My Favorite Movies about Addiction

Addiction has been a classic topic of film for years and for me, addiction, is not just about drugs and alcohol. People become addicted to a lot of different things, specifically things like money and power, not to mention gambling, pornography, there are any number of things that manifest addiction if not handled with caution. I will try to cover films that speak to the addiction itself as well as films that show most effectively the path that addiction can lead to and the depths that some people will sink to in order to feed their addiction. I might even mention a film or two that might not be specifically about addiction, but there is a character in the film who is definitely an addict and a major part of what is going on. And now, my list of favorite movies about addiction.

I'm looking forward to seeing your list

50.

SWEET NOTHING (1995)



This little seen film stars Michael Imperioli stars as an office worker named Angelo who decides to celebrate the birth of his daughter with his first hit of crack cocaine and, in the blink of an eye, is hooked on the drug, starts selling, and loses everything. Please don't consider this synopsis a spoiler because all movies about addiction pretty much end the same way.

49.

I'M DANCING AS FAST AS I CAN (1982)



The late Jill Clayburgh's powerhouse performance sells this fact-based story about a documentary filmmaker named Barbara Gordon who is addicted to valium.

48.

THE LOST WEEKEND (1945)



The Oscar-winning Best Picture of 1945 that also won Oscars for its director, Billy Wilder and its star, Ray Milland. This is a harrowing, slightly melodramatic, but extremely effective look at alcoholism, following an ordinary Joe through a four-day drunken spree. There are some dated elements to the film, but the film nails the desperation, solitude, and loneliness of addiction.

47.

28 DAYS (2000)



This nearly forgotten comedy-drama stars Sandra Bullock as an alcoholic and drug addict who ruins her sister's wedding and drives a limo into the front of a house and is court-ordered to rehab. What this film showcases effectively is the denial that an addict often exists in, how rehab only works if you really want to stop, and how you have to change people, places, and things if you really want to get and stay sober.

That is a long list. Wondering how long will it take you to post all the 50 movies.

I just DVR'd "The Lost Weekend" - saw it twice, might see it soon because I know it's a guaranteed good 2 hours.

I love "Trainspotting" and looking forward to the sequel - first time I'll be going to the theater with a movie I'm looking forward to as opposed to the lesser of mediocrity.

46.

Less Than Zero (1987)



This film has made a couple of my lists but deserves mention here as well due to the character of Julian, brilliantly played by Robert Downey, a self-absorbed party boy whose addiction to crack and cocaine finds him indebted to a slimy dealer (James Spader) and reduced to unspeakable things to pay off his debts. Julian's story is sad and pathetic and completely realistic.

i hope requiem for a dream makes your list

Patience is a virtue.

Nice to see Less Than Zero here. It's a film I've always like, though I've not seen it in a while now.

__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.

45.

LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR (1977)



This movie is about a different kind of addiction. Theresa Dunn (Diane Keaton) is a compassionate schoolteacher who develops a double life when she begins haunting bars at night and hooking up with strangers for anonymous sex. This film is about becoming addicted to a lifestyle and like all addiction, her inability to stop what she's doing leads to her downfall.

44.

ONLY WHEN I LAUGH (1981)



This Neil Simon comedy is a film version of Simon's play The Gingerbread Lady about an alcoholic actress named Georgia Hines (Marsha Mason) who has just been released from rehab and is trying to re-start her career and her relationship with her teen-aged daughter (Kristy McNichol). What I like about this movie is that it brings home the message that rehab alone does not keep you sober and requires work. I also love Marsha Mason's surprisingly rich performance in the starring role, her grasp of an addict wanting sobriety more than anything but hanging onto it by a thread is very believable.

43.

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955)



Frank Sinatra's Oscar-nominated performance is a highlight of this harrowing look at a down and out heroine addict who is also trying to deal with gambling debts while a spike stays in his arm...it's not pretty and a little preachy, but for 1955, this was some pretty grown up stuff. Also loved Eleanor Parker as Frank's crippled and clinging wife.

I expected The Lost Weekend to be much higher on your list. This placement just makes me even more curious about what's coming up.

I like Less Than Zero and Mr. Goodbar. 28 Days wasn't bad either-good choices!

42.

My Name is Bill W. (1989)



James Woods won an Emmy for his performance in this classic made for TV docudrama about the two alcoholics who founded Alcoholics Anonymous. If you want an up close and personal look at the roots of the disease and the solution, this is a good place to start.

41.

Panic in Needle Park (1971)



This harrowing tale of heroine addiction put a young actor named Al Pacino on the map, in addition to a graphic and unsettling look at the effects of heroine.

From Bollywood , the famous film on drugs is JAANBAAZ ( Adventurous )---made by director Firoz Khan in 1987 . Shockingly , it glamorises drug use and shows drug addicts leading a freewheeling lifestyle . No wonder , the son (Fardeen Khan ) of the director was caught years later buying drugs from a dealer . With a father who glamorises drug use , what can one expect . Later director Firoz Khan was suspected in league with drug smugglers , but was never caught .