The Crime of the Century is a gripping two-part HBO documentary directed by Alex Gibney that delves deep into the origins and impact of the opioid epidemic in the United States. Focusing on the powerful pharmaceutical companies that fueled the crisis, most notably Purdue Pharma and Insys Therapeutics, Gibney meticulously unravels the complex web of corporate greed, political corruption, and regulatory failures that allowed the situation to explode. The documentary provides a sobering account of how America became a nation devastated by opioid misuse, with over 500,000 lives lost to opioid-related overdoses since 2000.
In the first part, the film centers on Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, who aggressively marketed OxyContin as a safe and non-addictive solution for pain management. Gibney highlights how the family’s influence extended deep into regulatory agencies, showing how Curtis Wright, an FDA official, greenlit OxyContin’s approval under false claims of reducing the risk of addiction. The documentary makes it clear that the Sacklers, who made billions from the prescription drug, intentionally targeted vulnerable communities, all while shielding themselves from accountability by manipulating legal and political systems. Commentary from investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, DEA agents, and medical professionals reinforces the central narrative: Purdue Pharma’s executives were fully aware of OxyContin’s dangers but prioritized profit over public health.
The second part shifts its focus to the emergence of Fentanyl and the unethical practices of Insys Therapeutics, whose founder, John Kapoor, spearheaded an aggressive campaign to push the drug onto the market. Through interviews with whistleblowers and former executives like Alec Burlakoff, Gibney exposes how Insys bribed doctors to overprescribe Fentanyl, contributing to the next wave of opioid deaths. The documentary shows how Insys’s greed mirrored Purdue’s, demonstrating that the pharmaceutical industry had become an unchecked predator, exploiting pain for financial gain.
Gibney masterfully combines archival footage, expert interviews, and never-before-seen court depositions to paint a devastating picture of corporate malfeasance. One of the film’s strengths is its ability to show how the opioid crisis was not an unfortunate byproduct of capitalism but a “manufactured” disaster fueled by a few influential individuals. The inclusion of documents that have remained hidden from public view adds weight to the film’s indictment of the Sacklers and other pharmaceutical executives.
While The Crime of the Century is undeniably compelling, it does at times feel overwhelming, with Gibney’s storytelling occasionally straying into sensationalism. The use of dramatic music and sweeping shots of corporate buildings can sometimes feel heavy-handed, detracting from the gravity of the crisis itself. However, this stylistic excess does not take away from the core message: the opioid epidemic was orchestrated by companies that manipulated medical professionals, patients, and the government for profit.
The Sobees Movie Night Score: 4 out of 5
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