So often we see drug addiction get the talk-show approach.
This can mean:
a) The Jerry Springer approach b) The Oprah approach
Either approach is vain, sensationalistic, unoriginal and immature. Now a new film Never Get Outta the Boat captures the viseral emotionality behind addiction in a way that no other film has.
There's rage, sadness, fear and even joy in drug addiction and this film catches it all. I have only ever used fairly soft drugs, and only been addicted to tobacco, but I could identify with the constant WANTING that these people have to endure for their whole lives.
This film shows the drug problem in America exactly how it is by showing you the addicts as close to the camera as is possible. There's no didacticism (Traffic) and no romance (Naked Lunch, Drugstore Cowboy, Sid and Nancy) involve. As a result, one viewing is more effective than a nation of lifetimes of "DON'T SAY NO" commercials.
I saw this film at Toronto three weeks ago and I still remember many scenes vividly. Go see it.