Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
In the past 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world's largest jailer, and destroyed impoverished communities at home and abroad. Yet drugs are cheaper, purer, and more available today than ever. Where did we go wrong?
A powerful and well-constructed documentary that makes a damning systemic case against the War on Drugs, weaving personal narratives with policy analysis. The structural argument is compelling and emotionally resonant, earning high marks for its plot/narrative design. Cinematography is competent but unremarkable for the documentary form. Acting is not applicable in a traditional sense — interview subjects are candid and effective but not exceptional. Novelty is moderate; while the film synthesizes its critique skillfully, the subject matter had been explored before. The ending is sobering but doesn't quite crystallize into a definitive or memorable conclusion.