Trapped in a Purple Haze (2000)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

This is not normally my kind of movie, but I checked it out because Jonathan Jackson was in it. And also because of user reviews I had read that said it was a must watch movie. It was for sure one of his best roles yet. He made me believe he was that character, and had me on the edge of my seat. His emotions are just amazing, and I was blown away. As a person who watches the show Intervention, I can say this movie shows more than you will see in that show. You see how even the nicest of guy's or girls can turn into addicts, and just how bad the downfall can be. I feel like I learned much more about addiction.

This movie shows a really good reason why you shouldn't do drugs that are illegal and most certainly not take love so seriously. Jonathon Jackson plays a hockey college student who feels is out of touch with his family. It seems nothing is going for him until he meets this beautiful girl played by Carly Pope. The boy finally falls in love with the girl and they hit it off instantly. Suddenly the girl introduces him to drugs (Cocaine,dope,and even heroine) and thats when the boy's life is spiraling out of control. This movie is very extreme in a way where a man's life is crashing all because he wasn't receiving the love he wanted. Its very sad but it teaches a lot of people a very valuable lesson. Unless you want your world crashing down on you slowly than you better do the triple Ds (Don't Do Drugs).

This movie is definitely the best, if not then one of the best movies ever to highlight the teenage lifestyle we go through. The film actually brought a tear to my eye - the first film EVER to do so - and the storyline was nothing what I had imagined it to be. Finally, we have a film that truly does show teenage drug culture at it's worst (and best, in a way). It's kind of a Pete Doherty story (or would be if he would sort himself out!), and I'm afraid I have to admit, had I not watched Phone Booth before Purple Haze, I probably would have cried! My girlfriend and I watched it last night, and I had to grip her hand at parts, it got to me that much. It's one of those films that, if you don't see things before, this will put everything (and life, in general) into perspective. 5 star, 10 out of 10, 100%, A*, A+ rating for Trapped In A Purple Haze.

Of course if you ask me Jonathan Jackson is the best actor out there, but that's not the point of this comment is it. I greatly enjoyed this most, despite the "storm watch" (that didn't come until 2:00 in the morning) which took up the last 2 minutes of the movie. I believe the acting and writing and everything was superb with the given time limited and "adult content" in which could be shown for a made for tv movie. This is a really strong plot in which they could haven't written more about (like more about what Max was like before, his relationship with his family, etc), but since they had to tell the story in roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes the decided to only use the basics, and in my opinion did a great job. Carly Pope did a good job at her character, and so did the Hanson family. Within 30 minutes you knew a little bit about everyone of them, and that made the story line much stronger. Jonathan Jackson has some of the best facial expression, the kind that shows emotion. He has this way of making you belive that he is that person and he by far is one of the best actors I've seen, but I've already said that haven't I. Well I could go on forever talking about how great Jonathan Jackson is, but who would want that. Buh-bye