Meth destroys minds, lives, families, and, of course, teeth in the form of “meth mouth.” But there is entertainment value in observing the horror up close. The popularity of “Breaking Bad” is all the proof you need.
Meth has not just infiltrated the TV world. There are meth movies that show the insanity and horrors of the drug as well.
We are going to give you a peek into the world of movies about meth now. Read on to find out which fictional tweakers you would want to give a wide berth if you ever saw them in real life.
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5 Movies About Meth to Make You Laugh or Scream
Meth movies take many forms. There are the pure horror stories, and for that, you can skip to the end of our list. But there are also some comedies!
Before we proceed, we have one disclaimer. How to say this? Don’t do meth!
These movies do not make it look particularly glamorous, but it never hurts to state that explicitly. That out of the way, let’s dive in.
1. SLC Punk
It would be wrong to call “SLC Punk” a pure meth movie. It is a movie about many druggies and straight-edge kids in a fictional Salt Lake City punk scene. But we see enough meth-influenced behavior in it to count it for our purposes.
The most stereotypical tweaker in the movie is Sean. Sean is mostly known for the intense quantities of acid he ingests, but it is clear from his appearance and tweaked out manner that he has sampled the other drugs in his stash. He passes for a meth head with ease.
2. Bug
It is fitting that we would include a movie with a title like “Bug,” since subcutaneous “meth bugs” are among the most stereotypical symptoms of meth use. They are quite a bit less fun than the munchies that come with a marijuana high.
There are no actual meth bugs in “Bug.” Instead, there is Agnes White, a woman wracked by addiction after her son goes missing. She provides a human face to a drug that is so often played for cheap laughs.
3. Spun
“Spun” is the closest we get to “Breaking Bad” on our list. It is even set in the American Southwest.
Jason Schwartzman plays Ross, a tweaker who meets the guy who makes his dealer’s meth. Hijinks ensue. Sound familiar?
4. Crank
“Speed” is not actually a meth movie, but “Crank” comes the closest to that movie in concept.
The conceit is quite simple. After being poisoned, Jason Statham’s character has to keep his adrenaline high, or else he will die.
One of the ways he does this is by consuming an ungodly amount of meth. Yes, he fights his poison by ingesting more poison. You don’t watch a Jason Statham movie expecting it to make sense.
5. Requiem for a Dream
It is saying something that Sara Goldfarb is one of the less traumatizing characters in “Requiem for a Dream.”
When Mrs. Goldfarb goes to her doctor to help her look thin for television, he prescribes methamphetamines, and she spirals into full-on tweaking. But that is nothing compared to the amputations and degradation that fill the rest of the movie.
Skip to the Fun Parts
There is as much tragedy as there is comedy in movies about meth. They form quite the “choose your own adventure” genre. Hopefully, we have inspired you to explore it for yourself.
Once you have had your fill of meth movies, head over to our Hall of Fame to check out some truly great action stars and their films.