53 MOVIES ABOUT DRUGS AND THEIR EFFECTS - ARTE - 2025

Thanks to this list of movies from the world of drugs, you will be able to get closer to them: how addictions appear, what types of drugs exist, what those who consume them feel and what consequences may come later.

Drugs have the power to change how people feel, think, and perceive about the outside world; becoming a shocking and pleasant experience for some, while it can be a nightmare for others.

In fact, there are people dissatisfied with their lives who will find a refuge in drugs, a way to escape their reality. On the other hand, others use them as a means to experience new sensations and have fun.

The truth of all this is that things do not usually end as well as they should. Normally when an addiction is entered, problems begin to appear, and the situation can become a real drama.

If you are curious to know more about this topic, a good way to discover it is through the cinema. Would you be able to see them all? You may also be interested in this list of recommended movies of all categories.

Recommended Movies About Drugs

1- "Requiem for a dream" or "Requiem for a dream" (2000)

Exceptional film directed by Martin Scorsese. Henry Hill, a boy whose dream since childhood is to be a gangster; reason why it leaves the school to the 13 years and it enters to run errands in the mafia. As time passes, he gains the trust of superiors and ascends, finding himself immersed in a world of crime, violence and drugs.

3- Christiane F. (1981)

Shocking German film based on a real case and directed by Uli Edel. It is about a 12-year-old girl who is a fan of David Bowie's music, who, due to social pressure, ends up injecting heroin and becoming addicted.

Throughout the film she shows the darker side of this drug, capturing what she and her friends have to do to get their fix.

4- Trainspotting (1996)

It is an essential Danny Boyle film, another one of the essentials. It tells the hard adventures of a group of young heroin addicts, whose lives are totally focused on getting money and getting high; without having other goals or objectives. It is a film full of metaphors about life that will make you reflect.

5- Blow (2001)

It is directed by Ted Demme and stars Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz. It tells how George Jung, a boy who starts selling marijuana on the beaches of California in the 70s.

Little by little he ends up increasing his business, to the point of working for Pablo Escobar as a cocaine trafficker. He ends up producing an immense fortune, but his addiction will gradually sink him into failure.

6- Scarface or "The price of power" (1983)

It is a fundamental gangster film directed by Brian De Palma, having one of the highest ratings on Filmaffinity.

Tony Montana (Al Pacino) is a strong-willed, cold and relentless criminal; who takes refuge in the United States with the aim of becoming the most prestigious and wealthy gangster. Accompanied by his friend Manny Rivera, he will start trafficking cocaine to achieve his goal.

7- “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” or “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998)

From director Terry Gilliam, it can be considered one of the quintessential drug movies. It is about a journalist and his lawyer heading to Las Vegas through the desert. For this they use a red convertible whose trunk is full of drugs of all kinds.

Under the effects of drugs they will go through crazy adventures, the symptoms that these produce them appear in full detail.

One of the legends that this film has promulgated is that of the drug "adrenochrome", supposedly extracted from the human adrenal glands.

8- “Soudain le vide” or “Enter the Void” (2009)

Stimulating film by Gaspar Noé that will immerse you in the effect of drugs, recounting the life in Tokyo of a drug dealer and his sister, who works as a stripper.

It begins when one confused night, the police shoot the protagonist while trying to hide. From then on the story of the protagonists is told, showing the union of two brothers who have gone through a difficult life.

9- Mary full of grace (2004)

Drama directed by Joshua Marston, shows in a realistic and crude way, the experiences of the "mules" or people who transport drugs in their body.

María, the protagonist, is tired of her work and her life, when a man appears who coaxes her into working for him as a mule, promising her a large sum of money if she can make just one transport. This money could completely change Maria's life, causing her to make the risky decision.

10- Candy (2006)

It is a film about love and addiction, which makes us see how drugs captivate you and lead you to the abyss. It is about the relationship between Dan, who is a poet, and Candy, a girl who studies art.

