Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Crime of the Century’ On HBO Max, A Disturbing Documentary About the Opioid Crisis

There seems to be no subject Alex Gibney can’t tackle; he’s exposed the alleged abuses within the Church of Scientology in Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, taken a deep dive into the life (and lies) of Elizabeth Holmes in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, and examined the infamous Enron collapse in the Oscar-nominated Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, to name a few. The Crime of the Century, Gibney’s new two-part documentary about the opioid crisis, is now streaming on HBO.

THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A police officer puts a badge around his neck.

The Gist: Since 2000, some 500,000 Americans have died of opioid overdoses. This ongoing epidemic is often referred to as the “opioid crisis”, but as The Crime of the Century states its opening, a crisis is something that just “happens”. America’s addiction to opioids didn’t just happen; it was created by pharmaceutical companies and politicians looking to line their pockets. In the first installment of Alex Gibney’s two-part, four-hour documentary, we learn about the history of opioids – the origin of opium can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians – as well as the company (Purdue Frederick) and the individuals largely responsible for getting America addicted to opioids.

With the help of experts, EMTs, medical professionals, and individuals whose lives have been impacted by these drugs, Gibney paints a chilling portrait of the devastating effects this epidemic has had on people from all over the country. Widower Roy Bosley tells the story of his wife Carol, who became addicted after visiting the Lifetree Pain Clinic, where she was prescribed a cocktail of several different medications. Though she sought treatment and became sober, she later relapsed (and later died) when her doctor – Lynn Webster, who is also interviewed here – insisted on prescribing an obscene amount of medication to her again. This is just one example of the millions of lives that have been impacted by this drug crisis, an epidemic ignited by the greed of the Sackler family, pharmaceutical companies, and government officials.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Thanks to the length of its two installments, The Crime of the Century really plays out like two movies, which makes it difficult to compare to any shows. If you’re a fan of Gibney’s other films, like the aforementioned Going Clear or The Inventor, or his series Agents of Chaos or Dirty Money, The Crime of the Century will be right up your alley.

Our Take: As a long-time Alex Gibney fan, it came as no surprise when I was sucked into The Crime of the Century within its first few minutes. I’ve been moved to tears by his documentaries in the past, but none have hit quite as emotional a chord as this one. There’s something so infuriating and shocking about it all; I found myself gasping and shouting into my empty apartment after some revelations, wiping away tears the next. The Crime of the Century wisely begins by getting us up close and personal with one of the victims of this crisis, showing us what it really looks like, and then illustrates the bigger picture. Understanding the context and how this crime was allowed to happen is extremely important; it’s one thing to talk about drug addiction in the abstract. It’s another to see the way it’s torn real people from real families and ravaged entire communities in the process. It’s totally harrowing stuff, the kind of documentary that makes you want to text everyone you know and make sure they’ve seen it, too.

By allowing us to hear from multiple players in this deeply twisted game, Gibney paints an even more detailed picture than most documentaries ever have the opportunity to. I didn’t expect the biggest villains of this story to make an appearance – and many of them don’t – but hearing Dr. Lynn Webster defend his practices one moment and Roy Bosley blame Webster for his wife’s death the next is truly astounding. In combining these gutting tales with insight from salesmen, doctors, journalists, and more, The Crime of the Century gives us the opportunity to understand this story on scales both global and personal. And it’s a heartbreaking, infuriating one, but one that should absolutely be required viewing for everyone.

Sex and Skin: Not that kinda doc.

Parting Shot: A person in a SUBSYS medication (fentanyl) costume begins rapping as we get a glimpse of what’s coming in Part 2.

Sleeper Star: Due to the serious documentary nature of The Crime of the Century, there isn’t really a “star”, but Gary Blinn – the man essentially used by Purdue as a guinea pig for higher doses of Oxycontin – is memorable as hell. He’s the perfect character for a documentary like this, honest and frank with a dark sense of humor. He really adds something special.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The Crime of the Century incisively tells the devastating tale of how corporate and political greed led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and an ongoing epidemic with no end in sight. It should be required viewing.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Watch The Crime of the Century on HBO Max