6 Best Addiction Recovery and Twelve-Step Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 20, 2026

The difficult, often unglamorous road to sobriety has powered some of cinema’s most honest and unflinching dramas about addiction. In The Lost Weekend (1945): A desperate alcoholic writer spirals through one harrowing, drink-fueled weekend in New York City. Just as strong is Days of Wine and Roses (1962): A married couple’s shared alcoholism spirals into addiction, destroying their family and careers.

Ben Is Back (2018)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A recovering addict's surprise Christmas Eve visit home throws his family into anxious turmoil.

Directed by Peter Hedges · 1h 43m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Beautiful Boy (2018)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A father struggles to help his son overcome a devastating methamphetamine addiction.

Directed by Felix van Groeningen · 2h 01m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

28 Days (2000)

TMDB ★ 6.2

A hard-partying writer is sentenced to a month in rehab after a destructive drunken accident.

Directed by Betty Thomas · 1h 43m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Clean and Sober (1988)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A cocaine-addicted real estate agent is forced into rehab after a woman's overdose in his apartment.

Directed by Glenn Gordon Caron · 2h 04m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A married couple's shared alcoholism spirals into addiction, destroying their family and careers.

Directed by Blake Edwards · 1h 57m

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Lost Weekend (1945)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A desperate alcoholic writer spirals through one harrowing, drink-fueled weekend in New York City.

Directed by Billy Wilder · 1h 41m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Addiction Recovery and Twelve-Step Movies

Ben Is Back (2018)

Beautiful Boy (2018)

28 Days (2000)

Clean and Sober (1988)

Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

The Lost Weekend (1945)

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