They both embark on a bohemian and romantic relationship tinged by heroin, which goes through different phases (Heaven, Earth and Hell) and where the protagonists will not stop fighting to try to save their love.

11- The Rose Seller (1998)

It is a heartbreaking Colombian film directed by Víctor Gaviria, which reflects the lives of children addicted to glue in a criminal neighborhood of Medellín. The protagonist is a 13-year-old girl who sells roses in an environment populated with violence, drugs and prostitution.

12- Gia (1998)

It is a film based on real events, directed by Michael Cristofer. Angelina Jolie plays the model Gia Marie Carangi, who rises to success for her beauty and sensuality. However, her dissatisfaction at work and her failure to woo her makeup artist, causes her to experiment with drugs, beginning to sink into failure.

13- "What have I done to deserve this?" (1984)

Pedro Almodóvar always surprises us with his controversial stories. In this case, it reflects the life of Gloria, a frustrated housewife who is addicted to amphetamines to escape his boring life.

14- “The acid house” (1998)

The full movie covers 3 different stories that take place in Scotland. "The Granton Star Cause" is a comedy that deals with themes such as revenge, religion and soccer. "A Soft Uncle", which recounts the failures of a weak and manipulative boy; and "The Acid House", in which you can enter the world of LSD.

15- “Altered States” or “Amazing journey to the back of the mind” (1980)

American film directed by Ken Russell, which deals with a scientist interested in discovering other states of consciousness called Eddie Jessup. The latter, while studying schizophrenia, realizes that there may be other states as real as wakefulness.

In this way, he begins to experiment with his colleagues, depriving his body of stimulation and consuming hallucinogens. But such experiments end up having unexpected effects that will not prevent Eddie from ceasing his research.

16- “Without limits” or “Limitless” (2011)

It is a science fiction film that makes us see what the world would be like if there were a revolutionary drug that would increase our cognitive capacity without limits. That way, Eddie, the protagonist, when he takes the drug can remember in complete detail everything he has read, seen or heard, even if only once.

17- The trip (1967)

Directed by Roger Corman and written by Jack Nicholson, it is the first film to feature LSD use as its main theme. It is about Paul Groves, who after losing his wife enters a serious crisis. However, your friend offers to try LSD to help you forget.

18- “Living without limits” or “Go” (1999)

Comedy by Doug Liman that intertwines three funny stories that take place in a supermarket on Christmas Eve.

The first story is about Ronna, a supermarket cashier who has financial problems and that, during that night, they are going to offer her a more profitable job.

The second story stars Simon, Ronna's partner who is going to spend a crazy night in Las Vegas with his friends. The last story is about the adventures of two (apparently) friends, Adam and Zack, who have drug possession problems.

19- “Kids” or “Blow by blow” (1995)

It is a controversial and shocking drama that tells the daily life of young people from New York, totally ahead of their age, filling their lives with sex, drugs and alcohol. It aims to reflect the problems of American society in the 90s.

20- "Human Traffic" or "Ecstasy Generation" (1999)

This Justin Kerrigan movie tells the life of two couples and their camel, in which throughout the week they lead an apparently normal life, with their routine and boring jobs. In reality, they go through a series of difficulties that they try to evade during the weekend, at which point they plunge into the world of drugs.

21- “Cidade de Deus” or “City of God” (2002)

It is a Brazilian film based on real events by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, with an excellent rating by Filmaffinity users. It reflects life in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, from the 60s to the 80s, a period undermined by violence and drug trafficking.

The protagonist is Buscapé, a sensitive boy who is very clear about his goal in life: not to be carried away by the horrible fate to which most children his age are condemned and fight to become a photographer if he survives.

22- “The Wolf of Wall Street” or “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013)

Excellent film by Martin Scorsese, based on the life of Jordan Belfort (role played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a New York stockbroker who, due to ambition and fortune, achieved success and was carried away by drugs, power, women. The urge to get more and more begins to bring you problems.

