Depictions of the very real issue of drug addiction in Hollywood vary largely from highly dramatized glorifications of addiction fit for entertainment to accurate portrayals that tackle the problem head on. Because cinema is a mirror of society, possessing the unique ability to shape our beliefs and inspire change, it is important to examine how realistically many popular films portray drug addiction.

“Beautiful Boy” (2018) 

Among the more accurate displays of drug addiction on screen is Felix Van Groeningen’s 2018 film “Beautiful Boy.” Based on a true story told through the bestselling memoir, “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction,” the film follows Nic Sheff, played by Timothée Chalamet, as he struggles through a devastating addiction to methamphetamines. After experimenting with drugs, he goes through countless rehabilitation centers and relapses over and over again.

What makes this film unique is its focus on the impact Nic’s drug addiction has on his family. Instead of only representing how addiction impacts those suffering with it, the film shows just how difficult it can be to have an addict in the family, seen through the struggles of Nic’s dad David, played by Steve Carell. Faced with his son’s addiction, he constantly wonders why this has happened, pleading, “Have you seen my son? Have you seen my beautiful boy? Tell him I miss him.”

Though an emotionally grueling watch, “Beautiful Boy” is an impressively realistic depiction of struggles with addiction at a young age through the empathetic lens of a doting father.

“The Basketball Diaries” (1995) 

On the opposite side of the spectrum of the accuracy of addiction representation in film lies “The Basketball Diaries.” Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, this 1995 movie is based on Jim Carroll’s autobiographical novel of the same name. It follows Jim’s story as a high school basketball player who became addicted to heroin following the death of his best friend.

Viewers watch as Jim’s addiction gets him kicked off the basketball team, suspended from school and disowned by his mother, leading him and his friends to become homeless addicts who turn to crime to continue their drug use. Eventually, he goes to jail and finally gets clean.

Though this movie depicts the true story of Carroll’s struggles with addiction and it is largely praised for its portrayal of heroin depiction, upon deeper examination, “The Basketball Diaries” highly glamorizes addiction. There are many scenes of intense realism, with Jim going through extreme withdrawals and struggling heavily. However, even with incredibly raw and intense acting, DiCaprio never ceases to look glamorous, with only a few cuts and bruises across his face meant to paint him as an addict.

This is consistent throughout the entire film and makes the entire story less believable and ultimately, a less accurate depiction of addiction. Who would believe Jim is truly struggling as a homeless heroin addict if he looks perfectly groomed, without even a hair out of place?

“Permanent Midnight” (1998) 

Another realistic portrayal of addiction on screen can be seen in “Permanent Midnight,” starring Ben Stiller. Also based on a true story, the movie begins with Jerry Stahl, the film’s protagonist, completing a rehabilitation program. He impulsively quits his job at a drive-through restaurant to spend the night with an attractive customer, and soon, a series of flashbacks begins, detailing his life up to this point.

In the flashbacks, we see Jerry move to Los Angeles from New York City, already addicted to prescription drugs. He meets Nicky, another addict, and they quickly become friends. Nicky convinces Jerry to marry a woman he knows to help her get her green card, and in return, she gets Jerry a job on the writing staff of a popular comedy series. Jerry’s job goes well as he simultaneously juggles a heroin addiction until eventually, his drug habit causes him to lose his job.

He finds another job and attempts to get sober until he meets a drug dealer who gets him addicted to Dilaudid, causing another job loss and leading to Jerry losing his family. Jerry eventually gets arrested and loses custody of his daughter, which is where the flashbacks end — with Jerry returning to L.A. to try to repair his strained relationship with his wife and daughter.

The accuracy of this film comes from the incredibly realistic picture of Stahl as a “functioning addict” until his addiction causes his life to spiral out of control. His writing career initially thrived despite his rampant drug use, showing how looks can be deceiving — addiction comes in many forms. Just because someone appears put together doesn’t mean that they aren’t struggling behind closed doors, and it’s only a matter of time before they can no longer “manage” their addiction.

“Everything Must Go” (2010) 

In this 2010 film starring Will Ferrell lies another inaccurate depiction of addiction. This comedy-drama follows Nick, a salesman who is fired from his long-term job due to an incident with his alcoholism. Slashing his boss’s tires on his way out, he returns home to find that his wife has changed the locks, thrown all of his belongings across the lawn and left him a letter to say she is leaving him. He is completely cut off from his bank accounts, has his company car taken from him and is effectively left with nothing.

Nick slowly gets back on his feet throughout the movie, selling his things for money and making friendly connections with his neighbors. Eventually, Nick discovers that the incident that led to him losing his job was likely just a misunderstanding, and had he not acted out the way he did in the aftermath, he would have his job back — convincing him to give up alcohol for good.

As we see Nick get sober throughout the film, however, the realities of alcoholism are almost completely omitted. We frequently see Ferrell swigging beer and mourning all he has lost, but even throughout the process of sobering up, we never see Nick experience physical symptoms of alcohol addiction. Withdrawal from long-term alcohol abuse can be extremely painful and even life-threatening, but we never see Nick’s character fully confront this side of alcoholism.

While the reality of withdrawal is perhaps beyond the scope of a more comical movie, the misrepresentation of the process of getting clean from alcohol makes this film an extremely inaccurate picture of addiction.

“Requiem for a Dream” (2000) 

Finally, Darren Aronofsky’s 2000 psychological drama film “Requiem for a Dream” offers a more accurate and terrifying depiction of addiction. This movie tells the story of Harry, his girlfriend, his best friend and his mother on their separate journeys with drug addiction. Though they all start out with high hopes and dreams for their futures, their dependence on drugs leads each of them astray — experiencing hallucinations and delusions, going through intense withdrawal symptoms, getting involved in criminal activity and straining their relationships with one another.

Throughout the film, the lives of these characters continue to fall until at the end, they are left to grapple with the lives they lost to their addictions. Their imaginations as their only source of comfort, picturing a world where everything went​​ right for them.

While a very intense watch — one, perhaps, that you may watch once and never again — ”Requiem for a Dream” is a scarily accurate picture of what addiction can lead to for four different people, leaving viewers questioning human nature and why these characters chose to do what they did.

These are only four of the many films that address drug addiction. A quick Google search will give you laundry lists of movies with portrayals of addiction. However, it is crucial to examine each film with a critical lens and remember that not every depiction of addiction on screen is an accurate or realistic one.