How to Make Money Selling Drugs

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.