Netflix’s Pain Hustlers movie originated as an article about the dark side of the opioid business in The New York Times Magazine. (You can still read it if you’re a Times subscriber.) It later became a book — and now the article and the book have been given the movie treatment by the ‘Flix and some big name stars, including Emily Blunt and Chris Evans.
The film version is by David Yates, whose filmography for the past 15 consists of seven Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies, and a single previous film set outside the Wizarding World. (That would be the forgotten IP reboot The Legend of Tarzan.) So this is certainly a departure for him — you can watch the first trailer for the based-on-fact drama below:
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Here is the film’s official synopsis:
Liza Drake (Emily Blunt) is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans) puts her on an upwards trajectory economically but dubious path ethically as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia), the worsening medical condition of her daughter (Chloe Coleman), and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices. Pain Hustlers is a sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed.
Pain Hustlers opens in select theaters on October 20. It’s scheduled to then premiere on Netflix on October 27.
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