Crisis is one of these films with multiple storylines and characters that at a certain point will all meet. The topic itself has a good intention; addiction to oxy and fen is not something to be taken lightly. So kudos for trying to show a big part of the problem and its branching repercussions. But the writing could have been so much better adding more depth into the characters' stories, delving into addiction and also could have given us a much more concise and gratifying ending. Some more realism would be good, especially on the conversations of Armie and the Armenians; that part was not convincing and looked very sloppy.
There are many things that could have been better here, but if you want to see this film with a not-so-critical-eye, maybe you will be interested. It is not a boring film and will keep you invested for most of the time. 5,9/10
133 Reviews
Not bad at all
jhall_moviereviews12 March 2021
If you liked the movie crash or traffic you'll definitely like this movie. It's filmed very well with good acting and with a great cast. It's worth the 2 hour watch time I highly recommend it. Probably one of the better movies so far in 2021.
Nice expose on the corruption of big pharma
gustheaffen9 August 2021
Got news for everyone, this is exactly what happens. Big Pharma buys studies via funding universities and the members in the FDA and CDC move from executive positions in Big Pharma, Ag companies in and out of the FDA and the FDA approves things based on money for Big Pharma, Ag. They lay it out in a movie and people defend them saying don't attack Big Pharma. These are corrupt companies that laughed about the people dying of opioids and all the other toxic crap they make. Good story. I enjoyed it.
Worth a watch
namstonk19 March 2021
Well made, good pace and a decent watch. The casting is somewhat odd, not that the acting is bad it's just that different actor's would have fulfilled the characters better. Is there anything new? Well no, it has been done before but it is a good movie and passed the time nicely.
Not as bad as all the low ratings, and...
Top_Dawg_Critic10 March 2021
...certainly not as good at the shill high reviews. The casting was great with decent performances, especially Oldman and Lilly who shined, and the (based on true events) story is certainly not your typical fare. I'm glad it wasn't "Hollywood-ish".
Young newb filmmaker Nicholas Jarecki produced, directed, wrote and cast himself in this interesting story that lacked the thrills one would expect from a drama "thriller". The intertwining stories had some plot and technical issues and could've been told with better continuity. But they did flow rather well.
His directing was good, but the somewhat slow pacing for the 118 min runtime felt dragged out. Some acts should've been paced faster, and some scenes either cut down or out. And he certainly could've directed some of his cast better. The score was good, but could've used a little more up-beat "thrilling" tones. But for a young newb filmmaker wearing that many hats, he did good.
The fact this was based on true events added shock value for the lack of great thrills, and thus made for a good watch. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I watch it again? Probably not. It's a solid 7/10 from me.
Young newb filmmaker Nicholas Jarecki produced, directed, wrote and cast himself in this interesting story that lacked the thrills one would expect from a drama "thriller". The intertwining stories had some plot and technical issues and could've been told with better continuity. But they did flow rather well.
His directing was good, but the somewhat slow pacing for the 118 min runtime felt dragged out. Some acts should've been paced faster, and some scenes either cut down or out. And he certainly could've directed some of his cast better. The score was good, but could've used a little more up-beat "thrilling" tones. But for a young newb filmmaker wearing that many hats, he did good.
The fact this was based on true events added shock value for the lack of great thrills, and thus made for a good watch. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I watch it again? Probably not. It's a solid 7/10 from me.
Raises the awareness of the opioid drug crisis.
TxMike17 June 2021
As a comment in the end credits states, more people die from opioid abuse every two years than all those who died in the Vietnam war.
This movie depicts a fictional story which could easily be true. Across the USA-Canada border, which has no walls, a small DEA group is setting up a drug deal to entrap the head guy, called "Mother". Meanwhile a lady architect's son is found dead, and a college professor doing drug effectiveness and safety valuations is pressured to suppress his result that show it may not be safe.
Filled with good actors and presented well, a good movie. At home on DVD from my public library, my wife skipped.
This movie depicts a fictional story which could easily be true. Across the USA-Canada border, which has no walls, a small DEA group is setting up a drug deal to entrap the head guy, called "Mother". Meanwhile a lady architect's son is found dead, and a college professor doing drug effectiveness and safety valuations is pressured to suppress his result that show it may not be safe.
Filled with good actors and presented well, a good movie. At home on DVD from my public library, my wife skipped.
All Star Cast on an Important Issue
Mabkid7 January 2023
Three stories from three perspectives of the opioid crisis interweave together to try to show us the scope of the opioid crisis. A mother, A cop, A researcher. Undoubtedly, the whole picture is bigger. Crisis gives us a feel of the issue.
