15 Best Movies About Drugs And Addiction In Cinema History

11. Scarface

The iconic shot of Tony Montana dumping his head in a mountainous pile of cocaine aptly summarises Brian De Palma's Scarface; a maddening film detailing the rise of a drug lord who eventually comes to rule a criminal underworld powered by white powder. Written by Oliver Stone and starring a gruff Al Pacino in the lead role, Scarface has gone on to become one of American cinema's most famous crime pictures of all time. De Palma's film pulls no punches for its near three hour running time, with the production coming under fierce criticism during its release for excessive violence and frequent foul language. Many were unable to look past the sadistic nature of the movie, but as the years wore on, several key critics voiced their support and Scarface gained recognition for what it was - a ruthless image of a ruthless human being, on a ruthless rise to power. Montana's journey begins as a Cuban refugee who establishes himself within the drug trade, and rises to the top through a desire to master the American dream. Before long, the formerly poor immigrant has guns, girls, a mansion, and enough drugs to sink a battleship. Scarface is a cocaine-fueled blur that goes out with a furious blast, and remains one of the most intense and expansive movies about drugs, power and addiction ever made.