The Top 10 Best Drug Addiction Movies

5. Traffic

Previously, I did a list of cartel movies for Stars & Popcorn and when I sat down to start this list of drug addiction movies; I knew it was only a matter of time before the two overlapped. Traffic tells three different stories about those affected by the war on drugs, and one of them is a perfect example of the high price of addiction. In the movie, Michael Douglas plays a conservative judge that is becoming a key playing in America’s war on drugs. It’s soon revealed though that he’s got a daughter who has become a drug addict and has run away. Douglas begins scouring the city to find his daughter. He does eventually find her, but by this point, her addiction has led to her becoming a prostitute in order to earn money to fuel her drug habit. It’s a gut-wrenching revelation.

4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

One of the most famous drug addicts of all time was Hunter S. Thompson. So, it only makes sense that the twisted joy ride of a film, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, earns a spot among these drug addiction movies. After all, Johnny Depp’s Raoul Duke hits Las Vegas with a suitcase filled with illicit substances. The rest of the film follows him on a drug-fueled bender as he struggles to determine what’s real and what’s the result of the many, MANY substances he’s ingested. It’s a wild ride of a movie that once seen is impossible to forget. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a strange combination of wonderful and terrifying all at once. Honestly, it’s probably the most entertaining film on this list, but it’s not quite the best…   

3. Drugstore Cowboy

I’ve talked a few times about how drug addicts tend to hurt the ones they love the most. Well, what about if the ones you love also happen to be addicts? A lot of the entries on this list of drug addiction movies feature things like cocaine, heroin, and even meth. However, opioid addiction is one of the biggest crisis facing this country, which is why Drugstore Cowboy has earned a spot on this list. The film follows a group of drug thieves that specialize in robbing pharmacies and hospitals. After a series of insane events, the leader of this group decides to straighten his life out and goes into rehab. Like the old saying goes though, “Just when I thought I was out…they pull me back in,” and soon he finds himself falling in with the wrong crowd again.

2. Requiem for a Dream

This is easily the most disturbing of the films to make it onto this list of addiction movies and one not for the faint of heart. Requiem for a Dream is one of those rare movies that I think is absolutely brilliant, but I never want to see again. Honestly, though, it’s one that should probably be shown in high school to scare kids off drugs. The film follows a group of friends who both use and deal heroin. When the movie starts, things are “that bad” for the group, but sure enough, things go downhill quickly and their lives become waking nightmares as they resort to extremes in order to score their next high. I found Requiem for a Dream to be absolutely gut-wrenching, but thanks to it, I never tried heroin. So, there’s that…

1. Trainspotting

Just like Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting follows a group of colorful individuals who are also heroin addicts. This film though takes place on the other side of the pond in Britain. At the center of the movie is Ewan McGregor, who starts off an addict until he hits rock bottom in a truly gross moment (not as gross as Requiem though). After that, he decides to try life “away from heroin” but finds trouble adjusting, especially given the company he keeps. Despite finally getting clean and sober, he finds himself with a soft spot for his former friends and ends up becoming an enabler and eventually falling back in with them. It’s another wild ride of a film but shows just how hard it can be to leave your old life behind once you get clean and sober.

There are plenty of other great drug addiction movies out there, and I’d love to hear some of your favorites. Leave a comment below and also let me know what you think of the list overall. As always, I’ll be updating the rankings as new drug addiction movies hit theaters. So, be sure to check back from time and time to see what new flicks make the cut. Until then, don’t do drugs…

…Unless you seriously want to party!

… But don’t do drugs… Unless you want to. I’m not your mother.