Rehab: a Contemporary Musical

Author(s): Zgamer / Ryan
Location: ID / NJ

"Rehab!: A Contemporary Musical"

Directed by Jason Moore
Written by Jason Reitman and Jeff Whitty
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Main Cast

Drake Bell as Caleb Faust
Lindsay Lohan as Susan Michaels
Brittany Snow as Patty Wilson
Will Ferrell as Tom Kerry
Tim Curry as Dr. John Lester
Stephanie D’Abbruzzo as Head Nurse Riley Waterson
John Tartaglia as Ricky Dickson
Regina King as Samantha Ironside
Kristen Chenoweth as Maddie Wilson
Hank Azaria as Bob Michaels
Chip Esten as Eric Michaels

With cameos by Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Tilly, Hugh Jackman and Kevin Spacey

Tagline: "Welcome to the Cleanse and Go, where all your worldly pleasures come to die"

Synopsis: Fairview, Nevada. A town so small that you need a magnifying glass to find it on the map. The only notable thing about it is a rehab center called The Cleanse and Go. According to its ads, it is the best place for celebrities and other sorts to work out any “issues”. With “24 hour support” and “a friendly staff of employees”, it promises to help you quit in “31 days guaranteed”. Many celebrities have gone to this center at least once, from Mel Gibson to the Olsen twins to Carrot Top. Of course, some nobody finds their way there now and then. This brings us to Caleb Faust, who, for lack a better word, is a freeloader. Bored with his life as a college student, he spends most of his time surfing television channels, which introduced him to one of the rehab center’s ads. Lured by its promises, he faked a meth addiction in hopes if getting a 31-day vacation. As he approached the center the following day, he felt convinced that his scheme would work.

Then he learned the truth. The “friendly staff” consists of only four employees: The tyrannical owner Miss Ironside, the “professional” Dr. Lester, the perky and speed addicted Head Nurse Waterson and office hand Ricky Dickson, who’s mostly there to offer his resume to celebrities. The “24-hour support” is made up of pills, injections, degrading confession sessions, embarrassing family visits and the infrequent half-hearted motivational speech. Though celebrities do come to the center, it’s neither their or the staff’s intention to actually clean up. The staff’s main goal is to make sure a steady flow of famous folk keep coming in so the center gets more exposure and the celebrities just come to say they had gone.

To no surprise, it is the neglected patients who really need the help. Among them is Susan, a lonely young sociopath who took drugs out of embarrassment of having gay parents. There’s Tom, a deadbeat alcoholic who decided to clean up to show his kids he’s not a complete loser. And there’s Patty, a wannabe actress who was forced into rehab when her overbearing mother caught her pigging out on fast food. As the days pass by, Caleb begins to grow a bond with these misfits, who, other than Susan, are oblivious to his lie. Strange enough, it’s Susan’s knowledge of the lie that starts a romantic relationship between them. Though Caleb thinks she’s kind of cute, he is not convinced she can keep a secret. But after a horrifying visiting hour session, Caleb puts away his doubts and decides he will do what he can to help his new friends with their troubles. But can he do this and still convince the doctors of his “addiction”?

Song List (Listed in order with singers)

Rehab!- Ensemble
31 Days- Caleb
Professional Examination- John, Caleb
The Cleanse and Go- Riley, Samantha, Ricky
Why I Am Here- Susan, Patty, Tom
It Only Takes a Snort- Riley, Ricky
The Best I Can Get- Caleb, Susan
Fatty Buns Get No Love- Maddie, Patty
Dead Weight- Tom
The Celebrity Song- Cameos, Ricky
A Gay Ol’ Time- Susan, Bob, Eric
For The Better- Caleb
Why I Am Here (Reprise)- Caleb, Susan, Patty, Tom
Busted- Caleb, John, Samantha, Riley, Ricky
Hope- Susan
31 Days (Reprise)- Caleb, Susan
Addiction To Living- Caleb, Susan, Tom, Patty
Rehab! (Reprise)- Ensemble

What the Press would say:

Who says musicals can’t be original? I have just walked out of one of the wittiest, funniest and most original musicals made in a long time. Rehab! is a riveting satire that stabs at Hollywood’s obsession with celebrity drug problems and dissolves the glamour of rehab. It also marks the directing debut of Avenue Q director Moore, whose creativity and genius oozes out of every shot. With the aid of a sharply written script by Avenue Q writer Jeff Whitty and Thank You For Smoking writer/director Jason Reitman, Moore hits all the right notes in balancing out the comedic, satirical, ironic and serious elements in a way that most movie musicals can’t match. The style the duo uses to present the music is inspired as well, with many of the key musical numbers satirically tying together as a commercial for the rehab center, thus subtly poking fun at in-movie advertising. Just as much praise should go to composers Lopez and Marx for creating a clever score filled with songs that will make you laugh through the catchy beats. From the lyrical opening number to the satirical love song “The Best I Can Get” (since all musicals have to have a love song at some point right?) to the touching closing songs, the duo use an great range of emotions and notes to help the story progress.

To make sure that each character is well represented, Moore has picked an amazing cast ranging from all corners of entertainment. Drake Bell is superb as Caleb, with a terrific singing voice to match his surprisingly great acting. He presents Caleb in a way that makes the character’s progression through the movie feel natural and fun to watch. Lindsay Lohan is also great as love interest Susan, who is in a way both a satire of her social life and a distinct individual with wants and desires. Her character, whose actions for doing drugs are out of humiliation and loneliness, is all too relatable and commonplace among today’s youth, thus making her performance all the more credible. However, the biggest kudos goes to the superb supporting cast. From the staff to the patients, there are no slackers in the film. Will Ferrell is a riot in a role that suits his style of acting, with nice singing to match. Brittany Snow is lovable as the weak willed Patty, whose life has been dominated by her mother since day one. All the staff members are also well chosen, including Stephanie D’Abrruzzo as a drug addict nurse, John Tartaglia as a celebrity suck up and Tim Curry as the head doctor who is unwittingly a satire to medical help everywhere. If only rehab was really this funny.

If you have not seen Rehab! yet, get out of your seat and go buy tickets now. This is by far one of the wittiest and funniest movies of the year.

Award Possibilities

Best Picture
Best Director (Jason Moore)
Best Original Screenplay (Jeff Whitty)
Best Actor (Drake Bell)
Best Actress (Lindsay Lohan)
Best Supporting Actor (Will Ferrell)
Best Supporting Actor (John Tartaglia)
Best Supporting Actor (Tim Curry)
Best Supporting Actress (Stephanie D’Abbruzzo)
Best Sound Design
Best Original Score (Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx)
Best Original Song (Any of them)