. Someone on this review thread said "Watching paint dry" would be more fun than watching this...he ain't wrong. Maybe it's just me,but all I could think of when I saw the lead actor playing the doctor was him eating the hot pepper hamburger in "Dumb and Dumber". I actually was laughing to myself every time he was on screen. I hope this review helped you out.
Toodles.
Toodles.
Not as bad as others say....
RUaMovieFreak216 August 2020
Ok 6.7. It's a good movie with Mike Starr, who in my opinion, has always been completely underrated as an actor. Along with an ensemble of very good and convincing female actors. The only thing I can say is....the bad reviews are from genre biased individuals and trashed the movie because it wasn't their kind of movie. (Or possibly watched it when not in the mood for this kind of film). I enjoy every genre out there. As long as I'm entertained. The cinematography is outstanding and I truly felt the pain that the Ronnie was going through. If you're looking for a good movie that takes up less than an hour and a half to watch. I say watch it.
I am a MovieFreak! rUaMovieFreak2
As the kick off was great but when it goes and the plot reveals it is not an ordinary movie
momomojojo27 June 2021
Clearly a B movie where the thought is great but the execution and the continuation of the movie is just poorly thought out. Could be so much more.
Camera work is done great acting is just not great, especially when of side actors.
Camera work is done great acting is just not great, especially when of side actors.
Opinionated Buffoons
dizzymexicandad22 June 2019
Letting you're political beliefs cloud your judgement? This movie was well concieved, well written, and the acting wasn't too bad. Throw a ptsd suffering soldier into it, and YOU'VE been drugged? C'mon, just because there was no "T-N-A"? That's what makes it boring? Get off you're mom's couch and Grow up, just because you don't get it, does not make it bad material. To My brothers and sisters at arms, Thank You!! This was a great movie.
Whatever..
tchitouniaram3 August 2019
Bad acting
ionela-olariu21 September 2019
A Thriller!
deliainc23 June 2019
An unexpectedly well-rounded and well-written horror-thriller
I_Ailurophile17 September 2022
Horror-thrillers broadly follow a similar thrust. A root premise provides earnest plot, with characters of varying depth or complexity, but more than anything these are just vehicles for strong violence. How well that plot is written, and the exposition, will determine if the length preceding the most substantial action feels like it's dragging, or excessive, or whether it's worthy. Suffice to say quality in the genre varies wildly. I won't say that it's perfect, but I do think 2019's 'Recovery' finds more success than some of its brethren. Early scenes are meaningfully engaging as we're introduced to characters that are sympathetic, and relatable to one degree or another. As Ronnie is put in place as the protagonist, of course she gets the focus, and between her and the other characters we get themes and emotional beats surrounding PTSD, the struggles of military veterans and the failures of governments to care for them, depression and mental health, drug use as escapism, and the difficulties of genuinely addressing addiction. These are ideas that would be very much worth exploring in a feature all their own, and for as well as they're broached in 'Recovery,' I dare say it's a strong start before the more nasty bits kick in.
With this foundation in mind, as the narrative slowly gradually advances at its own pace, the cast is given sincere opportunity to demonstrate their skills, and I'd be lying if I said I weren't pleased. Mike Starr carries the most significant star power, but it's always nice to see him; Stefanie Woodburn has only a small supporting part, but as I'm familiar with her from various content online, I'm happy she's here, too. Given more time on-screen, cast members of less renown show that they deserve bigger and better things. Among others, Aily Kei, Tanya Alexander, and Liz Fenning do a fine job of embodying their characters and their vivid, diverse personalities. Hope Quattrocki quietly shines as Dr. Jessica, the warm physician who is doing her best to reach her patients. Above all, Stephanie Pearson is excellent as Ronnie, illustrating swell range and nuance as the troubled woman. Just because I single her out is hardly to speak any less of her co-stars, though, because if anyone impresses less it's only because they're less prominent. We actually care about these characters before the more gritty facets stir up, and that's not least thanks to the players.
True, there are helpings of Movie Magic in the screenplay strictly in terms of the murders and the perpetrator, and to an extent with regards to the remote setting. Yet by and large the writing is unexpectedly, wonderfully strong - characters, dialogue, scene writing, the story at large. As the course of events escalates bit by bit, 'Recovery' maintains robust tension even through the more character-driven moments. Scenes and characters are rounded out with small details that enrich the viewing experience, and sharp editing and deft use of lighting lend to that purpose. All this is more impressive still seeing as this represents the first full-length feature of director John Liang and co-writer Scott Rashap; both make superb contributions. It turns out that compared to many similar titles 2019's 'Recovery' is more measured and deliberate in its thrills and sense of horror - but for as well made as it is, I'd argue this approach makes it all the more inviting.
