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Movies About Addiction
Watching movies about addiction can be a harrowing look into the struggles of living with this disease and fighting for recovery.
Whether a loved one or you have dealt with addiction, it can feel incredibly isolating and devastating.
But the movies on addiction featured on this list can help you feel less alone.
Movies on addiction and recovery
All of these movies feature addiction in some way.
Addictions featured⤵️
- Alcohol
- Meth
- Heroine
- Cocaine
- Prescription pills
Unfortunately, not every movie has a happy ending.
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing addiction, the SAMHSA’s National Helpline is an excellent resource.
List of Movies with Addiction:
As you can probably guess, all the movies featured on this list contain tough subject matter that can be incredibly difficult to watch at times.
That being said, I’ve included content warnings for each movie with the help of DoesTheDogDie.com.
I would definitely check there before watching, in case I missed any big common triggers.
Now, on to the movies…
32 Best Movies About Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Have you downloaded your free inner child healing workbook yet? 👇
MOVIES ON ALCOHOLISM
1. THE SHINING
The Shining is one of Stephen King’s most famous stories.
Synopsis:
Debilitated by writer’s block, aspiring author and recovering alcoholic Jack forces his wife and son to live in an isolated hotel for the winter.
A sinister presence influences Jack into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific images from both the past and future.
Genre:
Horror
Content:
Domestic violence, child abuse, alcoholism, death, hate speech (n-word)
Rent or buy here: Amazon
More movies about domestic violence:
👉 27 Best Movies About Domestic Violence (That Are Cathartic)
2. GOLD DIGGERS: THE SECRET OF BEAR MOUNTAIN
Synopsis:
Beth is a city girl who just moved from Los Angeles to a small town in the Pacific Northwest, where her mom used to visit growing up.
There she befriends Jody, the town’s delinquent who’s more at home in the woods than in her hometown.
Genre:
Coming-of-age adventure
Content:
Domestic violence, addiction, alcoholism
Rent or buy here: Amazon
3. GEORGIA RULE
Georgia Rule is a dramady all about family, trust, and finding out who you can actually count on.
Synopsis:
Rachel is a rebellious, uncontrollable teenager who is forced to live with her grandmother for the summer by her alcohol-dependent mother.
She is hiding a dark secret that could potentially tear her family apart forever.
Genre:
Drama comedy
Content:
Sexual assault, pedophilia, alcoholism
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Are your parents controlling?
👉 13 Signs of Controlling Parents in Adulthood (That Are Ruining Your Life)
4. DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES
If you’re looking for a much older movie about alcoholism, Days of Wine and Roses is a classic from 1962.
Synopsis:
Working in a public relations firm, Joe feels like he needs to drink as part of his job — but he’s not complaining.
He soon marries a young woman and encourages her to drink as heavily as he does, so they can share this “passion” together.
Genre:
Romantic drama
Content:
Alcoholism, domestic violence
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
5. CRAZY HEART
Crazy Heart is a powerful story of a country music star’s rocky road to redemption.
Synopsis:
Genre:
Romance drama
Content:
Alcoholism
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Coping with an alcoholic:
👉 Coping with an Alcoholic: 6 Ways to Cope with Their Addiction
6. SMASHED
Smashed shows the strength that’s required to become and stay sober.
Synopsis:
Charlie and Kate are a young married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of music, laughter, and drinking
Their relationship is put to the test when Kate decides to get sober.
Genre:
Romance drama
Content:
Alcoholism, sexual assault
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
7. LEAVING LAS VEGAS
Leaving Las Vegas is a painfully moving drama that provides an authentic look into the insidious world of alcohol addiction.
Synopsis:
Ben is a former movie screenwriter who lost his wife and son because of his addiction to alcohol.
He’s come to Las Vegas to drink himself to death, and that’s when he meets Sera, a prostitute who falls in love with him.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual assault, suicide
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Do you live with toxic shame?
👉 18 Signs of Toxic Shame in a Person (That Are Worth Healing)
8. MY NAME IS BILL W.
In My Name Is Bill W.. you’ll learn the story of how one of the most successful self-help organizations in history, Alcoholics Anonymous, came to be.
