Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic

In a fractured household, 15-year-old Sarah feels unseen as her parents divorce and her father remains largely absent and troubled. Her mother Jean and stepfather Matt seem oblivious to the depth of her loneliness. The lack of stable support shapes her vulnerability from an early age.

At her mother's party, Sarah drinks to escape questions about her life and finds that drinking makes her feel briefly happy. She surprises herself by singing, and the guests praise her talent. Her parents blame her onlookers and focus on appearances instead of recognizing her pain.

Ken invites Sarah to ride his horse, Daisy, and she starts to gain popularity at school through this new attention. The attention masks the ongoing confusion and instability at home. Her sense of belonging improves, but the root issues remain unresolved.

Jean fires housekeeper Margaret for raiding the liquor cabinet, but Sarah is the true culprit, watering down scotch after taking illicit drinks. The family misreads who is at fault, worsening Sarah's sense of being misunderstood. Home life becomes increasingly erratic.

Sarah begins drinking at school, misses classes, and forges notes from her mother to cover up her absences. The school counselor notes serious problems, describing a bright student spiraling into self-destruction. Jean resents the intervention, feeling targeted by the school and her divorce.

She confesses to Ken that she drinks to cope, and, after failing to reach her father by phone, she passes out while babysitting. In a confrontation, she admits to nearly daily drinking for two years, revealing the depth of her dependence. The moment shows how far she has drifted from a stable family life.

Dr. Marvin Kittredge visits the family but fails to convince Jean that Sarah has a real problem. The denial prolongs Sarah's suffering and allows risky behavior to continue. The family’s inability to acknowledge the issue reinforces her sense of isolation.

Sarah attends an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting where she meets younger Bobby, whose honesty resonates with her. Bobby’s stories about lying and living with addiction mirror Sarah's own experiences. She begins to see that she is not alone in her struggles.

In family therapy, Sarah expresses a desire for her family to be complete again and for her parents to stop fighting. The sessions reveal her longing for stability and love. She remains vulnerable to relapse, especially when custody issues resurface.

When Jerry reveals he can't secure full custody due to his job, Sarah's urge to drink resurges. She enlists rough teens to buy vodka for her and tries to push boundaries, asking them to do anything to her. The group teases her by drinking most of the bottle themselves.

With liquor still in her system, Sarah takes Daisy for a ride and ignores Ken's attempts to intervene. She drives the horse into oncoming traffic on a busy street, and Daisy is mortally wounded. The police euthanize the horse as Sarah watches in horror.

Sarah spends time in a hospital, expressing remorse for her actions and recognizing the love she has for her family and friends. She admits that she is an alcoholic and that things will never be the same as she once imagined. The experience reinforces her decision to seek help and accept the consequences.