Drugstore Cowboy

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Drugstore Cowboy

R

1989

1h 40m

Comedy

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon) is the leader of a family of drug addicts consisting of his wife, Dianne (Kelly Lynch), and another couple who feed their habit by robbing drug stores as they travel across the country. After a tragedy befalls a member of his group, Bob decides he must leave his dysfunctional clan and go straight. Parting ways with his junkie past proves more difficult than expected when Bob is stalked by an old acquaintance looking to score drugs at any price.

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Critics Consensus

Drugstore Cowboy takes us into a violent, transient world with cool, contemplative style.

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Jake Cole

Slant Magazine

02/27/2025

Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy is a road movie on opioids.

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Empire Magazine

08/20/2010

4/5

One of those cult classics well worth investigating even if you have never so much as smoked a cigarette in your life.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

08/20/2010

All the actors are used expertly, but it's Burroughs, cropping up near the end, who articulates the film's sociopolitical moral in a contemporary context.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Apr 27

1.5/4

...a slow-moving and perpetually uninvolving drama that contains few (if any) attributes designed to capture and sustain the viewer’s interest...

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Jul 16

Portland is a city that takes itself seriously but also doesn’t, and Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy reflects the city’s attitude in its humor. It doesn’t get too bogged down in tragedy, even when the worst occurs.

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Jun 28

8/10

If you have the least bit of teenage rebelliousness left in your soul it’s hard to not be on their side, at least at the start of the film when everyone seems to be having a good time.

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Brant F

@destroyfascism 4h

A phenomenal performance by Matt Dillon anchors an absolutely stunning film from Gus Van Sant - perhaps his best. The movie never succumbs to sentimentality, yet maintains a deep connection to its characters and a dark sense of humor beneath its grim subject matter. William S. Burroughs's cameo alone is worth the price of admission. The ending is also not the cop-out many drug movies sadly capitulate to. Highly recommended.

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Yash B

@yashbansal May 24

There is a lot to admire in "Drustore Cowboy." The acting is good and realistic, and the cinematography and editing both stand out. Unfortunately, this is just one of those movies that I found boring otherwise. I wanted to get into the storyline, but it just didn't grab me at all. I found myself struggling to get through it at times, and even the exciting moments didn't engage me as much as I would have hoped. Overall, this is an acclaimed movie that didn't resonate with me, and I personally found it to be a difficult watch, despite some noticeable technical qualities.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Jan 12

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Jan 1

Really cool movie! Solid acting all the way through, super interesting original story. Kept me engaged the whole time, it’s a good watch for sure!

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Janis E

@JansEd Nov 29

All the actors are used expertly, but it's Burroughs, cropping up near the end, who articulates the film's sociopolitical moral in a contemporary context.

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Emily H.

@Hollis.26 Jul 4

This movie didn’t really catch my attention. When it did it was towards the end of the movie. But I still thought it was a good movie overall.

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Gus Van Sant

Director

Matt Dillon

Bob Hughes

Kelly Lynch

Dianne Hughes

James Le Gros

Rick

Heather Graham

Nadine

James Remar

Gentry

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - Hospital Robbery

3:29

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - Dianne Comes Back

4:12

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - No Dogs

2:23

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - 9 Times 10 is 75

2:40

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - Tom the Priest

1:25

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - At the Pharmacy

2:43

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - Break-In

3:09

Drugstore Cowboy: Official Clip - Hat on the Bed Hex

3:24

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Synopsis

Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon) is the leader of a family of drug addicts consisting of his wife, Dianne (Kelly Lynch), and another couple who feed their habit by robbing drug stores as they travel across the country. After a tragedy befalls a member of his group, Bob decides he must leave his dysfunctional clan and go straight. Parting ways with his junkie past proves more difficult than expected when Bob is stalked by an old acquaintance looking to score drugs at any price.

Director: Gus Van Sant
Producer: Karen Murphy, Nick Wechsler
Distributor: Artisan Entertainment
Production Co: Avenue Pictures Productions, Lionsgate
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 27, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.2M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo