Content Warning: The following article contains discussions of drug, alcohol, and gambling addiction.
Addiction has long been a distinctly devastating subject to capture in film. Some of the best movies about addiction are also the most intense and heartbreaking films ever made, with great works diving into the highs and lows of its different forms. Whether exploring substance abuse, gambling, or other compulsions, these films immerse viewers in unforgettable cautionary tales.
From the pulse-pounding Trainspotting to the haunting Requiem for a Dream, the best addiction movies offer a compelling look at this all-too-human struggle. There are stories of redemption, of tragedy, of the unrelenting grip of dependency, all brought to life by powerful performances that ensure the movies leave a lasting impact. Be warned, these films tackle hard-hitting topics and often have disturbing sequences.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Requiem for a Dream is a hypnotic psychological drama that follows four characters whose lives fall apart because of drug addiction. In it, three friends, Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly), and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans), try to make money by dealing heroin but end up using their own product and fueling their own addictions. Meanwhile, Harry’s mother, Sara (Ellen Burstyn), becomes addicted to amphetamines in a desperate attempt to lose weight for a TV appearance. The film depicts their worsening addictions that soon lead them down disturbing paths.
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Requiem for a Dream is a notoriously uncomfortable movie that serves as an unforgettable cautionary tale. With its rapid-cut montages and hallucinatory sequences, it traps audiences within the characters’ warped realities. It’s a visceral and, at times, unbearable viewing experience that chronicles an all-too-familiar descent for anyone who has seen the different faces of drug addiction. Burstyn’s gripping performance is particularly exceptional, rightly earning her the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress.
Stream Requiem for a Dream on Prime Video.
Flight (2012)
Flight opens with a terrifying airline disaster, as it depicts a seasoned pilot, Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington), as he miraculously crash-lands a malfunctioning plane, saving nearly everyone on board. Whip is hailed as a hero, and he is more than happy to bask in the spotlight. Investigators soon catch on to the fact that there’s one problem: he was intoxicated during the flight. As the probe closes in, Whip’s drinking spirals further out of control, making it even harder to keep a secret. The pilot soon has to confront this painful truth about himself before it’s too late.
From the jaw-dropping plane sequence, the 2012 drama has audiences glued to their screens. What follows soars thanks to Washington’s charismatic performance as the self-destructive pilot, whose arc is infuriating to watch yet impossible to ignore. Flight remains one of director Robert Zemeckis’ best movies thanks to the way it finds power in quiet moments—an unfinished bottle, a trembling hand — instead of dramatic outbursts. At its core, it’s an intense character study that takes an honest look at how alcoholism can be concealed and shrouded in denial until it leads to disaster.
Stream Flight on Paramount+.
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Starring Nicolas Cage in one of his best and most haunting performances, Leaving Las Vegas revolves around a washed-up Hollywood screenwriter who arrives in Sin City with a singular goal: to drink himself to death. Ben Sanderson (Cage) is determined in his self-destruction and deep in his alcoholism until his path crosses with Sera (Elisabeth Shue), a kind-hearted sex worker with her own hidden troubles. In each other, they find fragile solace and an unconventional arrangement to be with one another without judgment, even as Ben finds himself deeper and deeper in the bottle. Their relationship is doomed from the start, and viewers are taken along for a tragic ride to its inevitable end.
Directed by Mike Figgis, Leaving Las Vegas is a melancholic portrait of a man who has made peace with his demise. Cage’s Oscar-winning turn as Ben, whose initial reckless charm and eventual crushing despair anchor the heart-wrenching film. The 1995 movie never offers hope but rather highlights a bit of humanity as two lost souls cling to each other as the lights dim. It’s bleak, poetic, and the kind of film that will leave a pit in your stomach when it ends.
Stream Leaving Las Vegas on Prime Video.
Uncut Gems (2019)
The Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems is an anxiety-inducing experience from start to finish. It follows a New York jeweler, Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), whose gambling addiction is so severe that every aspect of his life seems like an unnecessary risky bet. He’s in deep with dangerous loan sharks, juggling a crumbling marriage, an affair with his employee, and an obsession with a rare Ethiopian black opal he believes will change his luck. When NBA superstar Kevin Garnett (playing himself) takes a deep interest in the gem, Howard sees a golden opportunity — but as always, his compulsions push him toward more dangerous choices.
Sandler is electrifying in a role in his career unlike any other, abandoning his comedic persona to deliver a nerve-wracking performance as a man so consumed by the thrill of the gamble that he sabotages himself at every turn. He’s frustrating to watch yet impossible to look away from, especially when his story is framed by the Safdies’ direction. Uncut Gems‘ frenetic camerawork and an almost unbearable sense of momentum mirror Howard’s chaotic mindset, adding a layer of urgency and intensity throughout the A24 film’s 135-minute runtime. The 2019 crime movie is exhilarating and exhausting, and one that cinephiles should not miss.
Buy or rent Uncut Gems on Prime Video or Apple.
Trainspotting (1996)
Director Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting is a darkly funny look at heroin addiction in an economically depressed area of 1980s Edinburgh. Here, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) repeatedly tries to get clean but is constantly pulled back by his equally dysfunctional friends — Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). Renton bounces between sobriety and relapse, with each fresh attempt derailed by the lure of heroin. The film depicts the harsh reality of their lives as it revolves around fleeting highs and schemes to get high, even as the consequences of their actions loom closer.
An iconic movie from the 1990s, Trainspotting offered a unique approach to the subject, especially in its blend of surrealism and black comedy. One moment, Renton is diving into “the worst toilet in Scotland,” and the next, he’s suffering through an agonizing withdrawal. The film strikes a difficult balance in never glamorizing addiction while also understanding the allure of escape that it offers. Add clever insights on the camaraderie of shared destruction and the deep-rooted cycles that keep people trapped, and the 1996 British drama easily cements itself as the most unflinching, empathetic, and entertaining movie ever made about addiction.
Stream Trainspotting on Paramount+.