Synopsis:
Bill had the ideal life: a loving wife, good health, and a promising career as a securities analyst.
But then he fell into a deep depression and downward spiral into alcoholism.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Alcoholism
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
9. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN
When a Man Loves a Woman shows the enduring power of love that’s required for recovery and sobriety.
Synopsis:
Alice and Michael are a passionate couple whose previously stable marriage is now on shaky grounds due to her increasing dependence on alcohol.
As they strive to overcome this battle, they find a renewed sense of love and commitment.
Genre:
Romance drama
Content:
Alcoholism, domestic violence, child abuse
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
MOVIES ON DRUG ADDICTION
10. RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS
Fun fact: Riding in Cars with Boys is my absolute favorite movie.
And as someone who loves a lot of movies, that’s truly saying a lot.
Synopsis:
Beverly is an aspiring writer who becomes pregnant at 15.
Watch how she lives, struggles, and overcomes her relationship with her kid, her kid’s drug-addicted father, and the relationship she has with herself.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Drug abuse, teen parents, absentee father, poverty
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Do you have repressed trauma?
👉 15 Signs of Childhood Trauma in Adults (Repressed and Unresolved)
11. CANDY
Starring the late Heath Ledger, Candy is a movie divided into Heaven, Earth, and Hell.
Synopsis:
Candy, an art student, gravitates towards Dan’s bohemian lifestyle — and his love of heroin.
They soon become hooked on each other, and their relationship alternates between states of nirvana, self-destruction, and desperation.
Genre:
Romance drama
Content:
Drug abuse, addiction, domestic violence
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
12. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
Requiem for a Dream follows four characters experiencing the downward spiral of drug addiction.
Synopsis:
In the shadow of Coney Island, four interrelated people fall prey to the chemical addiction of drugs.
These addicts are all on the quest for acceptance on their own terms.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Drug abuse, addiction, sexual assault, body dysmorphia, eating disorder
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Release your internalized shame:
👉 101 Affirmations for Shame (to Forgive and Accept Yourself)
13. ANIMALS (2015)
Animals is a tough, yet poetic, look inside the harsh realities of addiction.
Synopsis:
Jude and Bobbie are living in their broken-down car and con their way scamming strangers to feed their endless heroin addiction.
These young and in love addicts must fight to change their lives and see if love can survive all.
Genre:
Romance drama
Content:
Drug abuse, addiction
Rent or buy here: Amazon
14. TRAINSPOTTING
If you’re looking for a dark comedy about addiction, look no further than Trainspotting.
Synopsis:
Renton is deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene.
Despite the allure of heroin and the influence of friends, he tries to clean up and get out.
Genre:
Comedy
Content:
Drug abuse, animal abuse, sexual assault, child abuse, death, homophobia, pedophilia
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
15. LESS THAN ZERO
Less Than Zero is about love, loyalty, and deciding how much you can endure.
Synopsis:
Clay comes home to Los Angeles after his first semester of college and discovers his ex-girlfriend has begun to abuse cocaine.
Her new boyfriend — and Clay’s childhood friend —has an even bigger drug dependency.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Drug abuse, sexual assault, self-harm
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Movies about childhood friends:
👉 27 Movies About Childhood Friends (Filled with Nostalgia)
16. BEAUTIFUL BOY
Based on the bestselling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy is an inspiring story of survival, relapse, and recovery.
Synopsis:
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Drug abuse, alcohol abuse
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Memoirs about childhood trauma:
👉 22 Celebrity Memoirs About Stars Who Survived Childhood Trauma
17. SPUN
Spun is a grundy, black comedy about the highs that come with meth.
Synopsis:
College dropout Ross becomes the personal driver of the local crystal meth cook in exchange for free drugs.
Jumping from one situation to another, he falls deeper into the boundaryless world of meth addicts.
Genre:
Comedy
Content:
Drug abuse, kidnapping, sexual assault, suicide
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
18. THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK
The 1971 drama The Panic in Needle Park showcases the unrelenting realities of heroin.