The movie is well done, technically. It's an above average movie. Not at all unenjoyable to watch.
Where it falls short is that it lacks fire in the belly. Granted, we see some sparks delivered through the acting of Gary Oldman, Greg Kinnear, Evangeline Lily, and Armie Hammer. However, the plot and dialogue lack bite to stand out or to be memorable.
Still, the opioid crisis is a subject worth delving into.
The movie is well done, technically. It's an above average movie. Not at all unenjoyable to watch.
Where it falls short is that it lacks fire in the belly. Granted, we see some sparks delivered through the acting of Gary Oldman, Greg Kinnear, Evangeline Lily, and Armie Hammer. However, the plot and dialogue lack bite to stand out or to be memorable.
Still, the opioid crisis is a subject worth delving into.
wiki version
ferguson-626 February 2021
Greetings again from the darkness. The best thrillers often interweave multiple story lines to create a complex web of detail for viewers to unwind. Writer-director Nicholas Jarecki (ARBITRAGE, 2012) serves up three story lines, all related to the current Opioid crisis. Although the film looks great and has a deep cast, we've seen most of this before and no new insight is provided in regards to the struggle. Instead, it's really standard thriller fare that never goes deep enough into any of the characters to make us care.
Armie Hammer (along with the recent personal baggage attached to him) stars as Jake Kelly, a DEA Agent who has worked undercover in hopes of exposing the Armenian-Canadian-American drug traffickers responsible for a significant portion of opioids crossing the border. Hammer spends the entire movie with an intensely furrowed brow that would likely inspire distrust amongst any potential drug syndicates.
In storyline number 2, Evangeline Lilly (Wasp in the ANT-MAN movies) is Claire Reimann, an architect and recovering drug addict, who is out for vengeance when her beloved high school athlete son is found dead with drugs in his system. The third segment features Oscar winner Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR, 2017) as Dr. Tyrone Brower, a science professor at a private Detroit university. He runs a drug-testing lab and faces a moral dilemma when questionable lab results for "the first non-addictive painkiller" puts people at risk, not to mention funding for his work.
Any one of these actors or stories could carry the weight of a movie, but when combined, they succeed only in crushing the entertainment value and tension level. Oldman's story is easily the most interesting. It addresses how Big Pharma gets new drugs rubber-stamped by funding otherwise cash-strapped labs and schools. There is also the skepticism involved with the drug-producer's influence over the supposedly independent FDA, and on top of all that, there is the ethical concerns of everyone putting the almighty dollar ahead of safety. Director Jarecki (the brother of Andrew Jarecki who directed the superb 2003 documentary CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS) kicks off the movie with a beautifully filmed, albeit brief, chase scene through the snowy Canadian forest. In fact, the camera work throughout is fine. It's really the overloaded script that prevents any of the stories or characters from clicking. Mr. Oldman seems to sense that he needs to overcome the lack of complexity in his story, and because of the effort, loses his usual reserved cerebral approach for which he's known.
Supporting work is provided by Greg Kinnear as the Dean willing to sacrifice ethics and friendship for money, Michelle Rodriguez as the DEA supervisor in a budget crunch, and Lily-Rose Depp as Jake's strung out sister. Also contributing are Indira Varma, John Ralston, Martin Donovan, Mia Kirshner, Kid Cudi, Michael Aronov, Luke Evans, and Veronica Ferres. The weakest link here is director Jarecki himself, who for some reason, thought he could play Jake's partner ... a role that would have benefited from a more refined actor.
The horrific effects of the Opioid crisis are known to most, and the film plays like a Wikipedia explanation for anyone who doesn't read or watch the news. Certainly not helping is the "Miami Vice" type score that accompanies many scenes, and the choppy editing that causes many scenes to fail. Better movies in this genre would include THE INSIDER (1999, ironically directed by "Miami Vice" creator Michael Mann) and Soderbergh's TRAFFIC (2000). The obstacles faced by whistleblowers, the importance of funding to academia, budgetary concerns for law enforcement, the tragic impact of drugs on families, and the systemic corruption that has fueled the epidemic ... all of these are touched on. It's just that it all seems too obvious. If somehow you didn't already know, the money-hungry don't play fair - whether they be drug dealers or drug companies. The film will hit theaters on February 26, 2021 and Digital and On Demand March 5, 2021
Armie Hammer (along with the recent personal baggage attached to him) stars as Jake Kelly, a DEA Agent who has worked undercover in hopes of exposing the Armenian-Canadian-American drug traffickers responsible for a significant portion of opioids crossing the border. Hammer spends the entire movie with an intensely furrowed brow that would likely inspire distrust amongst any potential drug syndicates.
