Recensioni degli utenti

I can sum up this movie in three words: awesome, original and powerful. How to make money selling drugs is everything that any good documentary or movie, in general, should be.

The creativity and originality of this movie stood out to me right away and all throughout the film. In a world where everything is re-make or recreation of something from the past, it was totally refreshing and fascinating to finally see a film that brings creativity to the forefront.

The talent was phenomenal and interesting from start to finish. It was also brilliantly shot and executed. I was blown away by this documentary and cannot say enough good things.

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.

Review: This is a brilliant documentary which gives you a deep insight into the world of drugs. The title makes you think that it's going to be an A-Z of becoming a drug lord, but basically it shows you the different sides of selling and taking narcotics and how the government isn't really helping the situation. I learnt a lot from this film. It really does show that things really aren't black and white. When you see the amount of money that the government are getting in there budgets to fight drug crime to what they are actually doing against the war on drugs, there is definitely something wrong. The Eminem and 50 Cent bonus interview was touching and some of the ex-drug king pins really do show that it really doesn't pay to get into that world. Anyway, it's a great documentary that is definitely worth a watch.

Round-Up: The other great thing about this documentary is that it shows that there are many addictions that are legal, that cause much more problems than drug addiction. When I saw that statistics about how many people are dying from smoking, it was really scary and as a smoker, it did make me think twice. I also couldn't believe that 25% of the world prisoners are in America which really does show that they have a serious problem. Anyway, I don't want to spoil the documentary for anyone so just watch it and get back to me with your views.

Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $40,000 (Deserved More!)

I recommend this movie to people who are interested in the mind behind a drug dealer and the up and down sides of that world. 7/10

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!

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.

Most documentaries nowadays have excellent production value. This one is no different. It makes its point eloquently with appealing footage and (political) arguments all sautéed in an emotionally-rich sauce. It's effective if manipulative.

The message is controversial. It is outside, way outside, the mainstream understanding of drugs, its effects (medical and recreational), and its politics. Granted, public understanding of drugs is essentially zero and any form of knowledge, no matter how trivial, necessarily surpasses the official, infantile message of "evilness".

However, it is a mistake to think this is an educational documentary or that it is a documentary that will teach you anything relevant about any of the topics allegedly addressed. It is just (political) entertainment that will find fertile ground among a certain clique.

This documentary really blew me away. It was funny, entertaining and informative. The message totally hits home and the film does so in such an effective way.

My favorite part of the film was definitely the way that the story was told. The ten steps were executed flawlessly with such incredible talent. To have such a great mix of celebrities with actual drug king pins really heightens the experience and made me feel like this topic touches such a wide breadth of people.

I also kept thinking about the film long after I left the screening. To me, this is a real sign of a great film.

OK this film is good and well worth watching. The final message after you go through all the video game theatricals is powerful and should come as quite a surprise. However...

Although I feel the film is being aimed at young people, instead of influential adults. Young people cannot change anything for 20-50 years, and that's only for a lucky few.

When in reality we really need the laws/state of the war on drugs, to change within the next 5-10 years! So the documentary could have been a bit less obvious and more informative. "Lesson 1" "Mission complete" all these aspects were total b.s. and totally not needed.

This will just be like "Band Aid" was to Africa (a total waste of time.) Putting high paid actors on it was totally not necessary either. More of the "real" people being affected would have been better in my opinion.

Due to the style of this film a lot of important families/people will not even get/want to see it, preferring to avoid it in the extreme cases. Which to me, defeats the purpose of the film's end message/goal.

So I gave it 6 out of 10 for the good performances by the characters and because of the knowledge it delivered. Yet even 6 seems too high, for the more I think and analyse its content the more of a farce the film seems and in actuality it's just another cash crop from the fields of unexperienced dummies.

First watch I liked it though, after lots of thought second watch was avoided. Film became not liked.

I had the pleasure of attending a screening for How to Make Money Selling Drugs and I have to start out by saying that it is a definite yes.

This is not your typical documentary. This is a really captivating story that paints an overall picture by allowing the viewer inside of each step of the drug wars and drug dealing businesses both in our country and internationally. The viewer is brought into so many different people's lives and so many facets of the drug wars that you are left whole when the film ends.

The film is funny in a genuine way, yet powerful at the same time. I will reiterate that it's something to put on your radar.

Documentaries are very smartly done these days. They know how to really come up with a flashy name, they add a few famous people in the credits (although they happen to be just the narrator), they create tension in their story telling it as if it was a movie, and the result is that you spend an hour and a half listening to things you have heard a thousand times, but they do it in a way to make it sound like it's the most ground-breaking documentary ever.

