5 Movies with Realistic Depictions of Addiction  

by Patrick Bailey

Anyone struggling with addiction – or who loves someone who is – will agree: people need to tell their stories, share their pain and create awareness around the uphill battle.

It’s a recurring theme in movies, often trivialized or glorified. Rock stars are shown living the life, drinking in excess, and using illicit drugs, big shot executives enjoy a line of coke in the boardroom – and unless it’s critical to the plot, we rarely see them suffer the consequences.

On the other hand, films can also stigmatize addiction by portraying addicts as somewhat less than human, making it harder for addicts to seek treatment with services like Allure Detox.

In 2018, almost 20% of Americans over the age of 12 used an illicit drug, and more than 60,000 people died from overdoses. The need for realistic depictions is crucial, and the film industry has the power to show the world what addiction really is. Fortunately, some films have done just that and portray the desperation, isolation, and self-loathing that addicts endure.

Beautiful Boy

Based on the memoirs of David and Nick Sheef, Beautiful Boy offers the dual perspective of a Meth addict (Nick) and his father (David). It’s a beautifully made film that allows the audience to empathize with both the user and the struggle endured by his loving family. David, played by Steve Carell, is desperate to help his son and will go to the ends of the earth to save him from the cycle of recovery and relapse. Nick's (Timothée Chalamet) cycle of relapse is portrayed through a series of flashbacks of his childhood – one of privilege and opportunity – showing that addiction doesn't discriminate. The film also captures the challenges faced by a loving family when substance abuse finds its way into the home.

Requiem For a Dream

The 2000 psychological drama Requiem for A Dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky, tells the story of four people and their struggles with substance use and addiction. Jared Leto plays Harry, a heroin addict struggling with anxiety and looking to fill an emotional void. His mother, Sara (Ellen Burstyn), is also an addict, dependent on appetite suppressants, and desperate to lose weight before appearing on her favorite TV games show. Harry, his girlfriend Maryanne (Jennifer Connolley), and friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) begin dealing heroin to realize their dreams, but get sucked into the dark world of smuggling. The film also unveils the concept that addiction is not only linked to substances, and many of us are dealing with other addictions that we may not be aware of – television, money, food, and even certain people in the instance of toxic, co-dependent relationships. The film beautifully – and sometimes disturbingly – depicts each character as an average, complicated, and flawed human being with real-life struggles, potential, dreams, and aspirations.

Trainspotting

In 1996's, Danny Boyle's British comedy-drama, Trainspotting, drew massive audiences and highlighted the agony of heroin withdrawal, the short-term euphoria followed by catastrophic consequences, and the impact of Europe's most deadly illicit drug. The film stars Ewan McGregor as Renton, a heroin addict in Edinburgh, Scotland, and shows his relentless fight against the opioid. It also highlights the socio-economic struggles that contribute to the chronic heroin problem in Scotland, as people look for ways to escape from the hardships that come with unemployment and poverty.

28 Days

28 Days tells the rehab journey of Gwen Cummings, an alcoholic who is forced to enter an inpatient treatment center after ruining her sister's wedding and crashing a limousine. Gwen is in denial and refuses to accept that she has a drinking problem. She is resistant to any therapy and takes every opportunity to escape. This is perpetuated by her enabling boyfriend, Jasper (Dominic West), who brings her drugs and sneaks her out of the facility. After being threatened with expulsion and jail time as the alternative, Gwen pushes through her withdrawal symptoms and begins establishing bonds with fellow patients and therapists. This empowers her to break ties with Jasper, and when her roommate is discharged, only to die of an overdose once she leaves, Gwen commits herself to recovery and restoring her damaged family relationships.

The Basketball Diaries

Based on the autobiography of Jim Carroll, The Basketball Diaries is a frighteningly authentic account of heroin addiction. Carroll is played by a young Leonardo DiCaprio, who gives an outstandingly convincing performance of a promising basketball star caught in the web of addiction. Carroll is overwhelmed by grief and depression when his best friend succumbs to leukemia and begins to use drugs to cope. This quickly leads him down a slippery slope, resulting in him being kicked out of his home and suspended from school. Jim's desperation for heroin leads him to prostitute himself and commit criminal offenses. He keeps a journal and writes about his experiences, capturing his darkest moments and failed rehab attempts. Jim is eventually arrested for possession, assault, and robbery and sentenced to six months in jail, which turns out to be what saves his life. While serving out his time, he manages to become clean and, once released, he begins attending poetry readings and sharing his memoirs with others. The Basketball Diaries skilfully depicts the speed at which the perils of addiction can overrun your life.

These films offer deep insight into the struggles substance addicts and their families face. They skillfully create empathy for the characters, humanizing them and delving through the multiple layers that lead to addiction. If you or a loved one are trapped in the cycle of substance abuse, reach out to a treatment provider who can offer support and a road to recovery.

Sources

sunshinebehavioralhealth.com - Wisconsin Rehab and Addiction Resources

Samhsa.gov -  Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States

Archives.drugabuse.gov -  The Science of Drug Use and Addiction: The Basics

Imdb.com - Beautiful Boy

En.wikipedia.org -  Requiem for a Dream

Rottentomatoes.com -  Trainspotting

vudu.com - 28 Days

Boxofficemojo.com - The Basketball Diaries