How to Make Money Selling Drugs

There's only one way to say it.... with a title like "How To Make Money Selling Drugs" it takes balls to put this film out on the big screen. Kudos to you!

This is an issue that effects us all... your either directly related in some way or indirectly related by paying your taxes...etc. Its relevant, always has been but especially now in 2012 the election year!!

I'm not going to spoil the film, but what I will say is that if you watch docs or you don't this is going to grab your attention and hold it. Yes there have been many other drug films, many! But not done like this, its high value and beautifully shot! Filled with great interviews and several celebrities that are directly influenced or effected. This is a film is worth buying. I know documentaries are becoming more and more popular but in my own opinion most of them are just plain boring, or just not visually interesting at all. This is not the case here! Right from the start, great characters, great story and very informative! A great angle on the drug war and one that felt balanced on both sides. There are some deep moments but the theme keeps this one from getting too dark, which I personally liked. I hate the empty hopeless feeling from some docs....uh.

However definitely stay till the end as the initial hook is much deeper set and the film continues past the opening eye candy of reeling in large dollar bills. There is a message for you.

Certainly a deeper appreciation was felt for people on both sides, how quickly we have been to judge in our society or get behind polices that just sounded good, but no one cared enough to see who is affected.

Hope this review is helpful to those in doubt. Obviously I liked the film and I know its hard to tell from a good review whether to watch but if your in doubt on this one...don't be! How To Make Money Selling Drugs is fun, driven and very entertaining. Go for it!

9.1 of 10. Starts out feeling like a comedy, a faux documentary, in part because of the title, but also because the opening few minutes mock the opening of any "how to get rich" or "how to be successful" TV/video nonsense. Then the alternate reality shifts into reality, but continues with the quick pace and fun attitude for what is a tragic look into the past and present of drugs.

It's essentially The War on Drugs documentary for Colbert Report and Daily Show fans, maybe even South Park fans. About the only thing it does wrong is not provide enough charts and data. What it does provide are seamlessly integrated into the film. I would have also like the part on Portugual explored a little more deeply.

But wait, there's more! No need for a gun, you can make money by selling drug fear too! This is more than a literal look at how to make money by selling drugs. It gets into the many different ways politicians and corporations are profiting from drug prohibition.

I think that we can all agree that a documentary about drug dealing or drugs wars is not a particularly new subject matter. I have seen many documentaries and television shows that discuss such topics. But I am happy to report that this documentary is not like the rest. It is a totally novel discussion and portrayal of what it takes to rise in the ranks, paired with engaging and entertaining narration, followed by a powerful message that left me thinking about the subject matter for hours, if not days thereafter.

I was captivated by not only the pace and dialogue, but the talent of the film.

I am interested to see what the future holds for this movie, and I am certain it will gain a huge following and critical acclaim. It's definitely one to watch.

At the end of the film's premiere, the 300-odd cinema buffs at the Toronto Int Film Festival were in shock. They were still absorbing the multiple emotions evoked by the film's personalities and power. Ostensibly about the war against drugs and the drug trade, "How to Make Money Selling Drugs" paints on a much larger canvas. So many everyday impressions of how governments work, what the drug trade is, and how it's become such a scourge were overturned, it was difficult to take it all in. I think many will see the film a second or third time to fully absorb its import.

The production values are unusual for a documentary. "Talking heads" do not appear as such because everyone we get to meet comes across as a whole person, a unique individual with hopes, weaknesses, and strengths outside of the discussion at hand. They are characters in a real life story with real life consequences for them and the world around all of us. We get to know every one of them a little bit. I left wanting to learn more about many of them. What happens as a result is that the film rises to another level, another theme — a deeply human portrayal of the human condition. A surprisingly revealing mirror of ourselves. It's reporting of the highest possible caliber.

How to Make Money Selling Drugs is an entertaining and fast paced ride that delivers a clear message. Whether you believe in decriminalizing drugs or not, the film gives nuggets of perspective that allow the audience to go on a path of discovery of their own, while still maintaining the film's own voice. The actual delivery of the message was the highlight for me. The film follows people from all walks of life - giving the audience a well-rounded, well researched and well conceived view. I find that many documentaries, especially on such controversial topics, can come out one-sided, but this is a true exception where you never feel forced to feel a certain way, but come out forming your own opinions that somehow mesh with the film's core values.

So, in sum, brilliant!