In this documentary about drugs, pretty much all of the above is true. You don't really learn anything new but since the subject is interesting, and you're bored on a Sunday afternoon where your only option is to stay in because the weather is awful outside, then you watch it and try to convince yourself that you just watched a compulsory viewing documentary. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Time for a hit! Sorry, a nap!

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.

First-time feature documentary director Matthew Cooke's 'How to Make Money Selling Drugs' is about exactly what the title says it is about. There is no clever misdirection, grand illusion, trick or outright lie … it is about making LOTS of money while selling drugs.

In what has been described as a "shockingly candid examination", Cooke interviews a cross-section of "insiders" – dealers, big pharma lobbyists (ka-ching!), prison employees etc. -- who know this world of secret deals and cutting and mixing as few others who have survived to tell their tales. While this entertaining documentary deals with unsavory subject matter, Cooke keeps the footage rather PG-13 and his style and format are quite engrossing. It doesn't feel like an "old school" documentary -- this one is fun (and with this title ... it could spell trouble!)

Cooke starts the viewer out with a little Joe Schmoe selling drugs to his high school friends and teammates before escalating his "business" over the course of a relatively short amount of time into a multi-million dollar, international conglomeration complete with mules (some very unfortunate souls) and chefs and high profile clientele.

While Moore shows the audience how frighteningly "easy" a global market can be obtained (which brings in the BIG bucks) with proper work ethics and technique, he never once glamorizes the trade without depicting the harsh realities (cops, fights, bad deals, DEATH) that are never more than a few steps away at any given time of day.

In order to not boggle down the mind of (some) viewers and to keep the film fresh and interesting, Cooke breaks his film into segments one might come across in an "Idiot's Guidebook to ..." manual.

It is made clear that just about anybody can sell some drugs and possibly make some money but it is NOT a wise profession. It is an interesting watch … which might sadly influence some pathetic copycats who would be quite dangerous as they would be dumb enough to miss ALL of Cooke's warnings.

This is an enjoyable, entertaining and informative documentary.

This film minimizes the risks of drug use and trafficking and attempts to portray drugs as something the government has criminalized solely for racial reasons. Says nothing about addiction, violence, or crime. They are encouraging drug gangs. I'm retired law enforcement and it's depressing that movies like this can be made in America with no thoughts to the repercussions.

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!

This is a awesome documentary, it shows what's really behind all the anti drug policy, the political background and why they support this, the movie show in a intuitive way how the drug dealing works, from the bottom to the top ant yet shows different visions from people involved on the dealing,the dealers,cops,politics and the drug lords. You will get impressed with the amount of money that this business make and with the solution not being so difficult to implement, instead of giving money to feed the dealing, use money to treat the addicts. It also show the side of David Simon, Creator of The Wire and his vision ,who has been shown also throughout the entire series The Wire, all of this together made a very good documentary and worth your time seen it, it has to be spread.

I am not a big documentary film watcher, but this movie is the exception to my rule. It was bold, exciting, entertaining and thought provoking. It's a subject matter that anyone can be intrigued by and I certainly was.

First of all, the pace and tempo of the movie was incredible. Second, the talent is ridiculous to watch. Seeing actors that I don't think of as speaking out about the subject matter and doing it in such a candid way was fascinating to me. But besides these two things, hearing real accounts of people that went from street dealers to drug lords is sick to both watch and hear about. It's really different from a lot of the usual stuff I've seen on TV or in movies before.

I would 100% recommend this film to anyone and I would even see it again.

How to make money selling drugs was nothing short of stunning - stunning in it's execution, stunning in it's story telling, stunning in it's talent and stunning in it's ability to keep you thinking long after the movie ends.

I was totally blown away by the movie's power, while still hitting on nuggets of comedic genius. To me, a truly great movie is one that gives you a little bit of everything...laughter, sadness, awe, etc. And this one definitely gave me a taste of all of the things that leave me wanting more.

I would whole heartedly recommend this movie to just about anyone.

When I saw a screening of How to Make Money Selling Drugs it was to a packed house...at 9am in the morning. But that is not the impressive part...when the movie ended, I, along with almost every other person in the audience, gave the movie a resounding and well- deserved standing ovation.

This film is no joke. It is not the documentary of yester-year - quite the opposite. It is a passionately entertaining, thought provoking, imaginative and impressive film that is nothing short of amazing.

