White Boy Rick

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2:29

White Boy Rick

R

Released Sep 14, 2018

1h 51m

Crime

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

56%

Tomatometer

156 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Rick Wershe is a single father who's struggling to raise two teenagers during the height of the crack epidemic in 1980s Detroit. Wershe sells guns illegally to make ends meet but soon attracts attention from the FBI. Federal agents convince his son, Rick Jr., to become an undercover drug informant in exchange for keeping his father out of prison. When young Rick gets in too deep, he finds himself seduced by the lure of easy money and becomes a drug dealer himself.

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Critics Consensus

Solid work from the cast - particularly a scene-stealing Matthew McConaughey - helps White Boy Rick make up for a number of missed opportunities in the script.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Director Yann Demange ('71) seems uncertain whether to play the material as searing drama or black comedy, and so he gives up on establishing a recognizable tone altogether.

Mar 4, 2020

Full Review

Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

When you ask yourself: "What's so special about Rick?" The answer is: not much.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 9, 2018

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The music choices inject energy, but it's difficult to care about a character who is too dumb to care about himself.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 9, 2018

Full Review

M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

The film is ultimately held together by a terrific supporting performance by Matthew McConaughey

Rated: 4/5

Aug 16, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

White Boy Rick attempts to be the next great Hollywood film about the criminal underworld. But with its slow pacing and rather unpleasant cast of characters, the crime drama fails to achieve a Goodfellas-level balance of gangsterism and mordancy.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 11, 2022

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

Williamson Home Page

As it stands, White Boy Rick is solid, moving filmmaking, anchored by a bombastic ensemble.

Feb 11, 2022

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Georgan G

This bio crime drama portrays how corrupt the American justice system truly is. The sad tale of a 13-year-old who was on the street, with a father who did gun crimes. The FBI & local police misuse this young boy. Matthew McConaughey provides his usual outstanding acting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/18/24

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Johannes S

McConaughey is again great and carries this flick. There is just not much more to it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/02/24

Full Review

Akash G

1 out of 5 it really s*cks...

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/24

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Andrea M

Amazing movie. If you movies based on true events then I recommend watching this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/21/23

Full Review

Ashley H

White Boy Rick is an okay film. It is about a teenager who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s. Matthew McConaughey and Ritchie Merritt give decent performances. The script is a little slow in places. Yann Demange did an alright job directing movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/18/23

Full Review

Bill M

Too much story to cram into 1 hour 50 minutes. This movie should have either been 3 hours long, or a mini series. Just didn't allow enough time for certain things to develop. Payoff wasn't as good as it could have been. Good acting. Great story. Worth a watch, but could have been better

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/24/23

Full Review

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Yann Demange

Director

Matthew McConaughey

Richard Wershe Sr.

Richie Merritt

Rick Wershe Jr.

Bel Powley

Dawn Wershe

Jennifer Jason Leigh

FBI Agent Snyder

Brian Tyree Henry

Detective Jackson

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White Boy Rick: Official Clip - Rick Gets Shot

2:28

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - You A Granddaddy

3:40

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - Turning Snitch

3:06

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - You Took A Life!

1:30

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - The Diner

2:14

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - Personality Crash

3:10

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - Not Saying Nothing

2:44

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - Rick Gets Arrested

2:07

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - We Are Lions!

2:42

White Boy Rick: Official Clip - We're Going for Custard

2:39

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White Boy Rick: Trailer 1

2:29

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Synopsis

Rick Wershe is a single father who's struggling to raise two teenagers during the height of the crack epidemic in 1980s Detroit. Wershe sells guns illegally to make ends meet but soon attracts attention from the FBI. Federal agents convince his son, Rick Jr., to become an undercover drug informant in exchange for keeping his father out of prison. When young Rick gets in too deep, he finds himself seduced by the lure of easy money and becomes a drug dealer himself.

Director: Yann Demange
Producer: John Lesher, Julie Yorn, Scott Franklin, Darren Aronofsky
Screenwriter: Andy Weiss, Logan Miller, Noah Miller
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Studio 8
Rating: R (Drug Content|Brief Nudity|Language Throughout|Some Sexual References|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.0M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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