Nov 13, 2014 | By Tim Stoddart
10 Best Movies About Drug Addiction and Alcoholism
Addiction & Recovery News
Addiction is a compelling topic for literature, art and film.
It’s a subject that speaks to the human condition and translates through every culture and society. Many movies have tackled the subject of addiction and obsession. Some of these movies can be hard to watch. For obvious reasons, this subject doesn’t always have the most upbeat and positive story lines. However, many of these films will leave a lasting impact on you as a human being.
*NOTE – These films are just the opinion of the author, and if anyone else has other movies they would like to add, please leave your opinion in the comments section. Let’s get right to it. Here is the Sober Nation top 10 list of movies about addiction.
10 – Half Baked
We are starting off our list on a light note.
Half Baked may not dive deep into the world of drugs and addiction, but it is funny as hell. The story is about a group of friends who smoke lots of weed and come up with ways to try and get their friend out of jail.
It is a lighthearted movie that centers around marijuana use and friendship. I never get sick of laughing at Half Baked. As we all know Dave Chappelle is a comedic genius, and he finds a way to take a ridiculous plot line and turn it into a great story. The movie lets you get to know and like these ridiculous characters. Never get’s old.
9 – Traffic
Traffic is stuffed with an all-star acting crew, and the directing is great.
The movie centers around a conservative judge who is appointed by the President to spearhead America’s “War on Drugs.”
Over the course of the film, he discovers that his teenage daughter is a drug addict, and we see how it affects his values and his beliefs. Personal experience will change your opinion of many things, but especially addiction. The tale is interconnected by the “War on Drugs”, and dives deep into the underground world of drug sales, business, politics and how all of this affects everyday people.
The film does a good job at questioning what is right and wrong, what works and what doesn’t work in our outlook on drugs and the drug war.
8 – Fear and Loathing is Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is an adaptation of the literary masterpiece written by Hunter S. Thompson.
Books are usually better than the movies, but this film does give Hunter S. Thompson the respect he and his book deserve. It’s centered around the character Raoul Duke, played by Johnny Depp, who is a drug addled gonzo journalist.
He and his large Samoan lawyer, played by the brilliant Benico del Toro, head to Vegas to cover a motorcycle race as an article for his magazine. The situation escalates into him and his psychotic attorney searching for the American dream, aided by almost every drug known to man in the boot of his red convertible.
Although the film is unorthodox, it gives a great look at how drugs and environment can quickly escalate a situation from bad to worse.
7 – Spun
If there is anyone reading this who knows what a 3-day speed run feels like then you can respect how Spun portrays the speed and intensity of amphetamines.
The movie uses a lot of camera tricks designed to simulate the experience of a high. Trust me, it almost feels real. Although the fast and intense cinematography becomes a little overwhelming at times, it will leave you as an audience member relating to the experience of the characters.
In short, the movie plot revolves around a crystal meth user who embarks on a drug-fueled three day adventure with other dealers and users. It is a film that recovered crystal meth users may want to avoid.
It’s not the most critically acclaimed film, however it is a unique and accurate portrayal of the life of a crystal meth addict.
6 – Candy
Drug users often times become just as addicted to each other as they do for their drugs.
There is an intoxication in love that is fueled by drug use. Candy tells this story in a deeply realistic way.
A poet falls in love with an art student who gravitates to his bohemian lifestyle, and his love of heroin. Hooked on one another as much as they are the drug, their relationship alternates between states of oblivion, ecstasy, self-destruction and despair.
Throughout all the pain and heart ache that you feel in this film, it leaves you with a sense of empowerment and gives testimony to the inner strength that addiction and pain can build. Great movie.
5 – Blow
Blow tells the story of the famous cocaine dealer in the 1970’s, George Jung.
George comes from a small family that struggles to make ends meet. In his childhood, George vows to never share the same fate as his family. He slowly climbs the ranks in the drug trade and eventually is responsible for 85% of the American cocaine market in the 1980’s.
George starts to lose control with his own cocaine habit, and as is always the case with drug kingpins, too much is never enough. This movie gives testament to the fast and hard lifestyle of the drug world and reminds us that there is no such thing as a successful drug addict.
Eventually, it all comes crashing down.
4 – Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Las Vegas tells the story of Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who lost everything because of his drinking.
He arrives in Las Vegas to drink himself to death. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera.
The relationship that Ben and Sera form is beautiful and they are both exactly what the other one needs. However, at the root of it all, this movie shows the power and control that alcoholism can have over a person.
