Oxy-Morons (2010) User Reviews (14)

Boston based drug dealing drama

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 6/10 · 17 December 2016]

In the late 1990s Boston's streets were hit by a new drug that was seen as the gateway 'drug of choice' to heroin – this was Oxy-Contin and was an opiate based pain killer. It was designed to be a sow release pill and so had to be taken whole. However, if you interfered with it you could break it down and turn it into a 'get away from it all' drug in a matter of minutes. Enter an Irish American mother who has her boys who are low level criminals, they soon realise what they are on to and set about taking over the streets in a very 'in your face way'.

As with all drug pushers there is going to be violence, there is going to be profanity, there is going to be sex and there will be heartache. This does all that in spades and a bit more besides. It is wearing its message on its sleeve but we sort of don't mind.

The acting is actually mostly very good with some, non fatal, exceptions. The one thing that is an issue is the poor sound quality throughout and that is a production flaw. That lends itself to presenting this as a cheap presentation, which it most certainly is not. It is opinionated, it does have a story to tell and it can be gritty in the violence sense that that particular word is used. However, it is entertaining for most of the right reasons and will keep your attention right up until the last – so on that basis I can recommend.

OK

[natcalgary · 6/10 · 10 May 2021]

I'm torn with this. They invested all their money in the production and the story line was pretty good. Acting ok..... but the fakeness of the blood and some sceneces just killed it for me.

Stll ok for a b movie

6.1.

True but not accurate

[cnewnam-33876 · 6/10 · 25 February 2023]

This movie is not riveting, it's not anything special. What this movie is, is a movie that brings you into the real life drama of what exactly happened with oxycontin. I lived this exact scenario myself. The only thing that I can say that makes this movie completely inaccurate is the way they act when they crush up the pill and then snort it. They portray them like crackheads that is not at all how it is or was. In each scene where they're holding an oxy over there head making them answer questions or whatever, this is not how any opiate Addict would possibly react. Inconclusion in conclusion I would say that this is absolutely in accurate depiction of what happened when it came to oxycontin however I will say that it is not an accurate depiction of what it is to be an opioid addict.

Oxy-Morons : A controversial, important, must-see independent film!

[davesam1312-780-608821 · 14 October 2011]

Oxy-Morons has the most important message of any movie I've seen in recent years. The setting is gritty as is the language and the violence. Some people in the screening that I attended left early because they could not handle the graphic realism of it all. But let me tell you, if you sit through it you will be tremendously rewarded.

The acting is magnificent. Johnny Hickey was actually at the screening I attended and hearing him tell his story afterwards just made the movie that much better.

I really don't have the words to describe this movie. But all I am saying is take time out of your day to find a place to see this. The message of redemption at the end is completely satisfying.

Help get this movie out there. And be sure to leave the kids at home for this one...

Here's your first honest review

[silverton-37959 · 2/10 · 16 February 2023]

At the count of 8 reviews, this had a rating of 5.8. That isn't a big number, but it's still too high. This film is very poorly written, poorly acted, and looked as though the actors had been paid with promises.

These robbers walk into little drugstores with several jars of 1,000 hits of Oxy just sitting out on the shelves. Someone should have told them that even Darvon is locked away in security cabinets, no matter how little and cheap the pharmacy is. There are laws requiring Scheduled drugs to be secured. I suppose that we are supposed to think that robbing a pharmacy is easier than robbing a Dollar General.

The acting is so bad that the lead cop talks on his cell phone without waiting for his caller to say a word, he just reels off his lines, not allowing time for more than one word responses between his badly written lines.

Give this a few more days, and the score will be down to a 2. So far all the reviews that I read seemed to have been written by cast members.

Comically bad

[steveniemi-89906 · 2/10 · 20 February 2023]

Between the dialog and the stunts, this movie was just hard to watch. The list of no-name actors should have been the first tip off, but, having seen other important movies around the prescribed opiate phenomenon we gave this one a shot.

The dialog is blandly delivered. The characters are unlikeable and deadpan. The camera work is jerky, no doubt the directors vague attempt to make the movie feel edgy (which it is not).

Even worse, watch any of the action scenes where there is fighting and you'll see what could have been produced by a high schooler with a mini cam. Blows don't land. Police batons flail in the air, and don't come down and make contact. Throws are more like agreed-upon tumbles.

This movie could have made a decent statement and provided real-world insight into the level of destruction brought on by Oxy and the greedy drug companies. Instead, what made it to print was a laughably bad, poorly directed and acted facade of a film.

Just telling it how it is....

[guydlow · 10/10 · 1 March 2011]

The movie focuses on the prescription painkiller oxycodone, and how it exploded on the streets 10 years ago, causing many people to become addicted and do whatever it took to get their fix. I have seen the power of this drug and how it has the ability to consume and even kill people. As the movie demonstrates, there is little an addict won't do to get their fix. It's amazing how so many pharmaceutical drugs are over prescribed, causing harm to and even killing so many people, yet marijuana is illegal. It's all about the FDA, drug companies, insurance companies, law enforcement, and $$$$$$$. In the movie, we see the pharmaceutical sales rep persuading the doctor to try this new miracle pill on her patients, and then we see the consequences when the drug is not respected. The film shows the dark side of what happened on the streets- addiction, greed, murder, betrayal, self-destruction, revenge, and misery. The plot is intricate yet highly believable. Some scenes were quite emotional and you couldn't help feeling empathetic for many of the characters, all of whom were a perfect fit for their respective roles. These guys were a real-life crew from Boston (Charlestown) who hustled and did what they had to do to get by. The only big name in the movie was Tim Sylvia (former UFC heavyweight champ) who obviously was believable as a member of the tough crew of oxy bandits. If you or any of your boys used to make plays for a living, or still do, this film is a must-see. If you've seen anyone in your life get bit by drug addiction, this film will really hit home. I'd say it was better than "The Town" as far as plot and action, and hopefully it gets the recognition it deserves despite the lack of advertising. I wish it was a half hour longer! In short- great idea for a movie, well-designed plot, outstanding action, and awesome soundtrack.

