Cocaine: One Man's Seduction

Cocaine: One Man's Seduction (1983)

Runtime: 97 minutes

Directed by: Paul Wendkos

Starring: Dennis Weaver, Karen Grassle, Pamela Bellwood, James Spader, David Ackroyd

From: Charles Fries/David Goldsmith Productions

Don't let the lurid title turn you off of this TV movie. It was watched on Tubi, because of course they had a print. Why I watched this early 1983 TV movie that played on NBC: yesterday a mutual posted a review of this film and noted that they used cocaine themselves; I was surprised. Then I looked at the film's page and noted that another mutual also did white lines in their past. I only note this detail to comment that they stated this drug's impact on someone was accurate; I definitely am NOT passing judgment on their past behaviors as I'd be a real A-hole. Addiction has been a huge problem through history and I'm glad they are doing better, even if I've heard that will be a daily battle for the rest of their lives. Incidentally, I have to hear other people's opinion on the matter as I've never done any nose candy myself; this and other films make me glad I've never even been offered it.

This is a PSA designed to scare people from using the drug... but it is the early 80's when there was a boom in the drug's usage, sometimes among the rich and sometimes at discos. Thus, a warning about potential catastrophe is fine with me; other TV films have had similar goals about such similar topics as teen drinking. Here, Dennis Weaver has a steady job as a real estate agent, a nice wife (Karen Grassle) and equally nice teen son (James Spader!) yet he's feeling like a “47 year old loser” as he's not doing as well at work & is worried about paying the bills. When a couple of yuppies introduce him to blow and note that it seems to help them, he takes a sniff. At first he does better at work and can even afford a leather Member's Only jacket! Of course, he has quite the rough downfall.

The film can delve into histrionics, that is true. That said, I was always fascinated, even when things become dark and you witness the lead's life falling apart. There are nice performances from the likes of Grassle, Spader, and Pamela Bellwood/David Ackroyd as the yuppie couple. However, Dennis Weaver was the true highlight as someone who acted appropriately manic whenever he was high as a kite, or when he crashed as the drug wore off. He helped kept me invested even when the outcome as inevitable. There's even Jeffrey Tambor in a supporting role as a fellow White Line Fever enthusiast who happened to be Weaver's friend beforehand.

Mix in competent direction from the guy that gave us 1959's Gidget (Paul Wendkos) and a score from Brad Fiedel that was amusingly of its time, and this was a solid watch. What actually impressed me the most: the serious dramatic moments. Those were effective; it was amusing to see the tracksuits and a bustle-back Cadillac that proved to be a flop for GM. However, the in your face delivery of the message was a success.