A Brilliant Conflict

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

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.

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 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.

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!