This is simply a shout out to the Director..

[BonitApplebaum · 10/10 · 12 May 2012]

Hey, you don't know me, but I am a good friend of Joe's. He showed me your movie, OxyMorons.... I have to tell you, I was floored. It was so real.... even the pretty awful and graphic scenes.... it showed EXACTLY how it is.... the good , the bad, and the flipping awful. My hat is off to you. Especially being a first time director!! Seriously, the cinematography, the music, you even got real live Bostonians to play the roles so everyone doesn't sound like they are in Brooklyn!! In all seriousness, the Oxy epidemic has touched the lives in one way or another of pretty much EVERYONE in and around the greater Boston area... and nothing I have seen or read about it has ever struck me as being as close to reality as this flick. You told it just like it is for thousands of people, no sugar coating... no embellishing... just cold, hard, and kinda scary truth. You have a gift dude.... Keep 'em coming!!

~Lauren Barry

12:01am

[toughtown · 10/10 · 4 February 2011]

You guys nailed it. Good work. Bostons dirty little secret is revealed in this film. The Brockton Enterprise did well to get this secret to be common knowledge but with this movie out there now everyone will know know the effects and outcomes of this poison. This drug first leaked into our society by the hands of the men and women with white coats and degrees on the walls. Soon after it was on the street. Over a half billion dollars was paid as a fine from the government to slap the wrist of the maker of this drug. Gee, how does that work? With all the money cloaked as a "donation" that the big pharm pays to the government, you would think that they would have been a little less harsh.

Life Imitating Art Imitating Life

[pelhamc · 8/10 · 9 July 2016]

Welcome to Charlestown, Boston (Ben Affleck's "Town" from the eponymous feature film), a place where the local "custom" of auto theft, robbery, and armored car heists are passed down from father to son and the locals don't talk to cops. Your average, which is to say normal American town has losing your virginity as a rite of passage. In Charlestown, you must commit auto theft before graduation. Allegedly. Nice place, huh?

Oxy-Morons is an indie crime drama starring David from Real World Seattle and the writer who lived it. The guy is a crook! That's what makes it realistic. It's a classic (typical?) redemption story, albeit there may have been some recidivism in real life.

This film tackles the issue from a social realist perspective, and touches on racism. The plot follows the crimes and punishment of an OxyContin addict, tracing the origins of the pill epidemic in Mass from the time it hit the market. This film is better than Reservoir For a Dream or Rush. There are lots of characters. The mother is a superb character actress also seen in Grownups 2.

The accents are real, the story is based on true events, and the settings are on location. They filmed some scenes in an abandoned prison.

What I liked about this film is the high level of realism, as compared with the vast majority of crime dramas. The anti-hero protagonist is an addict. This is what drives him to commit crimes, as in real life, rather than a swaggering outlaw or bigshot gangster like the rest of the crime pictures. Crime, like the addiction which begets it, is a bad habit, a compulsion. It's a way to make a quick buck for those at the end of their ropes. Oxy-Morons doesn't sugarcoat it. It's an epic tale.

Genius

[Jamberphine · 10/10 · 16 February 2011]

I gotta say I personally loved seeing this movie created and executed from a great idea, pushed through doubt and criticism all the way to the theater! Watching the movie come from index cards and notebook scribble to finally being in script form. Character names, and casting... it doesn't stop there either... a lot of work and dedication went into this movie despite what we had been through and no matter where we were going with it. I've been there every step of the way and I couldn't be more proud of this production! Great job to Johnny, the cast, the investors, the press and more importantly the fans! Your changing lives... be proud :) i know i am!

How did I not know about this film????

[brentconway · 10/10 · 31 May 2023]

This is a movie that should be shown to every high school in the United States of America. This had to be the first film to really put the oxy Cotton pharmaceutical people on blast and that's probably why this movie was hidden for so long. None of this movie touch on the collateral damage of drug abuse, but it also touches on racism in other matters. This movie was way ahead of its time. For a bunch of no-name actors, they did a pretty damn good job at some points almost felt like I was watching a documentary.

Really dark, raw and controversial the best kind of film out there. This movie gets 10 stars just simply for the Co message..

Great movie!!! Must watch

[hiphopgirl-99667 · 10/10 · 6 February 2024]

Very great realistic prime drama. I like how it's based on a true story!! It's about a topic that affects the world and families. I can't wait to check out the second film, that's also revolves around the opiate epidemic. I watched this one first because it was based on a true story the second one I'm saving for a late night cuz it's a psychological horror film. I see this director having a really big future with this crime niche drama. This movie reminds me of the movie kids and requiem for a dream stylistically. For non big names the acting in the film is very very top notch surprisingly!!!!

True to the power of addiction.

[randalwright · 8/10 · 15 September 2023]

This film hits the nail on the head. When oxy hit the scene, people didn't know what they were headed for. Oxycontin is the narcotic that caused pharmacies to be forced to lock up narcotics in a safe box. My wife worked at cvs for 19 years and she remembers when they started implementing safe boxes. This movie tells the true tale of what these bills from big pharm did to begin the destruction of society all for profit. The blood scenes are fake as hell but for a b movie, it rocks. Great job guys. Danny hickey is a real person who went through this nightmare and lived to tell the story. He was actually thrown off a cliff because the local dealers were mad at him for cutting into their profits. He came out of it a better man with a story that can save others.