Over the past decade, the spike in opioid abuse is startling and scary. It’s a problem that has plagued countless people and caused so many deaths. And it’s the subject of the new two-part HBO documentary, “The Crime of the Century.”
As seen in the teaser for Alex Gibney’s latest project, “The Crime of the Century” tells the story of how massive pharmaceutical companies pushed opioids on doctors and encouraged them to write ridiculous prescriptions for the drugs that would then hook patients, leading to addiction and death.
As mentioned, the doc comes from acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney. He’s been one of the most prolific documentary filmmakers in recent years, with projects such as “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley,” “Citizen K,” “Crazy, Not Insane,” “Agents of Chaos,” and “Totally Under Control” all being released since 2019. He’s probably best known for his Oscar-winning film, “Taxi to the Dark Side.”
“The Crime of the Century” debuts on HBO on May 10. You can watch the new teaser below.
Here’s the synopsis:
HBO’s THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY, a two-part documentary directed by Emmy® and Academy Award® winner Alex Gibney (HBO’s “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley,” “Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief”) debuting MONDAY, MAY 10, with part two airing the following evening, is a searing indictment of Big Pharma and the political operatives and government regulations that enable over-production, reckless distribution and abuse of synthetic opiates. Exploring the origins, extent and fallout of one of the most devastating public health tragedies of our time, with half a million deaths from overdoses this century alone, the film reveals that America’s opioid epidemic is not a public health crisis that came out of nowhere. With the help of whistleblowers, insiders, newly-leaked documents, exclusive interviews and access to behind-the-scenes investigations, and featuring expert input from medical professionals, journalists, former and current government agents, attorneys and pharmaceutical sales representatives, as well as sobering testimony from victims of opioid addiction, Gibney’s exposé posits that drug companies are in fact largely responsible for manufacturing the very crisis they profit from, to the tune of billions of dollars…and thousands of lives.
