By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
Director and screenwriter
Nicholas Jerecki (“Arbitrage”) shines a spotlight on the opioid epidemic with his latest movie,
“Crisis.”
The film, which is set in Detroit and Montreal, Canada, is reminiscent of the movies “Crash” and “Traffic” as it weaves multiple storylines yet centers on one topic. Fortunately, Jerecki maintains intrigue throughout his juggling act and the film benefits from a stellar cast led by Oscar winning actor Gary Oldman (“Darkest Hour” and “Mank”).
We first meet Claire Reimann (Evangeline Lilly, “Avengers: Endgame”), a recovering oxycodone addict and single parent mother whose teen son David ( Billy Bryk, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and TV’s “Wynonna Earp”) has suddenly disappeared. She’s disappointed by the police department’s response and decides to take matters into her own hands and find him.
Meanwhile, DEA operative Jake Kelly (a tough Armie Hammer, TV’s “We Are Who We Are”) has been working deep undercover to bust a fentanyl ring. This whole thing is personal for him because his sister Emmie (Lily-Rose Depp, “The King”) is a junkie.
Then there’s Dr. Tyrone Bower (Oldman), a well-respected university professor whose groundbreaking research has yielded a non-addictive painkiller drug. However, it’s incredibly addictive and the pharmaceutical company and the university don’t want him to reveal the findings. They offer him a ton of money to proceed with it anyway. But Dr. Bower’s conscience kicks in and he can’t promote and put his name behind something that will damage his reputation not to mention people’s lives if the drug is on the market.
Dr. Bower’s decision doesn’t sit well with the University’s department head, Geoff Talbot (Greg Kinnear, TV’s “The Stand”) or the drug manufacturer’s corporate honcho, Bill Simmons ( “Luke Evans” TV’s “The Alienist: Angel of Darkness”).
A series of unfortunate events befalls the DEA undercover sting operation. Things soon spiral completely out of control, yet in the process these events inextricably link Jake, Dr. Bower and Claire and turns “Crisis” into a gritty and provocative thriller.
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Watch This Trailer For
"CRISIS"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
