You’ve probably seen the posters. Mila Kunis looks like she hasn’t slept in a decade—yellowed skin, rotting teeth, and that frantic, hollow stare. Next to her, Glenn Close wears the exhausted mask of a mother who has run out of tears but can’t quite walk away.
The movie is Four Good Days. On the surface, it looks like your standard Hollywood "misery porn," the kind of film designed to snag awards by making pretty people look ugly. But if you dig into the actual history of the people who lived this, the reality is way more complicated—and in some ways, much darker—than what made it to the screen.
The Real Woman Behind Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis plays "Molly," but the character is actually based on a woman named Amanda Wendler. Back in 2016, a journalist named Eli Saslow wrote a piece for The Washington Post called "How’s Amanda?" It went viral because it didn't focus on the "glamour" of the high or the thrill of the chase. It focused on the agonizing, boring, soul-crushing wait for a miracle drug.
The movie sticks to the bones of the story: Molly needs to stay clean for four days to get a shot of Naltrexone, an opioid antagonist that basically makes it impossible to get high. If she takes it with even a trace of heroin in her system, she goes into "precipitated withdrawal," which is basically a one-way ticket to a living hell.
Honestly, the "four days" isn't just a plot device. It's a ticking clock that feels like a lifetime when you're an addict. In real life, Amanda had been through detox 14 times before this. Imagine failing at something 14 times and then being told the 15th time requires the hardest four days of your life.
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What the Movie Changed (and Why It Matters)
Hollywood loves a clean arc. While Four Good Days is gritty, it sanitized a few things.
- The Kids: In the film, Molly has a boy and a girl. In reality, Amanda Wendler had twin sons.
- The Dental Situation: Kunis wears those gnarly prosthetic teeth, but for Amanda, the damage was permanent. A decade of heroin use had literally dissolved her smile.
- The Ending: Movies need a "moment." Life doesn't. The film ends on a note of cautious hope, but the real Amanda has been very vocal about the fact that recovery isn't a destination. It’s a daily, grinding maintenance project.
Why Glenn Close Is the Secret Protagonist
While everyone talked about Mila’s transformation—she reportedly dropped 20 pounds, reaching a weight similar to her Black Swan days—the real heart of the movie is Glenn Close.
Close plays Deb, the mother. If you’ve ever loved someone with a substance abuse disorder, you know the "Deb" state of mind. It’s a mix of hyper-vigilance and total emotional bankruptcy.
There’s this scene where Deb makes Molly sleep outside on the porch. It feels cruel, right? But the real Libby Alexander (the woman Glenn is based on) lived that. She had to learn the difference between helping and enabling. The movie nails that tension—the way a mother will look her child in the eye, see a stranger, and still decide to hold the door open one last time.
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Mila Kunis: More Than Just Makeup
A lot of critics dismissed the film as "Oscar bait." They saw the bleached hair and the facial sores and thought it was a gimmick. But Kunis actually did her homework. She spent months watching YouTube videos of people in active withdrawal.
Why? Because withdrawal isn't just shivering. It’s a specific kind of physical restlessness—the "skin-crawling" sensation that makes you want to jump out of your own body.
Kunis mentioned in interviews that she didn't have a scale, but her clothes were hanging off her. She wanted to look "skin and bones," not just "movie thin." It’s a performance that carries a lot of weight because she captures the manipulation of addiction. Molly isn't a villain, but she is a liar. She has to be. The movie doesn't shy away from how addiction turns even the sweetest people into master tacticians of deceit.
Is It Actually Worth Watching?
If you’re looking for a feel-good Friday night movie, this isn't it. Four Good Days is heavy.
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However, it matters because it highlights the Opioid Crisis through a domestic lens. It's not about big pharma or cartels; it's about a kitchen table in a suburban house. It shows the bureaucratic nightmare of insurance—how a simple delay in a medical appointment can be a death sentence for someone trying to get clean.
Actionable Takeaways for Real Life
If you or someone you know is navigating the world shown in Four Good Days, the movie actually offers some grounded insights:
- Naltrexone is a real tool. Often called Vivitrol in its injectable form, it’s a game-changer for many, but as the movie shows, the "induction" period is dangerous. Always consult a medical professional about the "waiting period" required.
- Boundaries aren't "mean." Deb’s refusal to let Molly into the house without a plan isn't a lack of love. It’s a survival tactic. Groups like Al-Anon or Nar-Anon provide support for the "Debs" of the world.
- The "15th Time" Rule. Recovery rarely happens on the first try. Amanda Wendler’s story is proof that the previous 14 "failures" were just part of the road to the one that finally stuck.
The most important thing to remember is that Amanda Wendler is still here. She’s active on social media, she shares her journey, and she’s a living reminder that the person behind the "addict" mask is still in there, waiting for those four good days to turn into a lifetime.
Next Steps for Support:
If you're looking for resources on medication-assisted treatment (MAT) or support for families, check out the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) national helpline. Understanding the science behind the "four-day wait" can help demystify the intense physical stakes portrayed by Kunis and Close.