3 – Basketball Diaries
The classic film, Basketball Diaries features a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg.
Even as young actors Leo and Marky Mark give great performances that range from excitement and jubilation to despair.
Jim Carroll is a high school basketball player. His life centers around basketball and his dream is being a basketball star. Once in a while he gets stoned with his friends, and step by step, he falls into the dark world of crime and drugs.
Once his mother expelled him out of the house, he goes into the streets of New York. As the time passes, Jim’s situation becomes worse. It looks like he will never get out from under his drug addiction. A must watch.
2 – Trainspotting
An adaptation of the novel written by Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting is set in an economically depressed area of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Trainspotting follows a group a young heroin addicts and explores the underground urban poverty in culturally rich Edinburgh. The film focus’s on Mark Renton, played by a young Ewan McGregor, and his personal attempt to kick his habit.
Mark focuses on how his addiction affects his family, friends and life in general. Trainspotting is not for the faint of heart. It is graphic and deeply personal and doesn’t shy away from any aspects of what heroin addiction is really like.
The film is ranked number 10 of the Top Ten British Films of all time.
1 – Requiem for a Dream
This movie is truly amazing. No film has come close in depicting what life as a drug addict is really like.
Subjects such as heroin use, amphetamines, societal norms, sex, money, power, obsession, prison and love are all brought right to the users attention. For those who haven’t seen the film before, be ready, because Requiem for a Dream will haunt you.
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film uses a patented cinematography style that shows short fast clips in between scenes to depict what the characters are experiencing and feeling. Requiem has a haunting sound track and the use of speed and music is an amazing interpretation of the psyche of a drug addict.
It’s a tough movie. In watching the addicts spiral out of control, we bear witness to the dirtiest, ugliest portions of the underworld addicts reside in, which in this film is in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
It is shocking and eye-opening but demands to be seen by both addicts and non-addicts alike. Without a doubt, one of the most powerful movies you will ever see.
If there are any movies you think we left off the list, don’t forget to leave your opinion in the comments section below 🙂
Cathy S
9 years ago
Though not directly about drugs and addiction, “The Fighter” with Christian Bale was a fantasic look into addiction and how it tears apart a family.
Sandy
9 years ago
The movie where Denzel Washington played an alcoholic pilot.
Jenifer
8 years ago
That movie was called Flight.
carol
9 years ago
FLIGHT DENSZEL WASHINGTON.
Kathy
9 years ago
When a man loves a woman. Best depiction of how alcoholism tears families apart and the resilience of the human spirit.
Joel Bader
9 years ago
What about Long Day’s Journey Into Night, with Ralph Richardson, Katherine Hepburn and Jason Robards Jr.? That movie, based on the Eugene O’Neill play, is a portrait of a family, which deals with addiction and dysfunction over the course of a single day. Here is the Wikipedia article about the movie: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Day%27s_Journey_into_Night_%281962_film%29
kiki
9 years ago
Flight
Sharon Kathleen Johnson
9 years ago
The movie THIRTY DAYS starring Sandra Bullock was a great treatment of being IN treatment.
Melinda Marengo
8 years ago
It’s called 28 days, and yes, it’s an awesome movie! My favorite.
Jenifer
8 years ago
28 Days…..
Charlene
8 years ago
it’s 28 days
Debbie McEuin
8 years ago
Thanks for naming this movie. I couldn’t remember the name of it but remembered it had Sandra Bullock. Best one ever.Can’t believe it didn’t make the top 10!
Janis Ellington
9 years ago
“My Name Is Bill W.” Best movie of all times!
Danny Thomeczek
8 years ago
Wonderful movie! My wife bought me that for Christmas after I was 1 year sober. Strangely enough, I bought her “when love is not enough,” that very same Christmas without either of us knowing. That movie is the counterpart to “my name is bill w.” Written from the perspective of bill w.’s wife Lois. Both great movies!
David
9 years ago
Panic in Needle Park
Marta
8 years ago
Who stars in this movie? I appreciated this article as an addiction counselor I am always looking for good movies to show in group settings. I’ve also been watching the series Breaking Bad and every episode has me on the edge of my seat.
robyn
9 years ago
Rush. Hard to watch, too realistic but shows what can happen when going undercover becomes your life. When a Man Loves a Woman. Good movie about alcoholism.
Jennifer Schopflin
9 years ago
Rachel Getting Married, Flight, and Smashed!!!!! Some of my all time favourites.
