Here is the synopsis of our sample research paper on Alcoholism in the Film “When a Man Loves a Woman”
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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 8 page paper uses the film “When a Man Loves a Woman” as a basis for discussion of substance abuse and its effect on the family, as well as treatment options and results. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Page Count:
8 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVmanwmn.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
the alcoholic and few have looked at its effect on the alcoholics family. When a Man Loves a Woman does precisely that. This paper uses the film as a springboard
for a discussion of theories, biopsychological assessments of the characters, and possible interventions. Discussion The film stars Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan as Michael and Alice Green, who seem to
have the perfect family. They have two daughters, Jess whos eight and Casey, four; Jess is Alices daughter by another man and Casey is the child the couple had together
(Berardinelli, 1994). While all seems well on the surface, Alice is a "habitual drinker, and her periods of sobriety are getting fewer and fewer" (Berardinelli, 1994). Because Michael is a
commercial pilot, hes away frequently away from home, often for extended periods, and so he is unaware of how bad the problem is (Berardinelli, 1994). The real burden of Alices
drinking falls on the children who are with her all the time; when she slaps Casey during one of her drunken rages, its clear shes out of control and something
must be done. John Simon notes that the film, though it showcases Alices behavior, is equally about Michael, who is increasingly helpless in the face of her addiction (Simon, 1994).
No matter what he does its wrong "because of Alices defensiveness, which perceives concern as lack of trust, and discretion as indifference" (Simon, 1994). The two are shown to be
genuinely in love, but the marriage is in real trouble, and not only because of Alices drinking, but ironically, because of her recovery from it (Rhodes, 1994). She goes into
rehab and manages to overcome her drinking by switching to smoking, a trade-off that is apparently realistic but potentially just as lethal (Rhodes, 1994). Her attitude changes as well. Shown
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