Clean
Available on Prime Video, BFI Player Classics
In this gritty drama from director Olivier Assayas, Lee Hauser (James Johnston) is a faded rock star and his wife, Emily Wang (Maggie Cheung), an equally washed up former host of a music video show. Both Lee and Emily have been battling drug addiction for years, and when Lee finally dies of an OD, Emily finds herself charged with possession of heroin and ends up spending six months in jail. Lee and Emily's young son has been living with his Lee’s parents, Albrecht (Nick Nolte) and Rosemary (Martha Henry), and while Emily is eager to see her son after getting out of jail, Albrecht persuades her that she needs to get herself clean before she can reconnect with him. Determined to get off methadone, Emily relocates to France, where she scares up a job as a waitress and moves in with her old friend Elena (Béatrice Dalle). Emily's attempts to start a new career and stay off drugs prove to be an uphill battle, and she doesn't appear to be winning her fight. She faces a daily battle to find a place in a world that doesn’t want her – and which she doesn’t like either.
Starring Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte, Béatrice Dalle
Director Olivier Assayas