Gus Van Sant
Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy follows a gang of rebels whose drug addiction takes them down an American road of constant unrest.
Bob (Matt Dillon) leads a group of people to feed their habit of prescription drugs. While one fakes an epileptic fit to distract a pharmacist, Bob sneaks to the back and blindly grabs whatever he can get his hands on, so later he can inject them into himself and fall into a daze.
Bob’s patronizing superiority takes its toll on Nadine (Heather Graham), who begins to grow resentful. When they come back to find she has overdosed on one their most prized prescription drugs, Bob reacts insensitively, worrying more about the lost drug than Nadine.
Nadine’s death, and Bob’s lucky escape, opens his eyes to the downward spiral he is potentially leading his life into. For this reason, Bob cleans up, leaving the rest of the gang behind.
This Van Sant creation is one of his most notable. And, the director even successfully integrates William S. Burroughs into the film, who plays an insightful drug-addicted priest.
Drugstore Cowboy
director GUS VAN SANT
year 1989
director of photography ROBERT YEOMAN
cast MATT DILLON, KELLY LYNCH, JAMES REMAR, JAMES LEGROS and HEATHER GRAHAM
words PRIYESH PATEL
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