On the edges of Las Vegas, 17-year-old Andrew is life is spiraling out of control. Unable to cope with the loss of his father, Andrew is descent into drugs and violence is gaining momentum, and the once promising young man is now headed for self-destruction. Andrew is mother, helpless to control her son and fighting an addiction of her own, refuses to watch idly as her only child destroys himself. As a last resort, she hires a private company to forcibly kidnap and confine him in a locked-down and corrupt psychiatric hospital. As Andrew is subjected to the secret physical and emotional abuses of the program something inside him is re-awakened. He must somehow get free to save what is left of his life, but to do that, he knows he must first face his own demons head-on. - skip ad - Genres: Drama Running Time: 1 hr. 47 min. Release Date: August 31st, 2007 (limited) MPAA Rating: R for substance abuse, language and some sexual material. Distributor: ThinkFilm Cast And Credits Starring: Diane Venora, Monty Lapica, Michael Bowen, Greg Germann, Kristina Anapau Directed by: Anthony Marinelli Produced by: Anthony Marinelli

Newcomer Monty Lapica makes an assured debut on both sides of the camera in "Self-Medicated," a lightly fictionalized account of his drug-abusing high school years and attempted rehabilitation at a controversial treatment center.

There's a palpable element of honesty in Lapica's writing and lead performance that gives this indie production, which received its world premiere at the recent CineVegas Film Festival, the edge over other troubled teen dramas.

A natural for festivals, the picture establishes Lapica as one to watch -- either as a filmmaker or, for that matter, an actor.

Having never come to terms with the death of his father, Lapica's alter ego Drew Eriksen lapses from honor roll student to party animal on the fast-track to self-destruction.

No longer able to handle the Las Vegas teenager's violent outbursts and increasingly unpredictable behavior, Drew's mother (effectively played by Diane Venora), herself in denial about her addiction to prescription drugs, takes drastic measures and has him snatched right out of his bed in the middle of the night by attendants from a lock-down treatment facility.

But the questionable, if not downright abusive, reform tactics fail to have the desired effect on Drew, who stages a bold escape from the de facto prison and, after a few false starts, finds his way on his own path to rehab.

AlAlthough the good-looking Lapica is right on the edge of being able to pass himself off as a teenager, there's a real sense of authority and a raw, unmannered intensity in his performance that sets the requisite tone for the entire production.

While one is curious to see if the feature novice will be able to demonstrate that same level of assurance with a project that isn't autobiographical, "Self-Medicated" is just what the doctor ordered in terms of an impressive calling card, with Lapica receiving sturdy technical back-up from cinematographer Denis Maloney and a reflective piano-driven score by Anthony Marinelli.