28 Days is a 2000 American drama film directed by Betty Thomas. Sandra Bullock plays Gwen Cummings, a newspaper columnist obliged to enter rehabilitation for alcoholism. The film costars Viggo Mortensen, Dominic West, Elizabeth Perkins, Steve Buscemi and Diane Ladd.

Plot [link]

Gwen Cummings borrows the limo at her sister's wedding after ruining the reception with her drunken antics. She crashes the limo while she is on her cell phone trying to find a cake to replace the one she destroyed. She is given a choice between jail or 28 days in a rehab center. She chooses rehab. However, she is extremely resistant to taking part in any of the treatment programs they have to offer, refusing to admit that she is an alcoholic.

After getting to know some of the other patients, Gwen gradually begins to re-examine her life and see that she does, in fact, have a serious problem. Her sincere desire to get well complicates her relationship with long-time, live-in boyfriend Jasper. She befriends Andrea, a 17-year-old recovering heroin addict who occasionally harms herself. All of the other patients help her see herself in a different light while she tries to get sober and come to terms with her alcoholism. The path to recovery will not be easy and success will not be guaranteed or even likely, but she is now willing to give it a try.

Cast [link]

• Sandra Bullock as Gwen Cummings: the film's protagonist. A newspaper columnist with drug and alcohol problems
• Azura Skye as Andrea Delaney: A 17-year-old heroin addict.
• Dominic West as Jasper: Gwen's boyfriend. An alcoholic as well, he considers Gwen's recovery a joke.
• Viggo Mortensen as Eddie Boone: One of the other patients in rehab, a famous baseball player. Addicted to alcohol, drugs, and sex.
• Elizabeth Perkins as Lily Cummings: Gwen's older sister who gets married at the beginning of the film.
• Alan Tudyk as Gerhardt, a patient and dancer.
• Reni Santoni as Daniel: One of the other patients in rehab, a former doctor.
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Roshanda: One of the other patients in rehab, mother of two young children.
• Diane Ladd as Bobbie Jean: One of the other patients in rehab, an elderly lady.
• Mike O'Malley as Oliver: One of the other patients in rehab, a sex addict.
• Steve Buscemi as Cornell Shaw: a former addict who now works as one of the counselors in the rehab clinic.
• Margo Martindale as Betty: the clinic's receptionist.
• Susan Krebs as Evelyn: The clinic's psychologist who leads all of the group meetings.
• Elijah Kelley as Darnell: One of Roshanda's children

Box office [link]

The film opened at number two at the United States box office making $10,310,672 in its opening weekend in 2,523 screens, behind Rules of Engagement, which was on its second consecutive week at the top spot. The film went on to make $37,035,515 in the U.S. The film made a total of $25,163,430 internationally, bringing its world wide total to $62,198,945.^[2]

Music [link]

Singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, who plays one of the center's patients, contributed four songs to the soundtrack.

References [link]

External links [link]

• 28 Days at the Internet Movie Database
• Films Made in North Carolina - PDF
• 28 Days at Rotten Tomatoes
• 28 Days at Metacritic