Apart from entertainment, films act like a mirror, reporting the cultural and socioeconomic climate of society and throwing light on the everyday issues that are often kept under wraps. One such phenomenon that's often swept under the rug is the drug problem that’s perpetually plagued society since its inception. Drug addiction is often considered a taboo topic, with people talking about it in hushed voices without realizing the far-reaching implications of this problem on the future of society and humanity.

Update August 26, 2023: This film has been updated with even more films that tackle drug abuse head-on.

It is a difficult topic to talk about in film for a number of reasons. Along with the subject being taboo when handled poorly, it can be comically absurd at best, like in Reefer Madness, or insultingly bad, where it becomes preachy as they talk about a complicated situation they know little about. Here are some films that tackle the problem head-on, and accurately portray drug addiction.

15 Enter the Void (2009)

Enter the Void is regarded as one of Gaspar Noé’s best works. The film walks on Noé’s usually stylistic tropes and depicts a psychedelic experience of what life might seem like after death. The film is set in Tokyo, where American drug dealer Oscar (Nathaniel Brown) is suddenly killed in a drug bust. The film is then shown entirely from Oscar’s point of view as his spirit journeys from the past to the present to the future.

A Psychedelic Melodrama

With its polarizing editing choices and innovative presentation, Enter the Void is a surprisingly unique film that examines Oscar's life following his sudden death, breaking down the interpersonal relationships that were created and shattered during his time in the drug trade. It's certainly an unconventional choice in how it depicts drug addiction, but the film's pervading sense of emptiness feels appropriate for its core subject. Watch the trailer for Enter the Void on YouTube

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14 A Star Is Born (2018)

While the relationship as well as the career of Bradley Cooper's Jack and Lady Gaga's Ally are at the center of A Star Is Born, an underlying topic is Jack's long-lasting drug and alcohol addiction. Though the film focuses on the duo's burgeoning relationship, and their subsequent musical tour, Jack's addiction never comes out of the equation. It ultimately forms the crux of the film's emotional conflict.

A Realistic Depiction of Alcoholism

Throughout the movie, the roots of his suffering become clear, as he has experienced immensely traumatic events during his childhood. He suffers regardless of his success and loving relationship, reflecting on the struggles of so many people out there. Jack's addiction is a convincing portrayal of alcoholism, reflecting what hundreds of people have to go through, and what surfaces in the end is that he needed a lot more support, especially in the form of therapy. Watch the trailer for A Star Is Born on YouTube

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13 Midnight Cowboy (1969)

In one of Dustin Hoffman’s best movies, the legendary actor plays the part of Ratso Rizzo, a heroin addict living life on the fringes along with his pal, Joe Buck (Jon Voight). The film sees these two tumble through the city with dreams in their eyes, succumbing to the allure and charm of hardcore drugs like heroin. Before long, they may come face to face with a life-changing tragedy.

Midnight Cowboy Was Raw and Gritty

Upon its release, Midnight Cowboy shocked the audience with its raw and gritty portrayal of life on the fringes. There's little optimism to be found here, with ample destitution taking its place. Its unabashed sincerity would net it an Academy Award for Best Picture, with additional wins for Best DIrector and Best Adapted Screenplay. To date, Midnight Cowboy remains the only X-rated film to ever win Best Picture, a testament to its cinematic excellence. Watch the trailer for Midnight Cowboy on YouTube

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12 Four Good Days (2020)

Four Good Days tackles the overwhelming difficulty of becoming clean when being addicted to narcotics, and it is actually based on a true story about Amanda Wendler and her mother, Libby, who are known as Molly and Deb in the film. When Molly (Mila Kunis), after years of numerous detox attempts and relapses, returns back home to her estranged mother (Glenn Close), a complex period of physical and emotional suffering, betrayal, and a fight for survival begins. Molly ultimately has to stay clean for four days in order to receive her last option for recovery — a shot of an opioid antagonist.

A Real-Life Look at Addiction

Four Good Days unveils how deeply rooted addiction can be, how strenuous the path toward recovery is, and the impact it leaves on relationships. The film's basis in reality paints a harrowingly accurate depiction of the difficulties of overcoming addiction. Thankfully, with perseverance, there's a positive light at the end of the tunnel, made more impressive by one of Mila Kunis' best performances. While it would largely go unnoticed at the Academy Awards, its lead single, "Somehow You Do," would receive a nomination for Best Original Song. Watch the trailer for Four Good Days on YouTube

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11 Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)

Written by Pink Floyd’s legendary vocalist Roger Waters, The Wall revolves around Boomtown Rats' vocalist Bob Geldof, who plays the role of a rock and roll star called Pink. Pink is driven insane by the amount of stardom he receives and constructs a mental and emotional "wall" to isolate himself from the world. What follows is a series of segments that flow with the titular musical album composed by Pink Floyd, ranging from haunting animations to metaphorical live-action pieces. When it all proves to be too much, Pink may find himself wanting to bring down the wall of his own creation.

