Summary
Marijuana is the most controversial drug of the 20th century. Smoked by generations to little discernible ill effect, it continues to be reviled by many governments on Earth. In this Genie Award-winning documentary, veteran Canadian director Ron Mann and narrator Woody Harrelson mix humour and historical footage together to recount how the United States has demonized a relatively harmless drug.
Good for
- Friends night
- Party vibe
- Thought-provoking
Where to watch
Fingerprint
At a glance
Critics vs audiences
Critics and audiences agree
Critics 69Audiences 68GoodWatch 68
Tomatometer74%
Metascore64
Audience score77%
IMDb7.2
Letterboxd · 1 K ratings3.4/5
User score5.5
Running time
1 h 20 min
Shorter than most documentaries, −16 min on the typical 96
typical 9680Half of all documentaries run 89–107 min.
Reach
Streams in 10 countries, rent or buy in 3 more
Released
1999
September 15, 1999
27 years ago
Genre
DocumentaryLanguage
English
Original language
Made in
- Canada
Rated
No age rating yet.
What's in it
- ViolenceLittle or none
- Gore, disturbing imagesLittle or none
- Frightening scenesLittle or none
- Sex, nudityLittle or none
- Dark themesMild
- Drug useNamed in the advisories
- Strong languageNamed in the advisories
In white: what the content advisories name. Levels from the title analysis.
Viewing guide
AdultsFriends NightParty VibePartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchThought-ProvokingNot listed for kids or family movie night.
14 of 14
Woody HarrelsonNarrator (voice)
Tommy ChongSelf (archive footage)
Cheech MarinSelf (archive footage)
John LennonSelf (archive footage)
Ronald ReaganSelf (archive footage)
Jimmy CarterSelf (archive footage)
Richard NixonSelf (archive footage)
Gerald FordSelf (archive footage)
Cab CallowaySelf (archive footage)
Bill ClintonSelf (archive footage)
George H. W. BushSelf (archive footage)- HJHarry J. AnslingerSelf (archive footage)
Nancy ReaganSelf (archive footage)
Chevy ChaseSelf (archive footage)
Directing · 1
- Ron Mann Director
Writing · 1
- Solomon Vesta Writer
Production · 1
- Keith Clarkson Executive Producer
Camera · 1
- Robert Fresco Director of Photography
Editing · 1
- Robert Kennedy Editor
Sound · 1
- Guido Luciani Original Music Composer
Art · 1
- Paul Mavrides Art Direction
Tropes
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