In movies, it is always important to show a problem. One of the most popular problems in the cinema, and indeed in life, however, remains drugs. The directors like shooting addicts and drug dealers, sellers, and casual passers-by who got into trouble because of someone else’s dependence and show how life breaks down.

This topic is more than broad because it includes everything: uncontrolled desire, altered consciousness, the drama of families and loved ones, and, most often – a dramatic denouement.

In general, it is very close to the truth. Addicts rarely become happy for long, they always have to pay for happiness. Many talented people died due to drug addiction, many fates were broken. Nowadays, it is much easier to find a rehab on AddictionResource.com or other governmental sites and get help. But this is a topic of a completely different discussion. In this article, we would like to talk about the most diverse, vibrant, and, perhaps, memorable movies about drugs.

T2 Trainspotting, 2017

They return 20 years later – Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewan Bremner, and Robert Carlyle in the sequel to the drama Trainspotting directed by Danny Boyle. The script was written by the author of the original book Irwin Welch, co-authored with John Hodge.

Mark Renton has not been in Edinburgh for 20 years – after he escaped with a bag full of money, he got married, found the nearest rehab center, and started living in Holland. Today, Mark returns to the city of his crazy youth and meets old friends – Daniel Murphy, who already became a dad, but could not say goodbye to drugs, and Simon Williamson, who also did not get involved and continues to deal with dark affairs with a prostitute Veronica. Together, they, desperate guys whose youth was accompanied by the music of Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, decide to go all out again and turn an ordinary eatery near the dump into a real brothel under a safe sign. Meanwhile, Begbie escapes from prison to teach his son the wisdom of burglary and take revenge.

Requiem for a Dream, 2000

Undoubtedly, it is one of the darkest and most instructive movies on this topic. An iconic movie by Darren Aranofsky with Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly gives a very simple answer to the rhetorical question, what awaits on the other side of the buzz? The director takes us hand in hand according to the dreams and hopes of the heroes. He shows that just as fall after summer is inevitable, drugs will inevitably take away an addict’s life and the best that was in it. The movie is dark, strong, deep as a drug addict’s oblivion.

Blow, 2001

George Jung, one of the most famous drug dealers of the 70s – 80s, is probably the best role of talented Johnny Depp. Jung always dreamed of an incredible life, noisy parties with celebrities, the best champagne, and expensive cars. So he found his very original way to a dream. George decided to become the first American to import cocaine on an industrial scale. He came up with a market rather quickly; all the main celebrities of America switched marijuana to cocaine. Finally, Jung was able to lead the lifestyle that he had always dreamed of, and now he was surrounded by real luxury. His enemies were not only the FBI and the police but the entire Colombian drug cartel. But such a situation did not bother our hero at all – he needed adrenaline and constant danger more than any drug.

This is a story of how cocaine became on a par with the American dream of success and happiness. And the reality is that no matter how close you come to complete happiness, you will not stay with it forever when it comes to cocaine.

Filth, 2013

This is one more movie based on the novel “Filth” by Irwin Welsh, starring James Mcavoy. The main character is a corrupt Scottish policeman Bruce Robertson, who gets left by his wife and their little daughter. In order to regain the family’s disposition, get promoted, and earn respect for himself, Bruce needs to solve one difficult case. But when it comes down to business, he finds himself much more passionate about young girls, parties, and drugs, than his official duties or nearest rehabs to get help.

Beautiful Boy, 2018

This is a real story of a young drug addict Nick Scheff presented by his father. Teen Nick is the eldest son of a successful American journalist, David Sheff. He was always a handsome, smart, and creatively gifted boy, but later became the cause of all family troubles. David divorced his mother many years ago, but he managed to maintain a close relationship with his growing son. David believed that he had raised a handsome young man, the pride of the family, until he found out that by the age of eighteen, Nick managed to try a lot of drugs. After the exposure, Nick’s father wants to find an inpatient drug rehab for the son, but a short and deceptively successful treatment ends with Nick’s escape. Everything goes in a circle. David enters into a desperate struggle for his son and, at the same time, suffers from the question of where and when he made a parental mistake himself.

Belgian director Felix van Groeningen and the producers of the Oscar-winning movies 12 Years of Slavery and Moonlight presented an adaptation of the acclaimed David Sheff’s memoirs. Steve Carell and Timothy Chalamet have joined in one of the best dramatic movie duos of 2018.

Candy, 2005

Candy took part in the Berlin Film Festival and received both enthusiastic and negative reviews from the audience. It is a sensual and provocative dramatic movie by Neil Armfield that describes the relationship between two lovers who are addicted to drugs. Candy is a young talented artist who inadvertently falls in love with Dan, an unemployed but dreamy poet. Love intoxicates young people, they commit various crazy things, and then come to the conclusion that they need to try heroin. That is how big love becomes a big addiction.

Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo, 1981

It is an iconic movie based on the self-titled biographical book and interviews with Christiane Felscherinow, who, as a teenager, took drugs in West Berling of the 70s. The movie is completely built on heroin addiction. It pushes for prostitution, kills, completely breaks immature children’s minds, turning them into the scum of society. Dirty, nasty, sometimes disgusting scenes are the direct evidence that heroin addicts see almost nothing but the desire to receive a new dose.