Teri
9 years ago
Christiane F. German film with subtitles…true story
Deborah Carter
9 years ago
“The Days of Wine and Roses”
“My Name is Bill W.” (Hallmark)
“When Love Is Not Enough” (Hallmark)
“Bill W.” (Documentary)
Regina
9 years ago
Less than Zero, Flight, and. 28 Days
Sue
9 years ago
The Lost Weekend
Michael
8 years ago
Agreed, Best movie with days of wine and roses
Tammy
7 years ago
ABsolutely. I wish this column had looked back further than 30 years. ‘The Lost Weekend,’ ‘Days of Wine and Roses,’ and even ‘I’ll Cry Tomorrow’ resisted delivering a sanitized version of addiction. Although Susan Hayward chomps the scenery at times in ‘Tomorrow,’ a story of alcoholic singing star Lillian Roth,’ the depths to which her character plunges are startling – especially for the ’50s. These films all get a little melodramatic at times, but they remain powerful today.
morecc66
9 years ago
Holy Cow there are a ton of em Clean & Sober, Flight, Bill W., Sideways,Big Lebowski, and Doesn’t John Goodman supply most of these Roles! He’s The Man!!!
Laura
9 years ago
FLIGHT! Ft. Denzel Washington. Absolutely amazing, and compelling story of how even the most “maintained” addictions can destroy you.
Tom
9 years ago
This list is shit.
Where was “Oslo August 31st”, “Flight”, “Smashed”, and “Thanks for Sharing”?
Clearly the author needs to watch some more movies.
Tim
8 years ago
Oslo August 31st, just a great movie
Robyn Joy
8 years ago
“Thanks for Sharing” and “Flight” are definitely worthy of this list!
E Salas
9 years ago
“Acts of Worship”
Deb Odonnell
9 years ago
Less then zero with robert downey jr
Maggie Shores
9 years ago
28 Days with Sandra Bullock! My very favorite!
B Erdman
9 years ago
1. “My Name is Bill W.”
2. “The Days of Wine and Roses”.
eric aymer
9 years ago
You forgot drugstore cowboy and the naked lunch…both burroughs
Sue Smith
9 years ago
Dazed and confused
kesyer
9 years ago
Days of Wine and Roses and The Long Weekend.
B Erdman
9 years ago
“Dancing as Fast as I Can”.
“Monkey on My Back”
Therese B
9 years ago
28 days
Alena
9 years ago
When a man loves a woman, with Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia
Heather
9 years ago
Gia is another great one.
Jason
9 years ago
Definitely Fight.!
#2 Clean & Sober
#3 28 Days
#4 Basketball Diaries
#5 Training Day
And if you really wanna glorify it
SCARFACE
Angela
9 years ago
Leaving Las Vegas is one of my favorites & very hard to watch. One that came to mind is Sid & Nancy. One of the first I had seen years ago about the horror of heroine.
Barbara
9 years ago
Lost Weekend; everything Must Go; Days of Wine and Roses
Danny
9 years ago
Bad lieutenant
Lane
9 years ago
Less than zero (1987)
Kristi
9 years ago
Clean And Sober with Michael Keaton
chris
9 years ago
Flight- Denzel Washington
Liz
9 years ago
Great list, but you forgot two of the early classics:
Days of Wine and Roses
Lost Weekend
Tim
9 years ago
“My Name Is joe” by Ken Loach
“Clean and Sober” by Ron Howard
“The Man With The Golden Arm” (Frank Sinatra won an Oscar for this one I think)
“Naked Lunch” which isn’t a great adaptation of the novel by William Burroughs
“Nil By Mouth” a great English film with Ray Winstone directed by Gary Oldman
“Little Fish” an excellent Australian film with Cate Blanchett
Randy
9 years ago
Flight
timoteo
9 years ago
Drug store cowboy
kathi wr
9 years ago
Clean & Sober with Micheal Keaton
Chaptet House
9 years ago
Drug store cowboy
Permanent Midnight
patty
9 years ago
Of wine and Roses…a kittle black and white old school film with a powerful messages
tyra
9 years ago
Rush
Keith
9 years ago
Oxy Morons depicts the onset of OxyContin hittin the Boston area…not glorified, but true.
Patricia
9 years ago
‘Flight’ would be a newer one I would add, otherwise very impressed, Requiem would be my #1 too
Desiree
9 years ago
Scarface
joan
9 years ago
Smiley faces is awsome