The Wall Visualizes Pink Floyd's Album

The film can be viewed as an experimental indie project that touches on an array of topics such as sex, the agony of warfare, and drugs, all paired with the band’s music playing in the background. The song "Comfortably Numb" is a particular standout in terms of accurately portraying drug addiction, both in the content of the song itself and in the accompanying visuals portraying Pink's youth. The surrounding film allows the reasoning for Pink's addiction and subsequent isolation from the world to take center stage as well. Pink Floyd: The Wall is not available on streaming

10 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is an epic black comedy that’s adapted from Hunter S. Thompson’s collection of articles of the same name. The film is fueled by a cocktail of drugs and chaos, and depicts a plethora of banned substances within its almost two-hour runtime. Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro play the duo of Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, a journalist and his accompanying attorney, as their mission to cover a motorcycle race in Las Vegas is quickly sidetracked.

A Hallucinogenic Journey

While addiction is way more serious and darker than shown in the film, director Terry Gilliam tries to carve out the insanity that ensues when half-numb people attempt to function on a bevy of illicit substances. Its portrayal of reckless drug use perfectly coincides with the original series of articles it was based on. Del Toro's Dr. Gonzo in particular shows the dangers of excessive drug use, with his aggressive behaviors and near-complete detachment from reality prompting concern from Raoul. Watch the trailer for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on YouTube

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9 Naked Lunch (1991)

Based on William S. Burroughs’ novel of the same name, Naked Lunch is another cult film that depicts the madness that addiction brings with it. The film is directed by David Cronenberg and revolves around an unusual sort of drug: pest poison. William Lee (Peter Weller) accidentally comes into contact with the substance, sending him on a surreal journey to the "Interzone" in what he believes to be a secret operation.

Naked Lunch Is Incredibly Abstract

Owing to the film's source material — which was a strange collection of episodic stories that focused on heroin addiction and societal decay — Naked Lunch is as bizarre a film as they come, featuring some grotesque situations, in an attempt to provide the viewer with a peek into the mind of a user. The film relies extensively on abstract metaphors and surreal storytelling, allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions about what may or may not be real in Lee's world. Watch the trailer for Naked Lunch on YouTube

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8 Cherry (2021)

When Cherry was filmed, the much admired Spider-Man actor, Tom Holland, stepped way out of his comfort zone. While many doubted that he would have the sufficient skills to leave his friendly neighborhood superhero identity on the side, he spent an incredible amount of time preparing for his portrayal of a young man named Cherry, who suffers from PTSD and a subsequent heroin addiction after serving in the Army.

PTSD Leading to Drug Abuse

Cherry really isn't for the faint of heart, consisting of unsettling images and a somber environment for the better part of the movie. It offers an almost disturbingly accurate depiction of heroin addiction, diving into delusions around being a soldier, the extreme cravings, and, eventually, also the excruciating pain of withdrawal. Watch the trailer for Cherry on YouTube

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7 The Basketball Diaries (1995)

The Basketball Diaries is based on Jim Carroll’s autobiographical novel of the same name. The film documents the author/musician’s early years of addiction to heroin, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing the role of Jim. A teenage basketball prospect, Jim looks to be a star student from the outside looking in. Unfortunately, a tragedy plunges him into the depths of addiction nobody could've ever seen coming.

DiCaprio Captures the Cost of Addiction

DiCaprio does a stellar job of portraying a teenage addict, struggling to get a grip on life and reality. There's a rawness in his performance here that truly captures the kind of desperation and desolation a dangerous addiction can cause, with his gradual attempts at recovery feeling even more impressive as a result. It was an Oscar-worthy role that should've netted DiCaprio an award. This heart-wrenching biopic is one of the most intense and realistic portrayals of drug use and its long-term consequences. Watch the trailer for The Basketball Diaries on YouTube. The Basketball Diaries is not available on streaming

6 The Panic in Needle Park (1971)

The Panic in Needle Park put the great Al Pacino on the map. In his first lead role, Pacino played the role of Bobby, an addict who, along with his girlfriend Helen (Kitty Winn), oscillates in Needle Park, trying to sort out their next score. As Bobby and Helen become more codependent on each other and heroin, they fall into a darker web of desperation and betrayal.

