Pain Hustlers (2023)
Pain HustlersMovie on Netflix
”A high-school dropout lands a job with a failing pharmaceutical start-up, leading her into a criminal conspiracy.”
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Inspired by journalist Evan Hughes' book and screened at the Toronto Film Festival, "Pain Hustlers" is a Netflix original movie that tells the story of Liza Drake (Emily Blunt), a mother with a sick daughter who loses her job. Desperate, a chance encounter with a questionable sales agent at a pharmaceutical company (Chris Evans) becomes her fast track to economic recovery - and much more. However, the company's dubious morality and a growing awareness of the impact of opioids on society lead Liza to reconsider the decisions that have put her at the center of a criminal conspiracy. Directed by David Yates (responsible for most of the Harry Potter film series), the film explores themes like desperation, economic precarity, and sheer greed but doesn't go much further. It's a superficial look at the opioid crisis in the United States, so it's not the best introduction to the topic. Nevertheless, the cast, led by Blunt and Evans, does a great job, with performances from Andy Garcia (The Godfather: Part III) and Catherine O'Hara (Schitt's Creek) as well.
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Plot summary
Dreaming of a better life for her and her young daughter, Liza Drake, a high-school dropout, lands a job with a failing pharmaceutical start-up in a yellowing strip mall in Central Florida. Liza's charm, guts and drive catapult the company and her into the high life, where she soon finds herself at the center of a criminal conspiracy with deadly consequences.
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