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Drugstore Cowboy

Play trailer Poster for Drugstore Cowboy R 1989 1h 40m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon) is the leader of a family of drug addicts consisting of his wife, Dianne (Kelly Lynch), and another couple who feed their habit by robbing drug stores as they travel across the country. After a tragedy befalls a member of his group, Bob decides he must leave his dysfunctional clan and go straight. Parting ways with his junkie past proves more difficult than expected when Bob is stalked by an old acquaintance looking to score drugs at any price.
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Drugstore Cowboy

Drugstore Cowboy

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Critics Consensus

Drugstore Cowboy takes us into a violent, transient world with cool, contemplative style.

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Critics Reviews

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Jake Cole Slant Magazine Feb 27
Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy is a road movie on opioids. Go to Full Review
Empire Magazine 08/20/2010
4/5
One of those cult classics well worth investigating even if you have never so much as smoked a cigarette in your life. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 08/20/2010
All the actors are used expertly, but it's Burroughs, cropping up near the end, who articulates the film's sociopolitical moral in a contemporary context. Go to Full Review
David Harris Spectrum Culture Jul 16
Portland is a city that takes itself seriously but also doesn’t, and Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy reflects the city’s attitude in its humor. It doesn’t get too bogged down in tragedy, even when the worst occurs. Go to Full Review
Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl Jun 28
8/10
If you have the least bit of teenage rebelliousness left in your soul it’s hard to not be on their side, at least at the start of the film when everyone seems to be having a good time. Go to Full Review
Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) 05/09/2023
3/4
Drugstore Cowboy understands the pleasures and release that drugs can give people, and also how it finally bottoms out their souls. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Janis E 4d All the actors are used expertly, but it's Burroughs, cropping up near the end, who articulates the film's sociopolitical moral in a contemporary context. See more Emily H. @Hollis.26 Jul 4 This movie didn’t really catch my attention. When it did it was towards the end of the movie. But I still thought it was a good movie overall. See more Mason M May 12 I have mixed feelings about the works of Gus Van Sant, I think his films are often very well-made, but they often don't work emotionally for me. And even though this film didn't work entirely for me, I do think this is by far the best film I've seen from him. This was an interesting and emotional take on the druggie, with the druggies in this film having much more complexity than the average drug addict depicted in film. And Van Sant's dreamy and hazy imagery works at its best with Robert Yeoman, my favorite cinematographer, working on the film. Matt Dillon gives an incredible performance as always. And I was really amazed by how complex all of these characters are, with so many hopes and aspirations beyond getting another hit. And I must add on that this film has one of the better opening credit sequences that I've seen. Drugstore Cowboy is Gus Van Sant at his best, with his style working towards making this intricate, smart, and emotional take of drug addiction. See more 10/20/2024 Taking place in 1971 starring Kevin Dillon and Kelly Lynch This centers on Bob Hughes, he leads a family of drug addicts He’s estranged from his mother and only lives to sell and distribute by robbing drug stores across the states The feds are also on his case considering he got a fellow officer shot Once tragedy happens Bob must choose to go straight and stop using So many trippy visuals, the film has a grey colorless streak going on, and pulls the viewer into the empty drug-fueled world from Bob’s point of view It’s sad though because the real plot doesn’t kick in until after 1 hour and Kelly Lynch disappears for the rest of the runtime It doesn’t really end on a happy note either making it all the more confusing But for those wondering what a drug user sees on a daily basis it gives an offering how things can get messy real fast See more Luca D 09/29/2024 Definitely worth a watch if your into 90s crime/drug movies. The soundtrack was lacking but that's the only flaw. See more Jesse B 08/29/2024 The setting, the characters, and the experiences they go through feel all too real. Matt Dillon is a treasure and blended perfectly into Gus' experimental filmmaking style. Drugstore Cowboy is bleak. but filled with a tinge of hope, just enough to make it another day in this crazy world. See more Read all reviews
Drugstore Cowboy

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Drugstore Cowboy

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Movie Info

Synopsis Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon) is the leader of a family of drug addicts consisting of his wife, Dianne (Kelly Lynch), and another couple who feed their habit by robbing drug stores as they travel across the country. After a tragedy befalls a member of his group, Bob decides he must leave his dysfunctional clan and go straight. Parting ways with his junkie past proves more difficult than expected when Bob is stalked by an old acquaintance looking to score drugs at any price.
Director
Gus Van Sant
Producer
Karen Murphy, Nick Wechsler
Distributor
Artisan Entertainment
Production Co
Avenue Pictures Productions, Lionsgate
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 6, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 27, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.2M
Runtime
1h 40m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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