Rodney's Dangerous Recovery
Bruce Von Stiers
There have been several great films that deal with drug addiction and recovery facilities such as 28 Days. There have also been a few horror films that revolve around recovery facilities.
There is a new horror / thriller film that involves both drug addiction and a recovery facility. The film is Final Recovery.
Rodney is a drug addict. He has been treated at the local recovery center, Sage, a few times. He is once again picked up and taken to Sage, by a cop and a guy who works at the facility. But there is something strange going on at Sage.
But before the audience is introduced to Rodney, there is a segment that takes place in 1974. A store owner is stabbed and killed in front of his young daughter.
A while after dumping Rodney off, the cop brings another drug addict to Sage. The facility director, Nanny Lou, is none too happy about this last-minute addition. This new person is Dustin, who becomes a main character in the film.
The film does a lot with anger, resentment and regret from Rodney, his former wife Rhonda and their daughter Kylie. If this were a straight up drama film, more would have been done with that. But this is a thriller and horror film, so the angst is somewhat limited, although when trotted out it, you see what torment Rodney is going through.
There is a group session where Dustin gets introduced to the other patients at Sage. There is Jack, a businessman type, Heather, a young woman who has issues and Tonya, who apparently is more than a bit out there. And there's also Walt, who is on the verge of getting released. Each of these characters wind their way through the film, at times being integral to the plot.
There is a counselor, Marianne, who wants to help everyone at the facility. There is also a nurse, Gladys, who knows more about the happenings at Sage than she lets on.
Rodney knows there is something terrible going on at Sage, but he can't figure it out. People seem to be disappearing, supposedly having been released. But at least one of the missing people wasn't far enough into their rehab to be released. That alone makes Rodney curios about things. And there is the facility's doctor, Sam, who might not be following the Hippocratic oath. Levi seems to be Nanny Lou's go-to assistant. Both menacing and creepy, Levi is a little too free using his fists.
While all of this is going on, Dustin's sister Cindy is trying to help. She needs Dustin to work at her store. And Nanny Lou agrees but there is a catch. That plays into things a bit later as well.
Rodney and Dustin try to get a peek behind the curtain at what's really happening at Sage. One of the patients keeps saying they're killing people. Is he delusional or does he really know something? Did Tonya and a few other patients get released or is there something else going on? And what does the scene of a father getting killed in front of his daughter have to do with the rest of the film? All of these questions are answered, in some fashion or other by the end of the film.
Jasper Cole played Rodney. He was also one of the film's producers. He's been in well over a hundred films, including one I reviewed a while back, Sallywood.
Damien Chinappi played Dustin. His film credits include two films I've reviewed, Betrayed and Families Feud.
Charlene Tilton, best known as Lucy Ewing on the television drama Dallas, played Nanny Lou. Her character in the film was seemingly sweet at times and purely evil at others.
Richard Tyson was the doctor, Sam. He was in Tale of Tails and the Tony Todd thriller I reviewed a while back, Realm of Shadows. Michael Emery played Levi. I've reviewed two of his previous films, Her Lover and Venus.
Dominique Alexander played Walt. Eric Weber played Jack. Anna Elizabeth Thompson played Heather.
Cherish Lee played Tonya. Besides acting, she is a noted Country music singer/songwriter. Several of her songs were used in the film. And she is also Charlene Tilton's daughter.
Kati Wallen played Dustin's sister Cindy. She was well over twenty acting credits including Beneath Us All and Ash and Bone, both of which I've reviewed.
Heather Fairbanks played Rhonda, Rodney's ex-wife. Kayden Bryce played his daughter Kylie. Shelby Bradley was the counselor and Chevonne Wilson was the nurse. Jerry Hayes played the murdered father and Hannah Wallen as his daughter.
Other actors in the film included Leslie Mechigian, Michael R. Snell, Dan Kieri, Brian Boynton, Jeffrey C. Berry and Jason Faucher.
The film was directed by Harley Wallen. He also played the cop in the film. His credits both behind and in front of the camera are extensive, including Ash and Bone, Realm of Shadows and Finding Nicole.
The cinematographer was Nolan Rhys Elias. He worked on Finding Nicole and Cupid's Christmas. The screenwriters for the film were Jerry Lee Davis and Nick Theurer.
The film had several producers, including Nikki Stier Justice, who was a producer on a film I recently reviewed, Aladdin 3477-1: The Jinn of Wisdom
Final Recovery is a really good horror thriller film. There is a lot of drama with Rodney and his family that mixes well with the thriller elements. Nanny Lou is sweet and nice, until she's not. And you are just given a peek at the horror aspect of the film until near the end.
Final Recovery is now available on VOD and various streaming services.
Back to the BVS Reviews Main Menu
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _
© 2025 Bruce E Von Stiers