In storyline number 2, Evangeline Lilly (Wasp in the ANT-MAN movies) is Claire Reimann, an architect and recovering drug addict, who is out for vengeance when her beloved high school athlete son is found dead with drugs in his system. The third segment features Oscar winner Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR, 2017) as Dr. Tyrone Brower, a science professor at a private Detroit university. He runs a drug-testing lab and faces a moral dilemma when questionable lab results for "the first non-addictive painkiller" puts people at risk, not to mention funding for his work.
Any one of these actors or stories could carry the weight of a movie, but when combined, they succeed only in crushing the entertainment value and tension level. Oldman's story is easily the most interesting. It addresses how Big Pharma gets new drugs rubber-stamped by funding otherwise cash-strapped labs and schools. There is also the skepticism involved with the drug-producer's influence over the supposedly independent FDA, and on top of all that, there is the ethical concerns of everyone putting the almighty dollar ahead of safety. Director Jarecki (the brother of Andrew Jarecki who directed the superb 2003 documentary CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS) kicks off the movie with a beautifully filmed, albeit brief, chase scene through the snowy Canadian forest. In fact, the camera work throughout is fine. It's really the overloaded script that prevents any of the stories or characters from clicking. Mr. Oldman seems to sense that he needs to overcome the lack of complexity in his story, and because of the effort, loses his usual reserved cerebral approach for which he's known.
Supporting work is provided by Greg Kinnear as the Dean willing to sacrifice ethics and friendship for money, Michelle Rodriguez as the DEA supervisor in a budget crunch, and Lily-Rose Depp as Jake's strung out sister. Also contributing are Indira Varma, John Ralston, Martin Donovan, Mia Kirshner, Kid Cudi, Michael Aronov, Luke Evans, and Veronica Ferres. The weakest link here is director Jarecki himself, who for some reason, thought he could play Jake's partner ... a role that would have benefited from a more refined actor.
The horrific effects of the Opioid crisis are known to most, and the film plays like a Wikipedia explanation for anyone who doesn't read or watch the news. Certainly not helping is the "Miami Vice" type score that accompanies many scenes, and the choppy editing that causes many scenes to fail. Better movies in this genre would include THE INSIDER (1999, ironically directed by "Miami Vice" creator Michael Mann) and Soderbergh's TRAFFIC (2000). The obstacles faced by whistleblowers, the importance of funding to academia, budgetary concerns for law enforcement, the tragic impact of drugs on families, and the systemic corruption that has fueled the epidemic ... all of these are touched on. It's just that it all seems too obvious. If somehow you didn't already know, the money-hungry don't play fair - whether they be drug dealers or drug companies. The film will hit theaters on February 26, 2021 and Digital and On Demand March 5, 2021
True stories are always good movies
rock_and_branko4 October 2021
Did not expect it to be so good
alon-dar117 March 2021
Very good, good acting, good story telling, good story. I adore serious films that actually make one realize the seriousness of the story, and this is one of those. Well worth watching - for people not looking for cheap action.
Edge of Your Seat Stuff
caspermukome13 July 2021
Nothing like a story told from different angles, think Vantage Point.
Can honestly say Crisis is a genuine thriller from start to finish, with a good blend of hard-hitting action and intriguing storyline.
You'll enjoy this One 🍿😎
Can honestly say Crisis is a genuine thriller from start to finish, with a good blend of hard-hitting action and intriguing storyline.
You'll enjoy this One 🍿😎
My thoughts
pipsis0310 February 2023
I appreciate that the film aspired to tackle many aspects related to prescription drugs. It's hard to juggle separate stories (even when their thematic points are ultimately the same) and this film did a decent job with its pacing to stay organized. However, I was left wondering if the overall story got so big that its parts diminished in the process.
The three main characters were given tid bits of backstory, but these facts were merely mentioned. The facts also felt disconnected from the overall story, especially Jake's sister's addiction.
Lilly's performance stood out to me the most as she was given more to work with. Her character was annoying though, especially at the beginning when she's throwing temper tantrums. In fact all of the three main characters have these tantrums that are a constant aspect in their dialogue with another person.
Everything in the film was middle of the road: the script, the cinematography and the acting stood out in their mediocrity. It wasn't bad and deserves a watch, but I'll probably forget most of it in the next couple of weeks.
The three main characters were given tid bits of backstory, but these facts were merely mentioned. The facts also felt disconnected from the overall story, especially Jake's sister's addiction.
Lilly's performance stood out to me the most as she was given more to work with. Her character was annoying though, especially at the beginning when she's throwing temper tantrums. In fact all of the three main characters have these tantrums that are a constant aspect in their dialogue with another person.
