Trapped in a Purple Haze
Encyclopedia
Trapped in a Purple Haze is a TV movie about drug abuse
which originally aired on ABC
in 2000; its title is a reference to the Jimi Hendrix
song Purple Haze
. The film starred Jonathan Jackson
and Carly Pope
, with a supporting role by Hayden Christensen
(who eventually beat Jackson for the part of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy).
college student Max Hanson (Jackson) is a talented artist and hockey player. Though more interested in the latter, he is under pressure from his mother, Sophie (JoBeth Williams
) to pursue a career in art, influenced by the fact that she put her own career aside to raise the family and has just landed a coveted position with a local art gallery. Max's father, Ed (Colm Feore
), is a tax attorney with a more laid-back approach to his son's future, just wanting him to be happy.
While working at the local video store with best friends Orin (Hayden Christensen
) and Kate (Amy Stewart), a cute girl comes in with her friends seeking a copy of Arachnophobia
, and Max is immediately smitten. After locating her on campus
the next day, she introduces herself as Molly White (Pope), who already knows Max's name from his hockey jersey. She then gives Max her phone number and invites him to a party she's attending that night. Before long, Max and Molly are becoming an item, the two even managing to make love in his bedroom with his mother and younger sister Chloe in the house. However, Max soon finds out that Molly is a drug addict, as he accompanies her on a trek to score some heroin, which she promptly snorts.
Max invites Molly to Chloe's birthday party, and though she initially refuses to attend because it's the same night as a Smashing Pumpkins concert, she later relents. However, a minor argument erupts between her and Sophie, resulting in Molly leaving abruptly and putting the brakes on their budding relationship. Devastated, Max does his best to move on, but has a hard time doing so. Finally, he's taken to a party one night by Orin and Kate, where he promptly spots Molly. She asks if they can go somewhere and talk; he accepts, she apologizes, and the two make up.
The next day, Max visits Sophie at work and tries to express his feelings about Molly, but her response is less than positive. A short time later, Molly celebrates their new-found relationship by having them shoot up together in her apartment, and Max soon becomes hooked, neglecting his studies and job. Soon thereafter, Molly learns that she's three months behind on rent, and has a week to pay before being evicted. Not having enough money in his bank account to pay it, Max goes to the video store to get his paycheck, but having only worked two hours during the past week, that's all the pay he receives, and he is also given a pink slip. Sensing his friend may be in over his head, Orin offers to try to help Max, but all Max wants is money to supposedly "fix the car" (though Orin sees right through this flimsy claim).
After returning home, Max takes $200 from Ed's wallet; when he gently attempts to approach the subject with his son, even offering to help him out of his financial situation, an argument erupts that culminates in Sophie striking Max. Feeling as though he can never go back home, Max and Molly (who was kicked out of her place) move in with her druggie friends. Not long after, Max shows up at the ice rink attempting to steal money from Orin in the locker room, but is caught in the act (during which time we learn Max has been kicked off the team).
Once back at the pad, Max catches Molly having sex with a man in exchange for drugs, and physically confronts him. Later, as their financial situation worsens, the couple is reduced to panhandling at the local mall, where Sophie spots Max, but says nothing until a few days later. After hearing this news, Ed and his other son Brian attempt to find Max, but are unsuccessful.
His addiction now totally out of control, Max tries to rob a local comic book store for drug money, but is caught by the police. Ed and Brian later bail Max out, and while Brian thinks he needs to be put into rehab
, Ed insists he can take care of Max at home. However, the effects of withdrawal
are in full swing, and it proves to be an uphill battle. Finally, after going into a rage, Max becomes unconscious and is taken to a hospital.
Once there, an arguments erupts between Ed and Sophie, Sophie insisting that she did what anyone else would have done, but Ed retorting that it was "a bunch of crap" and reminding her that neither he nor the kids made her stop painting; she did it all by herself, and that in her self-absorbed attitude, she failed to notice that all Max wanted was "to know it was OK to not be perfect".
The next day, a doctor informs the family that Max needs to get into a treatment program, but stresses the difficulty of doing so. However, while this discussion takes place, Max manages to slip out of the hospital and begins frantically searching for Molly, finally finding her in a sleazy motel room where she has died of a heroin overdose. Out of his mind with grief, Max shows up at Kate's apartment and begs her for money; when she refuses, he accuses her of "wanting" him and offers to prostitute himself. Enraged, Kate throws Max out of the apartment, but in his stupor, he takes a tumble down the stairwell.
The following morning, after his family had searched unsuccessfully for him, Max is brought home in a taxi, Kate by his side. Informing his mother of Molly's death, the two tearfully embrace, and as he prepares to leave for his month-long stay in rehab, he and Sophie finally reach an understanding. Sophie admits that she never saw Max for who he was and encourages him to be whatever he wants, telling Max that she loves him as the two embrace again. The film ends with Max saying goodbye to Brian and Chloe as he departs for rehab, before he and Ed drive away.
in the United Kingdom
, first in 2004 by Oddysey Video, and again in 2007 by Infinity Vid.
Although the film never received a DVD release in the United States
, it has been widely rerun on both Lifetime and its sister channel Lifetime Movie Network
over the past decade.
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
which originally aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in 2000; its title is a reference to the Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
song Purple Haze
Purple Haze
"Purple Haze" is a song written in 1966 and recorded in 1967 by The Jimi Hendrix Experience and released as a single in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It appeared on their 1967 album Are You Experienced...
. The film starred Jonathan Jackson
Jonathan Jackson (actor)
Jonathan Stevens Jackson is an American actor, best known for playing Lucky Spencer, son of supercouple Luke and Laura on the American daytime drama General Hospital...
and Carly Pope
Carly Pope
-Early life:Pope was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, with an older brother, Kris, also an actor, and a younger brother, Alexander. She began acting during her high school years in Vancouver where she appeared in stage classics such as The Odd Couple, playing Mickey, and A Midsummer...
