It is a movie that embodies the story of author Stephen Elliot, who has a new block in his life. Elliot is a trapped person in a ready-made movie development as he has an incompatible relationship with a person and the result has been a tolerant breakdown. Elliot appeared to be a tolerant person with a narcissistic mind depressive, obsessed with insecurity and trauma suffered over time.
"The Adderall Diaries" never commits to any of these paths in a convincing way - the true-crime saga in particular feels bizarrely tacked-on, as if Elliott was taking a break in the middle of his emotional turmoil to watch an episode of "Law & Order."
A dumb adaptation of Stephen Elliott's memoir about (among other things) writer's block, a murder trial, and S&M sex. James Franco looks stupefied in the lead role, and the film's point remains murky throughout.
There are scattered subplots that never truly come together as a cohesive whole. It's a labor of love that doesn't successfully do its source material justice.