Not only was the talent remarkable, the interviews advanced, but it was shot and executed in such a high level and creative way. I honestly do not have enough good things to say.

This film can only be surprised as a unique surprise that captivated my attention from start to finish. How to make money selling drugs is not just a documentary on the war on drugs, but a powerful portrayal of actual people that spin off the screen and permeate our thoughts on a prevalently discussed topic. Regardless of the person being interviewed, we see deeply into each person's story - their "importance" in the drug world is all equal in terms of the connection you get to each story.

But the film is not just introspective and thought provoking, it is funny, witty and entertaining in a way that I don't often find.

Bravo!

This is a fast paced, entertaining film with so much to offer.

I really think that this is a film for any age group or demographic which was one of the most surprising things to me. I went to a screening with a small group of industry friends of varying ages and tastes and everyone walked out of the film a fan. This is a rare thing to do.

As for the content...original, intriguing, shocking and fun. The narration and the talent were both spot on. It's the perfect mix of pure entertainment with content that teaches. The lesson you leave with is also personal to each viewer - an amazing feat.

Kudos to these filmmakers!

I was very impressed with How to Make Money Selling Drugs.

This movie was entertaining and interesting - exactly what I look for in a documentary. I was engaged in each segment of the movie which gives the audience an amazing look into real life drug dealers, drug king pins and celebrities. The movie felt fast and exciting which left me thinking and wanting more even after it was over.

The narration was awesome and I found the movie to be extremely visually engaging which is definitely a rarity in the documentary film world.

I would bet that this will be a popular movie and I would highly recommend it to all.

I really enjoyed How to Make Money Selling Drugs! Before I saw the movie I wasn't sure what to expect, but from start to finish I was totally enthralled. The story's undercurrent definitely delivered a powerful message, yet in an exciting way. I am a person that is easily bored and I never took my attention off of the screen.

Also, the star-power and expertise of the people that were interviewed was extremely impressive and surprising to me. For such powerful players in Hollywood to discuss such a controversial topic is really amazing.

I strongly suggest this movie!

Whether you're a gang-banger, shot-caller, doctor, lawyer, or even just a high school student, this is the most informative documentary on the war on drugs. It doesn't matter how you feel about the war. If you think it's worth fighting or if you think it is corrupt; it doesn't matter. These stories and testimonies will move you. You will have a whole new world opened up before your eyes, I guarantee it.

The quality and high budget of the film was also impressive. They got Marshal Mathers,Woody Allan, Susan Sarandon, Curtis Jackson, and many other celebrities Coming forth and telling their involvement and/or personal experiences regarding the war on drugs. Moreover, they have actual dealers and mules, as well as DEA agents, cops, lawyers, and more spelling out the craziness that is this war,

Highly, highly recommended by this documentary enthusiast.

I heard about this film recently when the maker appeared on Real Time on HBO. He came across as a fun but proactive guy and it made me want to watch this film. The documentary is just as I imagined it would be based on who he was and in some ways this is a strength but in other ways it is a strength that isn't totally built on.

The film takes a rather light hearted look at the drug game – showing each level like it was a stage in a video game and having people who have been there talk about just how easy it is to do and how the financial appeal is just so much more than the risk in some cases or how, in other cases, the option is just so much better than the total lack of other options. In doing this it builds the case for how stupid the war on drugs is, how devastating the mandatory minimum sentencing is and how pointless death and pain there is behind all of this. This is a case that is easily made and for the most part I can see how the film was approaching it because it is very easy to watch and very accessible regardless of your views. The light-hearted tone, the video-game motif, the very (very) fast pace, all of it is aimed at a younger audience and the film deserves credit for that because this is a film with a clear message that will not be switched off by the audience because it is preachy or dry.

Problem is that for the most part it doesn't have this message, instead it has a lot of style. The use of celebrities and larger-than-life former criminals doesn't help because generally the tone is upbeat and while the message is reasonably clear, most of the contributors do their sections in a "yeah it was wrong but it was frigging awesome being wrong" style. Only at the very end of the film do we get a sense of the real damage from the contributors, the real loss and pain they all suffered but it is a sudden gear change for the film to get there and it does crunch. This isn't to say that it is a bad film, because it isn't, but the thing it does really well is directly connected to what it does less well. The accessibility of it and the way it will hit the target audience also lessens the factual message and the ability to get to the real heart of the problem and the people.

It is worth a look because it is a valuable message in an accessible and fun form, but the use of clips of The Wire will only serve to remind that the same points have been made elsewhere in a much more impacting and strong fashion.