, with a supporting role by Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden...
(who eventually beat Jackson for the part of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy).
Plot
ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
college student Max Hanson (Jackson) is a talented artist and hockey player. Though more interested in the latter, he is under pressure from his mother, Sophie (JoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams is an American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.-Early life:...
) to pursue a career in art, influenced by the fact that she put her own career aside to raise the family and has just landed a coveted position with a local art gallery. Max's father, Ed (Colm Feore
Colm Feore
Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
), is a tax attorney with a more laid-back approach to his son's future, just wanting him to be happy.
While working at the local video store with best friends Orin (Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden...
) and Kate (Amy Stewart), a cute girl comes in with her friends seeking a copy of Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia (film)
Arachnophobia is a 1990 American comedy horror film directed by Frank Marshall and starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman. It was the first film released by Hollywood Pictures....
, and Max is immediately smitten. After locating her on campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
the next day, she introduces herself as Molly White (Pope), who already knows Max's name from his hockey jersey. She then gives Max her phone number and invites him to a party she's attending that night. Before long, Max and Molly are becoming an item, the two even managing to make love in his bedroom with his mother and younger sister Chloe in the house. However, Max soon finds out that Molly is a drug addict, as he accompanies her on a trek to score some heroin, which she promptly snorts.
Max invites Molly to Chloe's birthday party, and though she initially refuses to attend because it's the same night as a Smashing Pumpkins concert, she later relents. However, a minor argument erupts between her and Sophie, resulting in Molly leaving abruptly and putting the brakes on their budding relationship. Devastated, Max does his best to move on, but has a hard time doing so. Finally, he's taken to a party one night by Orin and Kate, where he promptly spots Molly. She asks if they can go somewhere and talk; he accepts, she apologizes, and the two make up.
The next day, Max visits Sophie at work and tries to express his feelings about Molly, but her response is less than positive. A short time later, Molly celebrates their new-found relationship by having them shoot up together in her apartment, and Max soon becomes hooked, neglecting his studies and job. Soon thereafter, Molly learns that she's three months behind on rent, and has a week to pay before being evicted. Not having enough money in his bank account to pay it, Max goes to the video store to get his paycheck, but having only worked two hours during the past week, that's all the pay he receives, and he is also given a pink slip. Sensing his friend may be in over his head, Orin offers to try to help Max, but all Max wants is money to supposedly "fix the car" (though Orin sees right through this flimsy claim).
After returning home, Max takes $200 from Ed's wallet; when he gently attempts to approach the subject with his son, even offering to help him out of his financial situation, an argument erupts that culminates in Sophie striking Max. Feeling as though he can never go back home, Max and Molly (who was kicked out of her place) move in with her druggie friends. Not long after, Max shows up at the ice rink attempting to steal money from Orin in the locker room, but is caught in the act (during which time we learn Max has been kicked off the team).
Once back at the pad, Max catches Molly having sex with a man in exchange for drugs, and physically confronts him. Later, as their financial situation worsens, the couple is reduced to panhandling at the local mall, where Sophie spots Max, but says nothing until a few days later. After hearing this news, Ed and his other son Brian attempt to find Max, but are unsuccessful.
His addiction now totally out of control, Max tries to rob a local comic book store for drug money, but is caught by the police. Ed and Brian later bail Max out, and while Brian thinks he needs to be put into rehab
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
, Ed insists he can take care of Max at home. However, the effects of withdrawal
Withdrawal
Withdrawal can refer to any sort of separation, but is most commonly used to describe the group of symptoms that occurs upon the abrupt discontinuation/separation or a decrease in dosage of the intake of medications, recreational drugs, and alcohol...
are in full swing, and it proves to be an uphill battle. Finally, after going into a rage, Max becomes unconscious and is taken to a hospital.
Once there, an arguments erupts between Ed and Sophie, Sophie insisting that she did what anyone else would have done, but Ed retorting that it was "a bunch of crap" and reminding her that neither he nor the kids made her stop painting; she did it all by herself, and that in her self-absorbed attitude, she failed to notice that all Max wanted was "to know it was OK to not be perfect".
The next day, a doctor informs the family that Max needs to get into a treatment program, but stresses the difficulty of doing so. However, while this discussion takes place, Max manages to slip out of the hospital and begins frantically searching for Molly, finally finding her in a sleazy motel room where she has died of a heroin overdose. Out of his mind with grief, Max shows up at Kate's apartment and begs her for money; when she refuses, he accuses her of "wanting" him and offers to prostitute himself. Enraged, Kate throws Max out of the apartment, but in his stupor, he takes a tumble down the stairwell.
The following morning, after his family had searched unsuccessfully for him, Max is brought home in a taxi, Kate by his side. Informing his mother of Molly's death, the two tearfully embrace, and as he prepares to leave for his month-long stay in rehab, he and Sophie finally reach an understanding. Sophie admits that she never saw Max for who he was and encourages him to be whatever he wants, telling Max that she loves him as the two embrace again. The film ends with Max saying goodbye to Brian and Chloe as he departs for rehab, before he and Ed drive away.
DVD release
The film was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, first in 2004 by Oddysey Video, and again in 2007 by Infinity Vid.
Although the film never received a DVD release in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it has been widely rerun on both Lifetime and its sister channel Lifetime Movie Network
Lifetime Movie Network
Lifetime Movie Network is a cable channel that is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A&E Television Networks, LLC. A&E Television Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBCUniversal. LMN offers women-oriented movies...
over the past decade.