Crisis

"Addiction is an industry."

2021 1h 58m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 410

ThrillerCrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Three stories about the world of opioids collide: a drug trafficker arranges a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation between Canada and the U.S., an architect recovering from an OxyContin addiction tracks down the truth behind her son's involvement with narcotics, and a university professor battles unexpected revelations about his research employer, a drug company with deep government influence bringing a new "non-addictive" painkiller to market.

“Addiction is an industry.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Gary Oldman
Dr. Tyrone Brower
Armie Hammer
Jake Kelly
Evangeline Lilly
Claire Reimann
Greg Kinnear
Dean Talbot
Michelle Rodriguez
Supervisor Garrett
Luke Evans
Dr. Bill Simons
Lily-Rose Depp
Emmie Kelly
Guy Nadon
Mother

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Nicholas Jarecki
Writers: Nicholas Jarecki
Languages: German, English
Countries: Belgium, Canada

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Belgium, Canada.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Nicholas Jarecki, shot by Nicolas Bolduc. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Raphael Reed. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Duff Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Gary Oldman and Armie Hammer and Evangeline Lilly carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Addiction is an industry.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Nicholas Jarecki directs. Nicolas Bolduc behind the camera. Raphael Reed scores. Duff Smith cuts. Produced in Belgium, Canada. Dialogue in German, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 5 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.
3International production across 2 countries: Belgium, Canada.
4Directed by Nicholas Jarecki, shot by Nicolas Bolduc. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Raphael Reed. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Duff Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Gary Oldman and Armie Hammer and Evangeline Lilly carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Addiction is an industry.".
9IMDB entry: tt9731682 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 17 themes, including "drug smuggling", "drug addiction", "melancholy", "recovering addict".

The technical file

Cinematography: Nicolas Bolduc
Original score: Raphael Reed
Editing: Duff Smith
Production design: Jean-Andre Carriere
Costume design: Simonetta Mariano
Makeup / hair: Colleen Quinton
VFX supervisor: Emilien Lazaron
Runtime: 118 min · 1h 58m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $1,099,426
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Crisis (2021)

Also by

Nicholas Jarecki

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Vanessa Stewart2026-09-30
Crisis (2021) follows three people caught in the opioid epidemic: a federal agent chasing a heavy-handed drug smuggler, a mother with her own history of substance abuse trying to find out what happened to her son, and a scientist who realises a new drug isn't as safe as its makers claim. The three stories twist into one by the end. Critics came down hard on it, but I found it more honest than the usual lone-hero-beats-big-pharma thriller. It isn't hard-hitting, it offers little hope, and it wastes Indira Varma, but the casting suits the bleak setting, and it's predictable without ever being boring. 3.5/5.

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