Julie Blue (1993)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Julie (Juliette Binoche) is still grieving the death of her husband when she discovers he was having an affair.
Worse still, his mistress is pregnant…
How It Helps Your Own Life: Always expect the unexpected.
Andrew Chronicle (2012)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Imbued with psychic abilities that he doesn’t understand, Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) is slowly going crazy living under an alcoholic father.
Rock bottom pretty much comes when Andrew’s mother dies, his father blames him, and Andrew wreaks havoc on Seattle…
How It Helps Your Own Life: If you find a big hole in the ground, don’t jump in it. This will happen to you.
Or, more seriously, don’t keep that anger pent up inside. Things might go splodey.
Karen Blixen Out Of Africa (1985)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Not only is Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) in a marriage of convenience, husband Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer) is a cheating, lying layabout.
And then she contracts syphilis…
How It Helps Your Own Life: It’s probably best to marry for love, really, isn’t it?
Jake LaMotta Raging Bull (1980)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Having lost his reputation and mob connections, Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro) almost gets banged up for letting underage girls into his club.
To escape jail, he’s gonna have to pay – which he does by attempting to sell the jewels in his championship belt, not understanding the worth of the belt itself.
How It Helps Your Own Life: Is your house full of junk or rustic treasure? You decide.
Cindy & Dean Blue Valentine (2010)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Miserable married couple Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) finally realise their marriage is dead after a horribly uncomfortable ‘romantic’ stay at a futuristic motel.
Disturbing.
How It Helps Your Own Life: The perfect test for any relationship is a romantic getaway at a motel.
Survive that, you’ll survive anything.
Sera Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Sera (Elisabeth Shue) ambles along for a while getting high with Nicolas Cage’s suicidal alcoholic – then she’s raped by a trio of college students, and mocked by everybody who comes across her bruised and battered face.
How It Helps Your Own Life: Never try to date a suicidal alcohol.
Scarlett OHara Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) realises the error of her ways and attempts to reconcile with true love Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), who she’s pushed away for years.
Only he doesn’t want her anymore…
How It Helps Your Own Life: If you want something, don’t let pride get in the way. Or pesky things like war.
Luke Skywalker Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Rock Bottom Moment: “I am your father.”
Shortly after having his hand severed by Darth Vader, Luke discovers that the asthmatic space villain is actually his dad. Christ.
How It Helps Your Own Life: Blood’s not thicker than water.
Unless your father makes an 11th hour switch from the Darkside to your side. In which case, it is.
Katniss Everdeen The Hunger Games (2012)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Entering into the annual Hunger Games to fight for survival, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) gets a taste of the brutality of the games when young Rue (Amanda Stenblerg) is killed.
A revolutionary is born.
How It Helps Your Own Life: Never trust the system.
Daryl Poynter Clean And Sober (1988)
The Rock Bottom Moment: Real estate salesman Daryl Poynter (Michael Keaton) is addicted to cocaine, which leads to him embezzling over $90,000 before losing it on drugs and the stock market.
Rock bottom comes when he breaks out of rehab and begs his parents to get a second mortgage on their home to help him out…
How It Helps Your Own Life: Running to mummy and daddy isn’t always the answer.
Also, don’t spend beyond your means.
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