The Best Addiction Recovery Movies

A Star Is Born (2018)

A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, follows a struggling musician who is battling SUD and AUD. He then meets a successful singer-songwriter, played by Gaga, who helps him begin recovery. While we should mention that his recovery journey can be triggering for some, we think it’s a raw portrayal of the struggles many of us face.

A Star Is Born is the latest in a lineup of beloved remakes of the same movie, and this version was nominated for eight Academy Awards. The film continues to be a favorite for music lovers who have also experienced the struggles of SUD.

A Star Is Born

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

Famous film critic Roger Ebert called Leaving Las Vegas the best film of 1995. Starring Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage and nominee Elizabeth Shue, Leaving Las Vegas depicts a suicidal man, Ben Sanderson, who has recently lost his family and develops AUD. Ben travels to Las Vegas in an attempt to drink himself to death but meets Sera, a sex worker who begins a relationship with him. Movies about addiction and recovery usually end with a more positive tone, but this film does the opposite, showing the dangers of not seeking recovery.

Leaving Las Vegas

Drunks (1995)

As you may expect from the title, Drunks follows a group of individuals with AUD as they navigate a 12-step program at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Drunks is noteworthy for its portrayal of Jim, a man who is a part of this program but struggles to tell his story and leaves the AA meeting. The film alternates between Jim’s perspective and his attempts to stop drinking versus the rest of the group’s experiences. Many individuals considering recovery may feel like they have much in common with Jim, as it is not always easy to change things in your life. However, this film is also a reminder that while it can be challenging to admit we need help, the results are worth it in the end.

Drunks

28 Days (2000)

28 Days is a drama/comedy starring Sandra Bullock as a hard-drinking newspaper columnist. After drunkenly causing a major catastrophe at her sister’s wedding, she is given a choice by a judge to either spend 28 days in jail or 28 days in rehab. She reluctantly chooses to go to rehab, and her journey to taking her sobriety seriously ensues from there. This film is great because it tells a story of change and resilience that is not as heavy as other films on our list.

28 Days

The Basketball Diaries (1995)

Another film on our list based on a novel, The Basketball Diaries, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, portrays a high school basketball player, Jim Carroll, who begins using heroin. This recovery movie stands out from the rest, as it follows a much younger protagonist as he struggles to cope with the loss of a friend. However, Jim is able to work toward recovery after multiple crimes and continued drug use.

The Basketball Diaries

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Based on a novel with the same name, Requiem for a Dream depicts four different residents of Coney Island and how SUD affects their overall well-being. This film is noteworthy for its portrayal of both physical and mental symptoms of SUD, and the story keeps viewers engaged and guessing at what comes next. Requiem for a Dream is a frequent addition to critic’s lists of movies about addiction.

Requiem for a Dream

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Unlike other movies about addiction, Rachel Getting Married follows a woman, Kym, who is already attending rehab. She is released for a few days to attend her sister Rachel’s wedding, but her family’s perception of her hasn’t changed since attending rehab. Kym’s family is still unsure about her behavior despite her journey toward sobriety, and in this way, the film attempts to tackle the societal stigma around SUD.

Rachel Getting Married

Clean and Sober (1988)

Starring Academy Award nominee Michael Keaton as Daryl, Clean and Sober is a drama that follows Daryl’s journey toward recovery after battling SUD from cocaine. His SUD led him to various legal problems, including embezzling funds, but he was eventually able to overcome his SUD and share his story. Roger Ebert, who has battled AUD in the past, gave this film a positive review.

Clean and Sober

Flight (2012)

Starring Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker, a pilot with AUD, Flight’s story surrounds the investigation of Whip’s involvement in a near-disaster on one of his flights. While Whip initially lies about his AUD, he eventually confesses to his struggles with alcohol, as well as his desire to work toward recovery. Flight was nominated for two Academy Awards, and it remains one of the best movies about addiction and recovery.

Flight

Home Run (2013)

Home Run is a Christian sports drama film that portrays a professional baseball player named Cory Brand as he goes through rehab for AUD. Despite his reluctance, he is able to repair relationships with his family and redeem himself from his AUD. Home Run reminds us that we may have been adamant about recovery, and taking the first step is challenging but the most vital.

Home Run

Krisha (2015)

One of the most unique films on our list, Krisha follows a woman in her sixties who has a long history of SUD. Krisha aims to repair broken relationships with her family over Thanksgiving, yet some of her family is unable to look past her prior drug use. Not only does this film have the lowest budget of the films on our list, but it is arguably the most gut-wrenching selection to watch. Krisha is another example of how SUD can damage relationships, as well as how it affects everyone long-term.

Krisha

Smashed (2012)

Writer Susan Burke wrote Smashed using her own experiences of giving up alcohol when she was younger. Another film on our list with a small budget, Smashed, tells the story of a married couple, both with AUD. After a series of embarrassing events, including passing out at random times, Kate, an elementary school teacher, decides to seek recovery while her husband, Charlie, continues to misuse substances and alcohol. In the end, Kate is able to walk the path toward recovery, whereas Charlie is unsure if he ever will.

