CRISIS
US, 2021, 118 minutes, Colour.
Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeliine Lilly, Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans, Lily-Rose? Depp, Veronica Ferres, Scott Mescudi, Indira Varma, Martin Donovan, Mira Kershner, Nicholas Jarecki.
Directed by Nicholas Jarecki.
Our 20th century has had more than enough crises. The crisis at the centre of this drama, both entertaining and challenging for an adult audience, is the current American dependence on opioids.
Writer-director (previous crisis drama concerned the world of business and corruption, Arbitrage) has decided to highlight the complexity of the crisis by telling three interconnecting stories. At the centre is the DEA, the Drug Enforcement Agency, its investigations, setting up stings. And, along with this story of investigators and dealers, there is the story of laboratory research, especially concerning painkillers, and more especially, that they do not become addictive, research feeling the pressure of the corporations who manufacture the drugs. And, the screenplay also operates on a personal story level, a woman, mother, teenage son, his mysterious death, her searching for the truth, her wanting revenge. (Some have complained that this is too much material, the three stories – but those who find the film interesting will be satisfied with its interconnections and intricacies.)
Armie Hammer is Jake Kelly, a DEA agent, with dealings with Armenian underworld criminals, drug transporters, with manufacturers of illicit drugs in Montréal, a big boss who owns a club and goes under the name of Mother, immersed in a world of harsh realities, informants, corrupt customs officials, unscrupulous criminals for whom murder is not a difficulty. He walks a tight rope, working with agents and supervisers (Michelle Rodriguez as his boss, the director at, Nicholas Jarecki, playing his assistant.) Anything could go wrong – and frequently does. Jake Kelly also has the pressure of an addicted sister (Lily Rose Depp) who defies her brother, is anguish to their mother.
With the research narrative, the focus is on a Professor, Gary Oldman, who lectures at the University but also supervises laboratory investigations and experiments, with substantial grants from the University and from the drug corporations, discovering that an experiment for a non-addictive painkiller works for four weeks but, after that, it becomes addictive. This aspect becomes a whistleblower story, crisis of conscience for the Professor, pressure from the Dean of the University, played by Greg Kinnear. There is also the pressure from the manufacturing company, board meetings, self-congratulations at success in producing the drug, unwillingness to face the uncertainties of the experimentation, willingness to go ahead, or financial considerations in play. The company chief is a tough Veronica Ferres. And her go-to man, strong arm tactics, psychological pressure, is played by Luke Evans.
The mother in the personal story is Evangeline Lilly, an intense woman who knows her own failings, wants to save her son and his sports ambitions at school, finds that he is dead from an overdose – and sets out to find his school connections, hiring a private Detective, discovering the work of Mother, getting mixed up with the DEA investigation but warned off.
A film like this with its entangled threads of narrative cannot have a simple resolution. What of the DEA sting? What of the dealers? What of the professor and his truth? What of the relentlessness of the corporations? And what of the bereaved mother?
1. The contemporary drama? Contemporary world crisis? North America? The impact of opioids, addictions, the number of deaths?
2. The tagline, “Addiction is Industry�? The portrait of addictions in North America, the range of addicts, help groups, the DEA and combating dealers? The world of dealers? The world of investigation? Synthetic drugs, the world of research and university grants?
3. The opening on the Canadian border, the beauty of the snow-clad mountains, the drug courier, the convergence of the police and the helicopters? Setting the tone? The transition to the DEA office, Jake Kelly, his work, associates, the planning of the sting, the contacts with the Armenians, with Mother and associates and base? The transition to the University, Tyrone Brower, lectures, laboratory, tests? And to the world of Kate, her addiction, group work, her job, her son, his death? The three strands and their eventually being united?
4. The DA story, Jake and his personality, the problem of his addicted sister, undercover in the boot of the car to rescue her, Stanley Foster as his close associate? The setting up of the sting? Jake and his visits to Montréal, Mother and the club, associates, the later visit to his laboratory, the production of the tablets, in containers, transporting them, getting them through customs into the US? The plans, the million-dollar deposit, the plan for trucks to collect the drugs and transport them? Stanley, advice and support? Supervisor Garrett, her role, in charge, the discussions with Jake, giving the go-ahead for the action?
5. The research story, Tyrone, lectures, the laboratory, the associates, the experimentation with the mice, the continued tests, the failure, their concern? Tyrone and the relationship with his wife, pregnant? His friendship with Dean Talbot, the meal? The moral dilemma, the truth about the drugs, palliative for a month and nonaddictive, the danger after the month? Tyrone and his moral dilemma? The discussions with Dean Talbot, his putting on the pressure, the representatives of the pharmaceutical company, confidentiality documents to sign? Tyrone, the threats, the issue of the past harassment accusation, the board meeting, his being dismissed? The visits from Dean Talbot? The support of his wife? His sending the information to the DEA, the meetings with the agent, the discussions? The visit to the company, the pressure on him to sign the documents, his refusal? The hearing, his not being allowed to speak, the finding against him?
6. The company, the board meeting, the hopes for an opioid painkiller with no addictive effects? Seeming success? The investment? The financial foundation? The dinner and speeches? The reaction to the findings, considering Tyrone’s workers speculation, uncertain, unfinished? The visit from the executive to Tyrone, her pressure? Bill and his role with the company, strong arm tactics, the visits, the discussions with Tyrone, the documents? The pressure from the company on the DA hearings to approve the drug?
7. Kate, her story, going to the meeting, the sharing of addiction stories, her job, her son, his visit, going to buy food from the market, her sister coming for the meal, her anxiety, the phone calls, going to the supermarket, her tantrum, the photos, the help from surveillance cameras? The mystery? The police arrival, his death?
8. Her son as a sports champion, his ambitions, a alleged overdose for his death? Kate hiring the private investigator, the information about other members of the group, the dealers, her going to the nightclub after finding the name on the phone, the information, the Montréal connection and her visit and confrontation, the initial courier at the border and his being in jail, the series of deaths by overdose? Her continuing her quest, the detective giving her the information about Mother, her following the suspicious car and the student and the headquarters for dealing, photographing the car, going to Mother’s club, the dangers? Jake finding her and sending her away?
9. The buildup to the sting, the interruption for Jake, having to rescue his sister again, his tough stance, her going home, her overdose, his bond with his mother? Going to Montréal, at the club, Mother and the discussions, the issue of the snitch, the list, tracking it down, Davis as the seller of the list, the visit to the hotel, his being dead? Jake and Mother’s associate, driving, Mother accusing him of being the leak, shooting him?
10. The morning of the sting, Mother giving the rendezvous, Jake texting it to Stanley, the buildup for the police surrounding the building? The photographer, the noise, suspicions? Shootouts? Jake shot, the bullet proof vest? Mother escaping? The rounding up of criminals?
11. Jake going to the bar, the information about Mother’s boat, the plan to go abroad? Arriving at the wharf? Kate present? Kate and her vengeance, confronting Mother, shooting him? Her being wounded? Jake and the guns, the setup as if the two criminals had shot each other over the money? Jake tending Kate’s wound?
12. Jake, throwing his badge away, Stanley being shot, his grief? With supervisor Garrett?
13. The pessimistic ending for Jake and his career, the drug dealers, for research and the spread of dangerous opioids? But Tyrone true to his conscience? Getting a new job in
Michigan?
