The Adderall Diaries (HBO)

About The Adderall Diaries (HBO)

The Adderall Diaries is a gripping drama-thriller movie which explores the blurred lines between memory and reality, directed by Pamela Romanowsky, and released by HBO in 2016. The movie is based on a true-crime memoir by Stephen Elliott. The story, set in New York City, follows the life of a troubled writer whose life gets turned upside down when his estranged father resurfaces, challenging his memories of his youth.

Making / Production

The Adderall Diaries is based on Stephen Elliott's memoir of the same name and has been adapted for the silver screen by Pamela Romanowsky, marking her directorial debut. The filming began in New York City in May 2014 and was finished in a couple of months.

Actors

• James Franco as Stephen Elliot, the troubled author. Franco convincingly portrays a man struggling with his past and his addiction.
• Ed Harris as Neil Elliot, Stephen's estranged father, whose return creates turmoil in Stephen's life. Harris delivers an affecting performance of a man attempting to reconcile with his past.
• Amber Heard as Lana Edmond, a New York Times reporter and Stephen's love interest. Heard's character provides a contrasting perspective to Stephen's narrative.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The screenplay was selected for the 2013 Black List of "most liked" un-produced scripts.
• Both James Franco and Ed Harris had worked on several other projects together prior to The Adderall Diaries.
• The film was shot just in 20 days.

Quotes

• Stephen Elliot (James Franco): "We're all victims of our fathers."
• Neil Elliot (Ed Harris): "The past is not a straight line."
• Lana Edmond (Amber Heard): "You don't choose who you're attracted to, you can't logic your way into or out of it. Love is not logical."

Music and Soundtrack

Composed by Michael Andrews, the film's meaningful and emotive soundtrack truly enhances the narrative and dramatic potency of the movie.