Smashed

Half Nelson (2006)

Another film involving a teacher misusing substances, Half Nelson, portrays Ryan Gosling as Dan Dunne, a middle school history teacher with SUD who continues to use cocaine in his free time. After being caught by one of his students, Drey, the two form a friendship, as Drey’s brother also struggles with substance use disorder.

Half Nelson

Ray (2004)

Legendary R&B singer Ray Charles spent nearly 20 years dealing with an addiction to heroin. Thankfully, Charles was able to recover from SUD in the 60s and establish a remarkable career. In 2004, the film Ray hit theaters. A biographical drama, the movie follows many different parts of Charles’s life. Lead actor Jamie Foxx won many different awards for his work in Ray, including an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Ray

Gia (1998)

A biopic from HBO, Gia stars Angelina Jolie as Gia Carangi, who was considered to be the first supermodel. Gia became addicted to heroin in the 1980s, eventually passing away due to AIDS complications in 1986. Jolie illustrates how damaging SUD can be if one waits too long to seek help. Before Gia’s passing, she was able to break her heroin habit, but it was unfortunately too late, as she was already infected with HIV.

Gia

Wild (2014)

Wild depicts Cheryl Strayed, a real-life writer who used heroin and sex to cope with depression after her mother passed away. Reese Witherspoon portrays Strayed’s hike that she took as a self-discovery journey. At the end of her journey, she records a voice-over documenting everything she learned on her hike. Four years after the hike, Strayed uses this to reflect on what the hike taught her, and she is able to build a successful family.

Wild

Rocketman (2019)

Our final and most recent entry on our list, Rocketman, is a biopic of legendary singer and musician Elton John. Rocketman effectively shows how John’s childhood trauma eventually led to SUD and other mental health problems. Fortunately, John was able to admit he needed help and checked into a rehab facility. Elton John is considered one of the most influential singers of all time, and his remarkable story cannot be overlooked.

Rocketman

Beautiful Boy (2018)

Beautiful Boy is a film based on the memoir Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction by David and Nicholas Sheff. In the film, the senior Sheff goes above and beyond to support Nic as he spirals deep into methamphetamine addiction. It’s a harrowing story of a family sticking together, through even the most difficult of battles.

Beautiful Boy

When Love Is Not Enough (2010)

When Love is Not Enough is a film that tells the story of Lois Wilson, the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson. Lois Wilson founded Al-Anon/Alateen in 1935, with the purpose of supporting family members of people living with the disease of alcoholism. We’d recommend this movie to family members of people currently in treatment, or to anyone looking to be an ally to people currently living with addiction.

When Love Is Not Enough

When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

If you plan to watch When a Man Loves a Woman, you may want to have a full box of tissues handy. This film is so emotionally poignant that we’d be hard-pressed to believe that anyone who’s ever had an alcohol addiction, known anyone with substance abuse problems, or loved anyone with substance abuse problems, can get through this film without shedding some major tears. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia really tug at the heartstrings in this film about the deep love and commitment a spouse can show when standing by their loved one as they overcome substance abuse.

When a Man Loves a Woman

Ben Is Back (2018)

Directed by Peter Hedges and starring his son, Lucas, Ben is Back follows a teenager with SUD, Ben. He unexpectedly drops by the family home for the holidays after spending several months in rehab. Ben’s mother, Holly, attempts to help Ben with his various problems that haven’t been addressed in rehab, and Ben finds it challenging to refrain from substance use. While Ben finds himself in trouble multiple times throughout the film, Ben Is Back reminds us that help is always available, no matter how difficult the situation has become.

Ben Is Back

The Lost Weekend (1945)

The oldest entry on our list, The Lost Weekend from 1945, was critically acclaimed and won four Academy Awards. The movie portrays a man named Don Birnam, who is struggling with alcohol use disorder (AUD). He prioritized alcohol over his relationships with his brother and girlfriend, and he began to trade what he owned to buy more alcohol. Throughout the course of the movie, Don begins to struggle with the harmful side effects of alcohol and attempts to commit suicide. Eventually, he decides to make a change and finally refrain from alcohol.

The Lost Weekend is nearly 80 years old, yet it reminds us all that no matter your age or what time period you live in, anyone can recover from SUD and find fulfillment in their lives.

The Lost Weekend

6 Balloons

6 Balloons is a 2018 film that tells the story of Katie, a young mother who notices that her brother Seth, played by Dave Franco, has relapsed back into addiction. The film takes you on the journey of Seth, Katie, and her young daughter, as they drive through the night to find a rehab center for Seth. 6 Balloons shows a very realistic depiction of drug addiction that’s both tragic and captivating. This indie flick is definitely a great choice for you if you’re looking for a movie that portrays addiction in real life, with a thoughtful narrative that will be relatable for anyone who has experienced addiction before.

Herion(e)

Herion(e) is a gripping 2017 documentary film that tells the story of how an epidemic of heroin addiction and overdose overtook Huntington, a small West Virginia town. The high level of drug uses threatens the residents of Huntington as they fear addiction may spread to future generations. The film captures a different side of the war on drugs, which is an important depiction of the support and care that’s available to those who need it most.