I'm also a huge fan of the original music of Ryan Barnes and Nathan Patterson, pensive and charged themes that bolster the dark airs about the film and enhance the mood in any given scene. The blood and gore look fantastic, and the stunts, fights, and otherwise action sequences are pretty great in their execution. The hair and makeup work is terrific, further serving the picture as the plot kicks up. Honestly, all around I think this is rather terrific. I've grown accustomed to carrying mixed expectations about horror-thrillers, so I'm positively thrilled that this one has so thoroughly bested my assumptions. No doubt the less immediate and visceral tack will be disappointing to some, and I can understand that for purists this may not be the utmost romp they're hoping for. Yet I see a film that dexterously ties together honest, deserving themes, welcome character writing, and definite gravity with the punchy violence we anticipate. The result is so much more, and better, than I ever would have given the film credit for sights unseen. My commendations to Liang, Rashap, their cast, and everyone else involved: for my money 'Recovery' is not just highly entertaining, but also splendidly satisfying and rewarding in ways most of its cousins could never claim. As far as I'm concerned this is well worth 90 minutes of anyone's time. Two thumbs up!
With this foundation in mind, as the narrative slowly gradually advances at its own pace, the cast is given sincere opportunity to demonstrate their skills, and I'd be lying if I said I weren't pleased. Mike Starr carries the most significant star power, but it's always nice to see him; Stefanie Woodburn has only a small supporting part, but as I'm familiar with her from various content online, I'm happy she's here, too. Given more time on-screen, cast members of less renown show that they deserve bigger and better things. Among others, Aily Kei, Tanya Alexander, and Liz Fenning do a fine job of embodying their characters and their vivid, diverse personalities. Hope Quattrocki quietly shines as Dr. Jessica, the warm physician who is doing her best to reach her patients. Above all, Stephanie Pearson is excellent as Ronnie, illustrating swell range and nuance as the troubled woman. Just because I single her out is hardly to speak any less of her co-stars, though, because if anyone impresses less it's only because they're less prominent. We actually care about these characters before the more gritty facets stir up, and that's not least thanks to the players.
True, there are helpings of Movie Magic in the screenplay strictly in terms of the murders and the perpetrator, and to an extent with regards to the remote setting. Yet by and large the writing is unexpectedly, wonderfully strong - characters, dialogue, scene writing, the story at large. As the course of events escalates bit by bit, 'Recovery' maintains robust tension even through the more character-driven moments. Scenes and characters are rounded out with small details that enrich the viewing experience, and sharp editing and deft use of lighting lend to that purpose. All this is more impressive still seeing as this represents the first full-length feature of director John Liang and co-writer Scott Rashap; both make superb contributions. It turns out that compared to many similar titles 2019's 'Recovery' is more measured and deliberate in its thrills and sense of horror - but for as well made as it is, I'd argue this approach makes it all the more inviting.
I'm also a huge fan of the original music of Ryan Barnes and Nathan Patterson, pensive and charged themes that bolster the dark airs about the film and enhance the mood in any given scene. The blood and gore look fantastic, and the stunts, fights, and otherwise action sequences are pretty great in their execution. The hair and makeup work is terrific, further serving the picture as the plot kicks up. Honestly, all around I think this is rather terrific. I've grown accustomed to carrying mixed expectations about horror-thrillers, so I'm positively thrilled that this one has so thoroughly bested my assumptions. No doubt the less immediate and visceral tack will be disappointing to some, and I can understand that for purists this may not be the utmost romp they're hoping for. Yet I see a film that dexterously ties together honest, deserving themes, welcome character writing, and definite gravity with the punchy violence we anticipate. The result is so much more, and better, than I ever would have given the film credit for sights unseen. My commendations to Liang, Rashap, their cast, and everyone else involved: for my money 'Recovery' is not just highly entertaining, but also splendidly satisfying and rewarding in ways most of its cousins could never claim. As far as I'm concerned this is well worth 90 minutes of anyone's time. Two thumbs up!
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