A Thousand Junkies

I know some people have said this movie is unrealistic, but it was more or less pretty similar to my experience. It's been over a decade since I lived that life, but it brought back some painful memories and reminded me how lucky I am. I thought the movie did a great job of portraying what most days are like for a addict. I have been all of these characters wrap into one. Most days are the same as the day before. So, if you want to see the sequel, just rewatch this movie. Side note: Seems as though no matter where you live the dope man takes forever. Every addict has the same experience. "I'm 5 min away.... No go here instead, I'm 15 min away... I'm coming over the bridge I'm 10 min away" Just goes to show, they sell drugs for a reason. Because they're horrible businessmen.

Three guys start the day in their crappy car, hoping to find a fix of heroin before the sickness sets in.

A picaresque tale! I guess the title refers to all the junkies who have followed, and are to follow, the same path. This is a nice find, and gives the impression of well studied performances from actors who have seen this behavior in people they know. The only criticism is that the picaresque encounters ain't much violent or humorous - I'm not looking for exaggeration, just the natural absurdity of desperate humans colliding at random, without moralizing. Although there is one judgmental scene, with the charming dancing daughter refusing her dad's plea for help.

The editing, cinematography and sound are all good, and the pace keeps up nicely. And the LA locations are as romantically ugly as ever, with all that sun-bleached concrete. Outstanding element is the music, which creates some romance out of the hopelessness.

I wish someone would bless America.

This is the most honest and important drug movie since Trainspotting or Drugstore Cowboy, only grittier and more confined to a day-in-the-life-of three addicts. A road movie for junkies, and a hilariously dark niche comedy. Personally, I dug every minute of it, and I hope more people check it out. Three junkies drive around LA in a beat up Volvo, on a mission to score heroin before the pained desperation of dope sickness takes over. Written, directed, acted by recovering addicts (director and star Tommy Swerdlow is a veteran Hollywood screenwriter who met the other guys in rehab) this gives the characters and situations an unfiltered authenticity. Sure, there's exaggeration for entertainment's sake, but the brilliant thing about this movie is how it uses humor to portray the 9-5 job of being a junkie without glamorizing or trivializing the life. It's the drug movie America doesn't know it needs right now. The film was shot guerrilla style on the streets of LA; busy avenues, rugged alleyways, and indoor swap meets, where real-life extras stand in the background of the shot, intrigued by the camera. This kind of filming gives the scenes a real-world grit and is a testament to the its indie spirit. The cast is brilliant. Many scenes are confined to the beat up Volvo, but the chemistry between the three leads makes whatever's happening (or not happening) fun to watch. The trio (Tommy, Moshe, and Blake) are obsessed with getting money to score drugs, and that crucial necessity is the glue that holds them together. The subject matter may be darker than Mexican tar but the witty banter and irrational antics keep things moving at a swift pace. There's more than a few clever moments of character development as well, where each character slips beyond the surface to unveil their deeper dimension. The score's comprised of acoustic Mexican folk tunes and instrumental jams that compliment the urban landscape well. At a time when our nation is in the grips of an opioid epidemic, when 100+ people die of overdoses each day, it's still taboo to be a drug user. It's still taboo to talk about addiction in an honest way. We can't sweep this reality under the flag no more, and whether you believe in the power of cinema or not, it takes guts and heart to make a movie like this. Kudos to The Orchard for putting this movie out, and to the filmmakers for making it.

I get it that some other reviewers call this unrealistic, I really do. They probably saw their share of desperate junkies, I did as well, so comparing their life to this movie just doesn't work. The reality of heroin addiction is much worse and harsher than shown in this movie. But nevertheless A Thousand Junkies is well made, it's interesting to watch, it has some decent acting, and even though they don't look like hardcore-beyond-saving heroin addicts there are very recognizable stereotypes portrayed in this movie. The constant lying, the fake promises, never having a dime in their pockets, always looking to con, steal or do whatever it needs to be done to get their next fix, it's like watching the daily routine of any street junkie. I've lived in a big city, saw dozens of those zombies, knew some personally that drifted away from being normal to become a waste of space, so for that the story is accurate, but the reality is just so much worse. A Thousand Junkies is just a soft impression of addiction but it's enjoyable to watch.

The boneheads who are saying this is unrealistic either have no experience or don't understand that these are what you call "functioning heroin addicts" and yes they do exist and this is EXACTLY how it is for some. Of course it didnt show the really really bad side of the addiction because these guys n this movie aren't at that stage yet with their problem.. these guys are totally functioning addicts

Also for anyone saying it wasn't realistic, watch the interview with the 3 actors about their characters. They all play themselves (Bill Pullman even plays himself hahaha) and the director (who plays Tommy in the film) is reflecting on his actual life as he was a heroin addict for like 20 years and met the other two characters in AA/NA kinda like how it shows in the film. So this movie is about their experience as addicts so the people saying it's not accurate are just ignorant and don't know what they're talking about because this IS how it is and obviously how it was for them..(their acting was great too because they were playing who they used to be) The only people who will appreciate this film are those who have been there or have been through addiction and can relate in some aspect. Opiate addiction can be pretty unique on its own and like I said not all heroin addicts are homeless gutter dwellers who are dying in an alley. If you can relate at all to this film, you will more than likely love it. Very underrated flick and I applaud the director and writer and everyone else who made this film happen. Great job guys!!