Al Pacino's Lead Role Debut

While The Panic in Needle Park wouldn't get much attention at the Academy Awards, its technical qualities can't be praised enough. The film shows the dangers of codependency crossed with addiction, and how what was once a interpreted to be a positive relationship gradually decays into something unmaintainable. That said, the film avoids rudimentary stereotypes and instead presents a complex relationship gradually eroded away via the throes of addiction.

Stream on The Criterion Collection

5 A Good Person (2023)

The captivating drama A Good Person focuses on the multiple layers of addiction, and behavioral changes emerging from it. Casting Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman as the two main characters was a fantastic choice, especially considering that Pugh is known for diving straight into her role and elevating it to the best of her abilities. Allison (Pugh) has a wonderful life, a healthy relationship, and a great job; however, when an accident changes her entire life, she becomes addicted to opiates, and loses even more than she already has.

A Painful Aftermath

A Good Person is a painful depiction of the aftermath of grief and the dangerous path of using drugs as a means of relief, made all the more emotional via one of Florence Pugh's best performances. Allison takes the viewers on a heart-wrenching and real journey of fighting her way out. Watch the trailer for A Good Person on YouTube

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4 Rocketman (2019)

Rocketman tells the story of the world-famous and incredibly talented singer Elton John (Taron Egerton). Apart from the highs of his career, including famed singles like "I'm Still Standing" getting a full-on recreation within the film's itself, the biopic also taps into the downsides of his life. To the viewers' relief, John's long and difficult struggle with addiction is predicated in a genuine way.

Rocketman Avoids Stigmatization

Rocketman successfully avoids the use of any stigmas and focuses on potential causes and treatments. As for Elton John's case, the movie revealed how traumatizing events during his childhood, as well as further incidents in his adulthood, created and fueled his addictive behavior. Taron Egerton practically disappears into the title role, and knowing that Elton John himself served as an executive producer, you can expect an authentic depiction of his difficulties with addiction. Overall, it's a fantastic musical biopic. Watch the trailer for Rocketman on YouTube

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3 Beautiful Boy (2018)

Contrary to popular belief that despondency fuels drug use, Beautiful Boy works on a completely different tangent. Based on the life of Nic Sheff (Timothée Chalamet) and his relationship with his loving father, the film captures Nic’s teenage years as he struggles with his meth addiction while trying to cope with the help of his doting dad. The film is notable for featuring one of Steve Carrell's best performances as Nic's father.

A Realistic Depiction of Addiction

Beautiful Boy is an intense piece of cinema that views addiction through an empathetic lens. While it wouldn't make a huge splash at the box office, its ensuing critical praise — including multiple Best Supporting Actor nominations for Timothée Chalamet — makes for an impressively realistic depiction of addiction at a young age. Seeing it primarily through the eyes of Nic's father makes the ensuing struggle all the more heartfelt. Watch the trailer for Beautiful Boy on YouTube

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2 Trainspotting (1996)

Director Danny Boyle sets the tone of Trainspotting by starting the film with a rant about the everyday complications of life before finally having the lead character, Renton (Ewan McGregor), concluding in a cathartic way: “Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?” Danny Boyle's dark comedy follows the lives of a group of Edinburgh heroin addicts, whose addictions open the door for a wider examination of squalor and economic depression within the city itself.

Trainspotting Was Influential

Cut to more than two decades later, and the cultural impact of Trainspotting is undeniable. Boyle brilliantly captures the ethos of poverty in Britain and uses that as a setup to explain the mental state of the drug addict. It is a film that is honest and frank with its viewer, made more impressive via the lead performance of Ewan McGregor. The film would subsequently put director Danny Boyle on the map. Watch the trailer for Trainspotting on YouTube

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1 Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Arguably one of the scariest films to have ever been made about drug use, Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream looks at addiction through different age groups and multitudes. Specifically, the film focuses on four specific characters: Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly), Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans), and Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), whose stories intersect at specific points. However, the unifying theme of addiction and the distress that led to their addiction can be found throughout.

A Horrifying Film About Addiction

Using drugs as a gateway to highlight the more pertinent issues faced by humans, the film provides a shocking insight as to why people do what they choose to do. It's one of the most intense movies of all time, with each character featured tragically collapsing inward until their lives are fully enveloped by their addiction. It's a film you'll likely see once, and never want to see again due to its unrelenting nature. Watch the trailer for Requiem for a Dream on YouTube

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