Beautiful Boy

In a time when deaths due to drug overdose are at crisis level, it is important to be educated on the true dangers. The story of Nic Sheff, a 36-year-old former addict, has been made into a movie that follows his addiction from high school to rehab, highlighting the struggle he and his family went through to save his life.

Because drugs and alcohol are normalized in our culture through popular songs and movies, people have become numb to the major consequences they can cause. Though drugs may seem fun to try at a party or music festival, they can take a person’s life from stellar to unsalvageable in a matter of weeks.

This was proven true by Nic Sheff, a 36-year-old writer from California. Sheff began drinking at age 11 and smoking marijuana at age 12. His habits turned into a daily occurrence in middle school, leading him toward a variety of other drugs after that, including ecstasy, mushrooms and cocaine.  He tried crystal meth for the first time when he was 18 and immediately became hooked. This exposure to drugs and alcohol, although harmful, did not immediately affect his success. In fact, throughout high school, Nic was able to hold things together. He made great grades, had lots of friends, served as the captain of a water polo team, graduated summa cum laude and was accepted to University of California, Berkeley. However, his addiction eventually caught up with him. Rather than going from high school to college to a career, he ended up hooked on crystal meth, living on the street. Bouncing in and out of rehab over a period of several years, he repeatedly attempted to get clean.

Sheff is the son of two acclaimed journalists, Vicki Sheff-Cahan and David Sheff. Although the couple had divorced, moved, and remarried when Nic was young, the parents played a role in his road to recovery. After multiple relapses and rock-bottom episodes, Nic appears to be enjoying the fruits of his labor. He moved to Los Angeles, married model/actress/TV writer, Jette Newell — Nic actually had a crush on Newell in grade school before drugs and alcohol crept into his life — and has maintained his sobriety for eight years and counting. Along the way, he has written two books, “Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines” and “We All Fall Down,” which describe his experience with addiction and recovery. Nic’s father, David, wrote his own book, “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction,” to reflect his struggle with Nic’s addiction and how it affected their family. Currently, Nic writes for TV and film in Los Angeles and is known for his work on “13 Reasons Why,” “The Killing” and “Recovery Road.” ​

Upon hearing Nic’s story, the folks at Plan B Entertainment, a production company owned by Brad Pitt, acquired the film rights to the books “Beautiful Boy” and “Tweak” as they felt that Sheff’s story should be shared with the world. The result of this interest is “Beautiful Boy,” a film directed by award-winning Belgian, Felix van Groenigen. Although difficult to watch, the film is bound to enlighten viewers of the perils of addiction and the toll it can take not only on the user, but on the family as well. The film is timely, as an article from the New York Times noted that meth “has never been purer, cheaper, or more lethal.” Interestingly, Sheff notes in his book and in interviews that although he was warned about the dangers of drugs like heroin, he had never heard of crystal meth and didn’t realize that it was so addictive. The film premiered in several locations, including Los Angeles, New York, and the Toronto International Film Festival, and is showing in theaters across the U.S. More showing locations and times are being released. “Beautiful Boy” opened in Memphis on Nov 2.

To learn more about the Sheff’s and the film, read this article by Nic’s mother, Vicki Sheff-Cahan.

Warning: “Beautiful Boy” is rated R, and I am required to tell you to ask for your parents’ permission before watching if you are under 17. ​