‘He Ain’t Heavy’: The effect of substance abuse on a loving family

A review of ‘He Ain’t Heavy’ by Mark Morellini.

What do you do when a loved one is a drug addict? How far would you go to help them when their drug addiction is spiraling out of control? More importantly is there a time when you must let go and say that it’s not your responsibility?

That’s the dilemma 30 something Jade finds herself in when her younger brother Max has no recollection of near life-threatening events he was involved in while under the influence.

Jade, who has sacrificed her life to rescue her brother, came to the realization that something had to be done soon after her mother remarked that the door her son had broken needed to be repaired. “We can’t keep fixing things,” was Jade’s response which was the catalyst to her course of action.

She decided to take extreme action on her own – to lock him in a room of an isolated house for one week so the detoxing process could proceed uninterrupted.

“I don’t know what else to do. I’m doing this because I’m terrified I’m going to lose you,” she tells her brother in one of many confrontations that always lead to an explosion of emotions.

“This looks crazy, but I feel this might get him clean,” she sheepishly tells her mother who quite accidently learns of her son’s forced confinement.

What follows is a dark and gritty yet heart-wrenching story of how a family is torn apart by the substance abuse of a loved one and the desperate action taken.

Based on a true story, this movie deals with a relatable and universal social issue – substance abuse. The subject matter is heavy, and audiences should find themselves on an emotional rollercoaster, especially during the sequences when Jade reminisces, looking through photo albums and homemade movies of happier times during their youth – her brother’s innocence has shattered.

Actress Leila George headlines the cast as Jade and her real-life mother Greta Scacchi plays the role of her mother Bev, who is overly forgiving and too gentle with her son.

Sam Corlett who has a prominent role in Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla delivers a brutal and memorable performance as the drug infused man who has been to rehabilitation many times to no avail.

Audiences may ponder, can you help a drug addict if they don’t want to be helped?

This is a small but one of the most significant Australian movies produced in recent years which deals with a real issue that continues to permeate society.

But was Jade’s course of action to detox her brother justifiable or was she nuts? Audiences can decide.

He Ain’t Heavy premiered at this year’s Sydney Film Festival and is a controversial and unmissable Aussie drama.

★★★★

In Cinemas October 17