Everything in the film was middle of the road: the script, the cinematography and the acting stood out in their mediocrity. It wasn't bad and deserves a watch, but I'll probably forget most of it in the next couple of weeks.
Well Above Average
delkhan27 March 2021
Worth a try
AfricanBro23 May 2021
Not the best film you'll find but it's pretty far from the worst. It follows multiple stories at the same time that will at some point cross over, which made me a little dubious at first but they pulled it off alright. The cast and the acting is great. Just think it needed a little more of something to keep you at the edge of your seat, that's what thrillers are meant for at the end of the day, isn't it?
Serious film with 3 stories that show the eternal fight against drugs. Could have been more intense but it is still recommended overall.
Mivas_Greece19 September 2021
Drug crime movie. The main idea of the film is the fight against drugs and it shows it with three different stories that are somewhat connected. A university professor and researcher working on a new opioid painkiller for a company with the prospect of being non-addictive discovers that in the long run it is ultimately more addictive than those on the market and is called upon to make important decisions about how to proceed. A secret agent tries to set a trap for big opioid dealers and takes it personally since his sister is addicted. A mother, a former opioid addict, finds out that her son is murdered and opioid traffickers are involved. Three very interesting stories revolve around the world of opioids that kill countless victims every year. Experienced actors with serious performances, in a very good and serious effort to demonstrate the ongoing fight against drugs, a film modest and without immorality. From the good movies to the genre that is definitely recommended.
Mediocre at best
jaimemedina-362881 April 2021
I liked it better the first time when it was called Traffic.
This is a pale facsimile of that film. The the cast is great - no doubt, and some decent performances. But Hammer over plays his bit and the baddies don't quite seem legit to me.
I guess I was expecting more. Didn't find it.
This is a pale facsimile of that film. The the cast is great - no doubt, and some decent performances. But Hammer over plays his bit and the baddies don't quite seem legit to me.
I guess I was expecting more. Didn't find it.
A breath of fresh crime
daviddarabian10 March 2023
Police crime drama with great casting, great acting and great script. A grieving mother, a DEA agent, and a university professor, all fighting the same fight against criminals in leather jackets as in suit and tie. It's hard to say who's the most despicable, the gangster who knows he's a murderer or the murderers who convince themselves that they're doing it for a good cause. Crisis was a breath of fresh air, it doesn't try to preach about sexual orientation, gender roles, etc, that's unfortunately so common these days, and neither does it try to be the typically sophisticated and smart movie with the countless of plot holes that usually comes with it too. No strained dialogue or artsy mumbojumbo. It's simply liberated from all of that, and so very liberating to watch.
Should have been a Docu instead
steviemagay4 April 2021
It's not the common drug bust movie about heroin or cocaine, it tells the story of a new crisis, opioids! The was perfectly layed out into the whole perspectives, from manufacturing, couriers, dealers, clinical trials, victims and dea operations. Good story, but it lacks thrills and twists that will keep you seated for the whole thing. Better off as a TV movie or should have done a docu instead.
Why the negatives
carldenton10 March 2021
Byzantine plot fells the movie
paul-allaer6 March 2021
As "Crisis" (2021 release; 118 min.) opens, we are reminded the film is "Inspired by True Events". We find ourselves at the "US/Canada Border, 40 Miles South of Montreal", where a dope smuggler is trying to reach the US border, but he is intercepted by Canadian police. We shift to "Detroit, Michigan", where we get to know several DEA guys, speculating on how the Canadian police became aware of the smuggler. In a separate story line, we get to know Claire at an NA meeting, She has a 16 yr.old son. In yet another story line, we are introduced to the Big Pharma makers of Klaralon, a new pain killer that supoosedly is entirely non-addictive. At this point we are 10 min. into the film, but to tell you more of the plot would not only spoil your viewing experience, but frankly it'd be pretty much impossible to do...
Couple of comments: this is the new film from writer-producer-director Nicholas Jarecki, whose prior film, 2012's "Arbitrage", was an unexpected delight (starring a latter day Richard Gere in top form). Here Jarecki wants to bring an international opioids crime drama of the highest order. I regret to inform you sadly the film simply misfires, and for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the plot is byzantine in its complexity and frankly impossible to follow. After half an hour, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, leaving me frustrated and even annoyed. Who are the good guys? and the bad guys? are the DEA guys dirty? is the university reseacher dirty? Haven't a clue. I don't mind being led astray in a movie's script, but not when halfway into the film I truly have no idea what I'm watching. Then there are the acting performances. which are mostly sub-par, none more so than Evangeline Lilly (as the mother of the 16 yr. old). Watch her reaction to when she receives an update from the cops about her missing son. Utterly pathetic and completely unbelievable. Gary Oldman (as the university researcher) is a little better, but just barely. Armie Hammer and Greg Kinnear seem to be sleepwalking through it all. But not all is lost: the movie's photogtraphy is great, and there is a nice electronic score, courtesy of Raphael Reed. It's regretfully not enough to save the movie, which feels like a wanna-be "Traffic" drug drama for this day and age, but falls well short of that one.