Synopsis:
Bobby is a young heroin addict and small-time hustler who falls for Helen, a young homeless woman.
As their addiction deepens, their lives also go downhill.
Genre:
Romance drama
Content:
Animal death, drug abuse, domestic violence
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
19. HALF NELSON
In Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling portrays a young inner-city junior high school teacher with a drug habit.
Synopsis:
Despite his dedication to his middle school students, idealistic teacher Dan lives a secret life of addiction.
When one of his students catches him getting high, they form an unlikely friendship.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Sexual assault, drug abuse
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
20. RAY
Ray is based on the life story of American rhythm and blues legend Ray Charles.
Synopsis:
Told in his adult life with flashbacks to his youth, Ray became blind at a young age, but his mom encouraged him to make his own way.
From there, he found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard.
Genre:
Biographical musical drama
Content:
Racism, hate speech, ableism, drug abuse
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Music recommendations for childhood trauma:
👉 40 Child Abuse Songs (When You Had a Bad Childhood)
MORE MOVIES ON ADDICTION
21. THE BASKETBALL DIARIES
Another biographical movie adaptation, The Basketball Diaries follows Jim Carrol’s life from an addict to artist.
Synopsis:
Jim finds his basketball star dreams slipping away when he falls into the harrowing world of drug addiction.
Being kicked out of his house, he and his friends steal, rob, and even kill for their drugs.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Pedophilia, sexual assault, drug abuse, alcoholism, death, homophobic hate speech
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
22. CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL
Crazy/Beautiful is a quintessential early 2000s movie about first love and finding the strength to heal your inner turmoil.
Synopsis:
Fate couldn’t bring more opposites together when Carlos and Nicole have a chance encounter.
Carlos travels hours to get to high school every day just for an opportunity at a better life.
Nicole struggles deeply in life, proving that money isn’t everything.
Genre:
Romantic drama
Content:
Alcohol abuse, drug abuse
Rent or buy here: Amazon
23. THIRTEEN
If you’re looking for a movie that can be incredibly uncomfortable to watch at times, try the movie Thirteen.
Synopsis:
Tracy’s relationship with her mother is tested when she becomes best friends with troubled Evie.
Together, they forge down the path of self-destruction of drugs, drinking, sex, and petty crimes.
Genre:
Coming-of-age drama
Content:
Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, addiction, self-harm, underage sex, eating disorder, violence, bullying
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
Movies about childhood trauma:
👉 23 Heartbreaking Movies About Childhood Trauma (That are Therapeutic)
24. ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13
Don’t let Assault of Precinct 13 being a remake throw you off, because I’ve seen this movie dozens of times and it still gets my heart racing.
Synopsis:
A police sergeant must rally both cops and prisoners together to protect themselves in a police station on New Year’s Eve.
Because corrupt policemen surround the station with the intent of killing everyone inside to keep their deception a secret.
Genre:
Action thriller
Content:
Gun violence, murder, addiction
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
25. THE SPECTACULAR NOW
If teen romances are your thing, The Spectacular Now is a wonderful choice.
Synopsis:
Sutter, a charismatic and hard-partying high school senior, falls for the bookish girl next door, Aimee.
An unexpected romance blossoms between these opposites.
Genre:
Romantic drama
Content:
Pill addiction, alcoholism
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
26. A STAR IS BORN
Starring (hehe) Lady Gaga, A Star is Born is a harrowing tale of life through addiction.
Synopsis:
Successful musician Jack observes struggling artist Ally and helps her to reach fame.
But as Ally’s career takes off, Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
Genre:
Musical drama
Content:
Drug abuse, alcoholism, suicide
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
27. CLEAN AND SOBER
Clean and Sober showcases the rough journey to recovery.
Synopsis:
Daryl is a hotshot real estate agent who lives with an intense drug habit.
He checks himself into rehab to escape the trouble he’s in with the law.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Drug addiction
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
28. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Football means everything to a small Texas town in Friday Night Lights.
Synopsis:
The Permian High Panthers have a big tradition: win Friday nights.
