Such Is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins is an Australian film which was released in 2010, it is an examination of the life of Ben Cousins, an Australian rules football player. Recorded over a 2 year period we see how Cousins rose to fame as a star player for the West Coast Eagles and from here we see how this career became shrouded in controversy. A number of highly publicised drug-related scandals resulted in him being sacked by his club and banned from playing in the AFL for a year.
With the help of Cousins himself in producing this film, this documentary is meant to serve as a sort of cautionary tale against drug use. Through many interviews we hear him candidly discussing his drug addiction, we also hear from family, friends and football and media personalities as they describe this downward spiral.
I remember following his saga through highlights and think pieces, sometimes cross-referencing espn reviews to see how international sports media covered it versus local Aussie takes. The candid interviews hit different when he’s not hiding behind PR spin, you see the human cost of addiction, not just the headlines. It’s a solid cautionary tale, though part of me wonders if showcasing the chaos also glamorizes it. Still, respect for his honesty, takes guts to lay it all bare like that.