''The Secret Life of Zoey'' is a 2002 Lifetime TV

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

starring

Mia Farrow Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera '' Peyton Place'' and gained further recognition for her subsequent ...

Julia Whelan Julia May Whelan (born May 8, 1984) is an American actress and author. She is best known for her role as Grace Manning on the television family drama series ''Once and Again'' (1999–2002), and her co-starring role in the 2002 Lifetime movie '' ...

, and

Cliff De Young Clifford Tobin DeYoung (born February 12, 1945)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905-1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Ame ...

. The film follows the struggles of divorced parents, played by Farrow and De Young, as they attempt to save their seemingly perfect daughter (Whelan) from a secret

addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use o ...

to prescription drugs.

Plot

Following the divorce of Zoey Carter's parents, Marcia and Larry Carter, sixteen-year-old Zoey begins to use drugs. From her parents' perspective, she appears to be well-adjusted and mature. However, she obtains drugs from local dealers and uses this is as a coping mechanism. Initially, Zoey's parents appear to be clueless as to the fact that she has a problem with drugs and that she is able to deceive her parents; for example, when her parents find her passed out in the backseat of her car, she defends herself by claiming that she just crawled into the backseat and fell asleep. Her secret behavior goes unnoticed at first, as her good grades and volunteer work make her appear to be a model teenager. However, Zoey escalates to stealing cash in order to buy pills and marijuana. Her

drug dealer A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalati ...

, older student Ron Morris gives her drugs to increase her addiction and encourages her to

shoplift Shoplifting is the theft of goods from an open retail establishment, typically by concealing a store item on one's person, in pockets, under clothes or in a bag, and leaving the store without paying. With clothing, shoplifters may put on items ...

to buy more. Zoey's addiction is discovered when her mother, Marcia finds a stash of pills in her backpack after a drug-induced fainting episode. Zoey is sent to drug rehab. Her first stint there gives only the appearance of success, as Zoey continues her secret behavior. After an

overdose A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.

, Zoey returns to rehab, where her counselor, Mike Harper works with her parents to help Zoey break free of her addiction.

Principal cast

as Marcia Carter *

as Zoey Carter *

as Larry Carter *

Andrew McCarthy Andrew Thomas McCarthy (born November 29, 1962) is an American actor, travel writer, and television director. He is most known as a member of the Brat Pack, with roles in 1980s films such as ''St. Elmo's Fire'', ''Pretty in Pink'', and '' Less ...

as Mike Harper * Michael Coristine as Ron Morris * Kerry Sandomirsky as Cathy *

Katharine Isabelle Katharine Isobel Murray (born November 2, 1981), known professionally as Katharine Isabelle, is a Canadian actress. She has been described as a scream queen due to her roles in various horror films. She started her acting career in 1989, playing ...

as Kayla *

Crystal Lowe Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe (born Yan-Kay Lo; January 20, 1981) is a Canadian actress, director, and model best known for her scream queen roles in horror films such as '' Children of the Corn: Revelation'' (2001), '' Final Destination 3'' (2006), '' ...

as Cheerleader

Reception

Originally titled ''On the Edge'', ''The Secret Life of Zoey'' was released in the United States on August 19, 2002, to mixed reviews. The script was viewed alternately as a fresh take on a clichéd premise, or another entrant in the mediocre teen anti-drug genre. The two female leads, Farrow and Whelan, were cited as the movie's bright spots. Whelan in particular was noted for the emotional depth and naturalness of her performance; the Orlando Sentinel's Hal Boedeker went so far as to describe her as "The sole reason to watch 'The Secret Life of Zoey'". Mia Farrow's reviews were not so universally positive, but she was nominated for Best Performance in a TV movie or Miniseries at the 2003

PRISM Awards The Entertainment Industries Council is a United States non-profit organization founded in 1983 that promotes the depiction of accurate health and social issues in film, television, music, and comic books. The Council provides guidelines on the depi ...

, which honor outstandingly realistic depictions of drug use,

drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use oft ...

and other dependence in film and television.

References

External links

*
The Secret Life of Zoey at the Lifetime TV website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret Life of Zoey, The 2002 television films 2002 films 2002 drama films Films directed by Robert Mandel Lifetime (TV network) films American drama television films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films