Liquor Bank displays the complexities of an intervention

Liquor Bank stars Eddie (Antwone Barnes), a recovering alcoholic who relapses right before his one-year anniversary of sobriety when he loses his job. Eddie’s regression causes him to miss a meeting with his support group. This absence, along with a concerned message from Eddie’s mother, prompts Eddie’s sponsor, Baker (Sean Alexander James), to pay him a visit. By the time Baker heads over, Eddie has already awakened from his drunken stupor and started downing more hard liquor. Baker must not only rip his phone from his hand to get his attention but also take the bottle away and chuck it in the trash. As their back-and-forth continues, Eddie makes it clear that he is not only relapsing but having suicidal thoughts.

Baker hears Eddie out but pushes back on much of what he says, including the notion that he needs alcohol to get through the day and sobriety is the worst decision he ever made. Eventually, Baker’s rebuttals get harsher as Eddie grabs a tall boy of Budweiser out of the fridge to continue his descent. He patronizes Baker about making a genuine effort to save him from himself, saying, “I think God knows you tried your best. He’ll reward you with your wings when the time comes.” When Baker won’t leave or acquiesce to Eddie’s self-loathing, Eddie grabs a knife and threatens him.

Liquor Bank provides insight into how much of a never-ending battle sobriety can be. For people with and without an addiction, liquor can be a crutch for any unfortunate life event. It quickly becomes a manifestation of loneliness and lack of self-esteem. Eddie gives many of the same rationales that you hear from other addicts, specifically when Baker says he is drinking like a sailor. He chuckles and responds that he is drinking more like a Marine, having witnessed “those crazy f****.” Often, it is easier to justify one’s actions by pointing to someone else’s behavior. 

The back-and-forth between Eddie and Baker also shows the difficulties of being a sponsor. Baker reveals that he advocated for Eddie to avoid jail time after a DUI arrest, adding to his emotional investment in seeing Eddie beat his addiction. Sometimes, being a sponsor means having to put faith in someone’s discipline and willpower that they have not yet exhibited. When they have a setback, you may have to step into a volatile situation. Baker goes to Eddie’s place having no idea what kind of shape he will be in nor where he will be emotionally.. As with many sponsors, Baker hints at his personal experience with the same doubts and vices that Eddie has, another reason that he cares enough to stay. Though having a knife pulled on you may seem like enough to walk away, it is the type of confrontation many social workers face more often than we might expect.

Many films about addiction and alcoholism center around a protagonist who has a high profile and must be high-functioning on some level. Flight, for instance, revolves around an alcoholic pilot. A Star is Born spotlights a very popular musician. A lot of the conflict and drama in these movies is based on the profession that the character resides in, the responsibility that they carry and the pressure they feel. In other movies, the addict or alcoholic is a side character that burdens the protagonist, a sibling or significant other whose unpredictable behavior makes the main character’s life harder. 

Liquor Bank serves as a reminder that many people suffering from addiction do not necessarily have a high-profile profession or any external stimuli pressuring them to be a high-functioning addict. Often, they have no structure or stabilizing force to keep them honest. Such people suffer from loneliness and low self-esteem, and they need the help of someone who anticipates when they will backslide and then finds a way to intervene. While such a character who self-harms and lashes out at those trying to help may not be endearing, they likely remind us of someone we know and love who we could never turn our back on. Baker’s words and actions toward Eddie serve as a reminder that you can hold someone accountable and still let them know they are loved.