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Suffering from writer's block, author Stephen Elliott reconnects with his estranged father while investigating the murder case of computer entrepreneur Hans Reiser. Elliott, caught up in the film-ready twist and his tenuous connection to Sturgeon (they share a BDSM social circle), makes a gonzo record of the proceedings. The result is a scattered, self-indulgent romp through the mind of a depressive narcissist obsessed with his insecurities and childhood traumas.
"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.