23- “Spun” (2002)

It is an independent film comedy directed by Jonas Åkerlund. It is about a drug addict boy named Ross, who works as a chauffeur and messenger for his drug dealer, a man who makes methamphetamine at home.

24- "Pineapple Express" or "Superfumados" (2008)

It is a meal by David Gordon Green, whose protagonist is Dale Denton, a court clerk who regularly uses marijuana. One day, his dealer offers him a new type of marijuana called “Pineapple Express” that only he sells. Trouble comes when Dale, witnessing a murder, accidentally leaves the Pineapple Express cigarette butt at the crime scene.

25- "Permanent Midnight" or "Double Life" (1998)

It is an American film by David Veloz, which reflects the life of a successful Hollywood screenwriter who apparently has everything anyone could want.

However, what no one knows is that he can spend $ 6,000 on heroin a week. For this reason, he is forced to enter a detoxification center where he will remember past moments of his life.

26- Sid and Nancy (1986)

Film based on the relationship between the musician Sid Vicious, a member of Sex Pistols, and Nancy Spungen. Their relationship was one of the causes of the group's separation.

A story full of drugs, alcohol and conflict, which ultimately ended tragically for both of them.

27- Rapture (1979)

Film produced and directed by Iván Zulueta, is considered a feature film ahead of its time. A director in the throes of creative block receives a film that will give him a break. Drugs, sex and excesses will take over the lives of both and will take them to the limit.

28- Traffic (2000)

Written and directed by Steven Soderbergh. It tells three stories related to the world of drug trafficking, from the point of view of Mexico, the DEA and an American family.

The film shows the fight against drugs in both the United States and Mexico and the consequences they have in both countries.

29- Thirteen (2003)

Tracy is an exemplary young woman who changes her behavior when she turns 13 after meeting a rebellious girl. Her life is filled with excesses and drugs that she cannot control. The only way out will be found in the closest person.

30- The Basketball Diaries (1995)

Autobiographical film of the poet, musician and writer Jim Carrol. He recounts the problems he had during his adolescence with drugs, the effects they caused in his life, leading him to the nether worlds and to crime.

31- Pure (2002)

After the death of his father, Paul suffers during his adolescence from poverty, his mother's addiction to heroin and her disregard for him and his little brother.

Paul finds a friend, Louise, a young pregnant woman who also has a drug problem. However, he will do everything possible to take care of his entire family.

32- American Psycho (2000)

Film co-written and directed by Mary Harron. For the protagonist, Patrick Batema, success comes down to a perfect body and a lot of money, however, this no longer satisfies him.

His world turns into a vortex of drugs, alcohol, sex, murder, and a detective seeking to capture him.

33- "The garden of joy" or "Saving grace" (2000)

A woman loses her husband, and decides to stop growing orchids to start a marijuana plantation with the help of her gardener.

34- Factory girl

Directed by George Hickenlooper and based on the life of Edie Sedgwick, a young millionaire who becomes the inspiration for renowned artist Andy Warhol.

But a new relationship and the decisions she will make will lead her to a world of excess and a tragic end.

35- Lies and fat (2009)

Spanish film directed by Alfonso Albacete and David Menkes. It relates the experiences of a group of young people who experiment with drugs, alcohol, sex and partying.

36- London (2005).

37- Drugstore Cowboy (1989).

38- The peak I (1983) and II (1984).

39- Inseparable (1988)

40- 21 grams (2003)

41- The Naked Lunch (1991)

42- Panic in Needle Park (1971)

43- Corrupt Lieutenant (1992)

44- Easy rider (1969)

45- Pusher: a walk through the abyss (1996)

46- "In Vanda's room" or "No quarto da Vanda" (2000)

47- Up in Smoke (1978)

48- The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

49- "The French Connection" or "Against the drug empire" (1971)

50- “Point blank love” or “True Romance” (1993)

51- “A Scanner Darkly” or “A look at the dark” (2006)

52- Kidnapped: Story of a kidnapping (2005)