"Crisis" opened in theaters a week ago, and I finally went to see it this weekend. The Friday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended surprisingly well: I counted a good 15 people, which is far more than the typical 5 to 10 attendants at most movies I've seen in these still ongoing COVID-19 times. The overall movieplex was eerily empty, though. I honestly don't know how movie theaters can operate profitably like that. All that aside, based on Nicholas Jarecki's involvement with this, I had high hopes for "Crisis" and hence I feel quite disappointed with this film. But of course don't take my words for it, and I encourage you to check it out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
Couple of comments: this is the new film from writer-producer-director Nicholas Jarecki, whose prior film, 2012's "Arbitrage", was an unexpected delight (starring a latter day Richard Gere in top form). Here Jarecki wants to bring an international opioids crime drama of the highest order. I regret to inform you sadly the film simply misfires, and for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the plot is byzantine in its complexity and frankly impossible to follow. After half an hour, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, leaving me frustrated and even annoyed. Who are the good guys? and the bad guys? are the DEA guys dirty? is the university reseacher dirty? Haven't a clue. I don't mind being led astray in a movie's script, but not when halfway into the film I truly have no idea what I'm watching. Then there are the acting performances. which are mostly sub-par, none more so than Evangeline Lilly (as the mother of the 16 yr. old). Watch her reaction to when she receives an update from the cops about her missing son. Utterly pathetic and completely unbelievable. Gary Oldman (as the university researcher) is a little better, but just barely. Armie Hammer and Greg Kinnear seem to be sleepwalking through it all. But not all is lost: the movie's photogtraphy is great, and there is a nice electronic score, courtesy of Raphael Reed. It's regretfully not enough to save the movie, which feels like a wanna-be "Traffic" drug drama for this day and age, but falls well short of that one.
"Crisis" opened in theaters a week ago, and I finally went to see it this weekend. The Friday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended surprisingly well: I counted a good 15 people, which is far more than the typical 5 to 10 attendants at most movies I've seen in these still ongoing COVID-19 times. The overall movieplex was eerily empty, though. I honestly don't know how movie theaters can operate profitably like that. All that aside, based on Nicholas Jarecki's involvement with this, I had high hopes for "Crisis" and hence I feel quite disappointed with this film. But of course don't take my words for it, and I encourage you to check it out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
Beautifully Made.
kenzibit13 March 2021
A major and current problem in our society, this movie captures what goes on and processes a drug takes to leave the lab and into the world. I had lots of relations to the lab parts in this movie since I work in a lab and have witnessed stuff like these.... When your research prevents a company from releasing a drug for life savings and profit. Movie was simply made, dialogues were natural and true with no gimmicks in any part. I recommend this movie.
A very important topic and a good film
latinfineart24 April 2021
This film was very well made. It was a tight production, great performances, and an important story that not that many people really want to talk about.
I think it's safe to say that Big Pharma along with virtually every federal government agency with a three letter acronym, is corrupt and beyond the pale when it comes to an extreme lack of ethics, morality and a desire to know the truth. Anything for money.
I think it's safe to say that Big Pharma along with virtually every federal government agency with a three letter acronym, is corrupt and beyond the pale when it comes to an extreme lack of ethics, morality and a desire to know the truth. Anything for money.
Good, but could have taken more risks
alex-mott8 August 2021
The story is mature and cerebral and Crisis has an excellent cast who give great performances, but despite ticking so many boxes - including atmospheric cinematography and good aerial footage too - it still doesn't quite ring the bell at the top and become an impactful or memorable film. The drug dens could have been seedier, the violence gorier, the pharma execs more menacing and the human life v. Profit arguments more volatile. Worth watching but with its alarmist title and dark subject matter you might be expecting more action, anguish and general unpleasantness - and like The Peacemaker, Crisis plays it safe.
Timing just right
ks-6050027 March 2021
With all the covid 19 drug out the market recently, its hard not to think the approval of these drug due to the 'benefit outweigh risk'. Especially when cases with death or side effect of the new drug, just make me sync the reality to this movie. Multi billion dollars biz behind and corporate action neglect the downside to make profit just this movie meant to tell. For the cast, it's just awesome with all the amazing actors in one movie.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
