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Drugstore Cowboy

Drugstore Cowboy

Drama · Crime · 1989

Portland, Oregon, 1971. Bob Hughes is the charismatic leader of a peculiar quartet, formed by his wife, Dianne, and another couple, Rick and Nadine, who skillfully steal from drugstores and hospital medicine cabinets in order to appease their insatiable need for drugs. But neither fun nor luck last forever.

Movie details

Drugstore Cowboy

“Sooner or later, someone will pay the price.”

1989 Drama · Crime 1h 42m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

Portland, Oregon, 1971. Bob Hughes is the charismatic leader of a peculiar quartet, formed by his wife, Dianne, and another couple, Rick and Nadine, who skillfully steal from drugstores and hospital medicine cabinets in order to appease their insatiable need for drugs. But neither fun nor luck last forever.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Drugstore Cowboy?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Gus Van Sant

Written by

Gus Van Sant · Daniel Yost

Matt Dillon

Matt Dillon

Bob

Kelly Lynch

Kelly Lynch

Dianne

James Remar

James Remar

Gentry

James Le Gros

James Le Gros

Rick

Heather Graham

Heather Graham

Nadine

Beah Richards

Beah Richards

Drug Counselor

Grace Zabriskie

Grace Zabriskie

Bob's Mother

Court is in session

Put Drugstore Cowboy on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.