Top 10 Most Badass Drug Users in Movies

Is there anything more ridiculous than watching some idiot try to make himself seem invincible by downing enough drugs to knock out a horse? I submit there is not. Most of the friends I grew up with who indulged in substances were far more comical and self-deprecating when high enough to make their eyes roll back into their fogged skulls, and we, as casual yet ever-present observers, did absolutely nothing to stop them. In fact, we'd often egg them on with chants like, 'Yeah, one more hit!' and, 'Come on, one more tab won’t hurt!' But then there were those friends who really tried to live up to the image, overacting the role and becoming the druggie badasses they so desperately wanted to be. With that in mind, here are 10 of the most BAD-ASS druggies in film: characters so strung out and messed up that they make everyone else around them seem completely normal and even intelligent by comparison. Enjoy!

10. White Chicks Terry Crews

No matter how much they try, agents Marcus and Kevin Copeland (Marlon and Shawn Wayans) have found themselves stuck at the bottom of the FBI food chain. They eventually go undercover as two overly glamorous, Hilton-esque women, leading to a series of comedic misadventures. While the movie isn’t overflowing with drug references, the scene with bodybuilder Latrelle (Terry Crews) on the dance floor is wild. After spiking a drink intended for one of the undercover Wayans, he ends up drinking it himself by mistake.

For a speed addict, the concept of time becomes distorted. The true narrative begins when Ross reaches Spider Mike's (John Leguizamo) cabin, desperate for a fix, willing to face Mike's volatile temper. The people surrounding Mike that day are: Cookie (Mena Suvari), Frisbee (Patrick Fugit), and Nikki (Brittany Murphy), a vapid stripper from Vegas, whose partner, The Cook (Mickey Rourke), provides the local meth supply from his motel room lab. Tempted by Nikki's promises of unlimited drugs, Ross agrees to become The Cook's driver. Over the course of a few chaotic days, Ross plunges deeper into the unpredictable world of meth addicts.

The heart of this star-studded classic lies in Jennifer Jason Leigh's portrayal of Stacy Hamilton, a young, inexperienced high schooler seeking relationship advice from her friend Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates, who is perhaps most famous for her iconic topless pool scene). Though the film often drifts from its central characters, it also focuses on the laid-back surfer Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), who has an ongoing clash with his teacher Mr. Hand (Ray Walston).

The title says it all. Matt Dillon stars as the leader of a gang of addicts who travel across the country, robbing pharmacies to feed their drug habits. When one of the young members overdoses, it leads Dillon's character to try and leave his criminal ways behind. But staying clean proves difficult, especially with his wife who still wants to stay high and the further corrupting influence of a former priest, portrayed by William Burroughs, the author of Naked Lunch. Drugstore Cowboy marked the directorial breakthrough of Gus Van Sant.

Designed as a parody of popular horror films from the previous years, especially Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scary Movie was crafted by the Wayans Brothers, who gained fame through In Living Color. Marlon Wayans shares a moment of humor with the masked Munch character from Scream in a scene that captures the film's tone.

This film regularly appears on all our lists for a good reason: it is undeniably powerful. Requiem For a Dream skillfully blends genres without descending into self-parody. Perhaps the most intriguing character is Ellen Burstyn’s portrayal of a woman addicted to diet pills, whose increasingly disturbing relationship with her refrigerator leads to one of the film's most memorable moments.

Adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's Gonzo-style road book, Johnny Depp fully immerses himself in the role of the pill-popping, slurred-talking journalist Raoul Duke. Alongside his eccentric lawyer Dr. Gonzo, the two embark on a drug-fueled journey from LA to Las Vegas. Their adventure briefly touches on some stories, including a convention on drug abuse, but the trip descends into a surreal and nightmarish psychedelic landscape.

An adult George Jung (Johnny Depp) relocates to Southern California with his friend “Tuna” (Ethan Suplee). The duo settles in a beachside apartment and befriends the locals, avoiding real jobs. Tuna proposes selling marijuana, and through George's girlfriend Barbara Buckley (Franka Potente), they meet Derek Foreal (Paul Reubens), a successful entrepreneur and drug dealer. With Derek's connections, they quickly rise in the drug world, making a fortune selling to locals. As George becomes one of the most notorious cocaine traffickers, even meeting Pablo Escobar, he spends much of his time in a haze of drugs.

Al Pacino plays the role of Tony Montana in this 1983 crime classic. An exiled Cuban immigrant, Montana ascends the ranks of Miami's drug cartel and secures a dangerous position at the top of the criminal underworld. In his brutal rise, he also steals the attention of Robert Loggia's mistress, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. The film is infamous for its graphic violence, with bloodshed pouring in at every turn, especially during the unforgettable chainsaw scene. The 1983 ‘Scarface’ takes a far more raw and gritty approach to its storytelling compared to its predecessors, abandoning the traditional ‘whodunnit’ detective narrative in favor of shocking brutality. Montana’s excessive cocaine use is an integral part of his spiral downward.

Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, possibly the greatest slackers in cinema, spend their Friday doing absolutely nothing after Craig (Cube) learns he's lost his job. Smokey (Tucker) spends the majority of the film blissfully stoned and, for my ticket price, delivering the quintessential pothead performance. Just watching him roll a joint and teach Craig the sacred art of 'Puff-Puff Give, Puff-Puff Give, you’re messin’ up the flow!' is pure gold. The hallucination scene and Smokey’s nervous tics perfectly capture the intense effect of the potentially laced weed this guy’s consumed.

Notable Omissions: Brad Pitt in True Romance, Dazed and Confused, Dave Chapelle in Half Baked, Cheech and Chong, Rules of Attraction