White Boy Rick

Hollywood definitely has a fascination for films based on true stories, or believe me, we wouldn't see a plethora of them produced in recent years. Surely, we've seen tons both bizarre and normal: "The King's Speech", "Midnight Express", "The Queen", "Chinatown", "Pain & Gain", "Blow" and the like. So now we have "White Boy Rick" to add to that quickly growing list.

 

Set in 1980's Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, this story is based on the moving true story of a blue-collar father, Richard Wershe Sr. (Matthew McConaughey) and his teenage son, Rick Jr. (Richie Merritt), who became an undercover police informant recruited by FBI Agent Snyder (Jennifer Jason Leigh), FBI Agent Byrd (Roy Cochrane) and Detective Jackson (Brian Tyree Henry) and later a drug dealer, before he was abandoned by his handlers and sentenced to life in prison.

 

Others to round out the cast are Bel Powley as Dawn Wershe, Rick's sister, RJ Cyler as Rudell 'Boo' Curry, Jonathan Majors as Johnny 'Lil Man' Curry, Eddie Marsden as Art Derrick, Taylour Paige as Cathy Volsan-Curry, Bruce Dern as Roman 'Ray' Wershe, Rick's Grandad and Piper Laurie as Verna Wershe, Rick's Grandma.

 

Hollywood has commissioned a number of new to newer directors of late including this director Yann Demange (" '71" '14) plus TV and shorts. What is remarkable is that many of these filmmakers have showed much talent in the director's chair, including this director. It warms my heart that these filmmakers have the talent that I've been made privy of which is a good thing for future films. The cockiness and desperation that both Richard Sr. and Rick Jr. displayed was amazing and even though McConaughey is an incredible actor, this still takes talented directing. It was written by Andy Weiss, Logan Miller and Noah Miller. Although it was a decently written script, it still had some areas of slowness and choppiness that needed a bit more polish. None of these writers have an extensive resumes, but given more work, I believe they could become writers to contend with. Where in the world did they get Richie Merritt? Certainly if this is his first film, I can't wait what he'll act in next, and after this performance, there will most definitely be a next time.

 

This storyline is not warm and fuzzy, so one won't be seeing this for that as much as the audience will want to more see this ensemble cast portray these dysfunctional, over-the-top characters with the talent that was displayed here. Can you say Oscar buzz?

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                   Rated: R                                        111mins.