However, when star tailback faces a career-ending injury in the first game of the season, their winning legacy might be shattered forever.
Genre:
Sports drama
Content:
Child abuse, domestic violence, addiction, alcoholism, racism
Rent or buy here: Amazon
P.S. If you haven’t watched the show yet, you gotta!
More show recommendations:
👉 28 Coming-of-Age TV Shows (Bursting with 90s and 2000s Nostalgia)
29. TRAFFIC (2000)
If you’re looking for a crime drama meets thriller, opt for 2000s Traffic.
Synopsis:
The president appoints a conservative judge to fight America’s war against drugs.
Except the judge’s anti-drug campaign leads right to the discovery of his teenage daughter’s crack addiction.
Genre:
Thriller
Content:
Child abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
30. PAID IN FULL
Paid in Full puts the adrenaline of quick wealth up against morals and good conscience.
Synopsis:
Ace is an impressionable young man working for a dry cleaning business who is captivated by the easy money his friend makes dealing drugs.
Soon after his friend is sent to prison, Ace finds himself dealing cocaine and building an illegal empire.
Genre:
Action drama
Content:
Drug abuse
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
31. CHRISTIANE F.
Christiane F. is a German biographical drama with one of the youngest characters struggling with addiction.
Synopsis:
Set in 1970s Berlin, a 14-year-old girl becomes addicted to heroin.
She soon befriends a small group of addicts and falls in love with a male prostitute.
Genre:
Biographical drama
Content:
Child abuse, drug abuse, sexual assault, pedophilia, death, homophobic slurs
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
32. TRAPPED IN A PURPLE HAZE
I weirdly remember watching Trapped in a Purple Haze on my family’s vacation when I was a kid, only to become completely enthralled with the story.
Synopsis:
Max’s mom relentlessly pressures him to abandon his dreams of becoming an ice hockey star and pursue his artistic talents instead.
Cracking under pressure, he falls into a crazy world filled with wild parties and hard drugs with the help of his stunning classmate.
Genre:
Drama
Content:
Drug abuse, addiction
Rent or buy it here: Amazon
More movie recommendation posts:
- 23 Heartbreaking Movies About Childhood Trauma (That are Therapeutic)
- 27 Best Movies About Domestic Violence (That Are Cathartic)
- 27 Movies About Childhood Friends (Filled with Nostalgia)
- 28 Best Movies About Bullying (for Teens, Kids, and Adults!)
- 28 Coming-of-Age TV Shows (Bursting with 90s and 2000s Nostalgia)
- 13 TED Talks on Childhood Trauma (to Heal Your Inner Child)
Movies based on addiction:
Addiction can be an all-encompassing disease that can feel incredibly isolating.
But watching movies about alcoholism and drug addiction can be a cathartic way to explore the journey of addiction to recovery.
(They can also be incredibly triggering, and it’s important to talk with your therapist to see if it’s something you should partake in.)
💾 Bookmark this page for when you want a movie recommendation about the pain of addiction to watch.
Inner child healing posts:
- 17 Magical Crystals for Healing Childhood Trauma (and Emotional Pain)
- 101 Healing Inner Child Affirmations (to Reparent Yourself)
- 70 Healing Inner Child Quotes (to Help Overcome Childhood Trauma)
- 40 Child Abuse Songs (When You Had a Bad Childhood)
- 13 Nostalgic Activities to Reconnect with Your Inner Child
- 107 Toxic Parents Quotes (When Mother and Father Are Abusive AF)
- 22 Powerful Inner Child Healing Meditations (Guided and Unguided)
- 23 Heartbreaking Movies About Childhood Trauma (That are Therapeutic)
- 17 Must-Have Healing Gifts for Your Inner Child
- 11 Ways to Heal Childhood Trauma Spiritually (and Awaken Your Inner Child)
- 23 Inner Child Oracle Cards (for Deep Shadow Work)
- 23 Tarot Decks (for Intense Inner Child Work)
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing addiction, the SAMHSA’s National Helpline is an excellent resource.
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