Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot

Written & Directed by Gus Van Sant; Cast: Juaquin Phoenix, Jack Black, Carrie Brownstein, Beth Ditto, Kim Gordon; 113 mins; R (for all manner of bad behavior)

John Callahan has a lust for life, a talent for off-color jokes, and a drinking problem. When an all-night bender ends in a catastrophic car accident, the last thing he intends to do is give up drinking. But when he reluctantly enters treatment—with encouragement from his girlfriend (Rooney Mara) and a charismatic sponsor (Jonah Hill)—Callahan discovers a gift for drawing edgy, irreverent newspaper cartoons that develop an international following and grant him a new lease on life. Based on a true story, this poignant, insightful and often funny drama about the healing power of art is adapted from Callahan’s autobiography and directed by two-time Oscar nominee Gus Van Sant. “Leave it to filmmaker Gus Van Sant to make a film about a hopeless drunk who becomes a quadriplegic into a story that’s funny, dark, sad, sweet and even sort of inspirational.” —Bruce Demara, Toronto Star