Matthew McConaughey, YG, Atlanta’s Brian Tyree Henry, and Detroit's own Danny Brown are about to show us what the Detroit crack scene of the 1980s was really like.
Based on the true story of Richard Wershe Jr., who became the youngest informant in FBI history at the age of 14, the Darren Aronofsky-produced film looks like one hell of a ride. Besides the expected glitz and fast-paced energy that come with any story chronicling the rise to riches of a risk-taking drug dealer, the movie also has a visual aesthetic that really seems to bring out the honest grime, desperation, and barren desolation of Detroit at that time.
In case you’re not already sold by the premise, cinematography, and tone, the cast itself is stacked to the brim: besides Henry playing a detective, and Danny Brown and YG acting as local street hustlers, you’ve got some serious character actor cred, here—with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eddie Marsan, Rory Cochrane, Bruce Dern, and Piper Laurie rounding out the cast.
If you’ve never heard of this particular story in American history, you really should brush up with the White Boy documentary released last month. The facts are too incredible to believe, at times, and provide a similar sense of stunning disbelief found in documentaries like Cocaine Cowboys—and if we have to watch a Hollywood version, we should be glad it’s this particular cast and crew helming the project.
