Netflix's 'Pain Hustlers' review: A Dark Comedy Exposing the Ethical Costs of Pharmaceutical Sales
"Pain Hustlers" is a drama directed by David Yates, named after a group of salespeople promoting the legal drug fentanyl in clinics in the Southeastern United States.
While the drugs themselves are legal, their sales methods are not. The film begins with fake footage where these salespeople attempt to portray their innocence.
One of whom defensively states that he is not comparable to infamous figures such as "El Chapo".
The film's script, written by Wells Tower, focuses on a fictional drug called Lonafen.
The creation of this medicine is inspired by the real life coverage of a pharmaceutical company Insys Therapeutics.
Its founder, John Kapoor, was convicted and jailed for two years.
The film highlights the theme of how far people are willing to go to make money, often justifying their immoral actions as a necessary part of successful capitalism.
The story revolves around Lisa Drake, played by Emily Blunt, who is a single mother struggling to make ends meet and initially works as a stripper.