Cocaine Cowboys (2006)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Billy Corben

Release Date:

23 November 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Crime

Tagline:

The incredible true story that inspired "Scarface" and "Miami Vice".

Plot:

In the 1980s, ruthless Colombian cocaine barons invaded Miami with a brand of violence unseen in this country since Prohibition-era Chicago...

Plot Keywords:

Cocaine | Drugs | Murder | 1980s | Violence

Cast

Jon Roberts	...	Himself
Al Sunshine	...	Himself
Sam Burstyn	...	Himself
Mickey Munday	...	Himself
Bob Palumbo	...	Himself
Toni Mooney	...	Herself
Edna Buchanan	...	Herself
Joseph Davis	...	Himself (as Dr. Joseph Davis)
Al Singleton	...	Himself
Louis Caruso	...	Himself
Raul Diaz	...	Himself
Jorge Ayala	...	Himself (as Jorge 'Rivi' Ayala)
Nelson Andreu	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Griselda Blanco	...	Herself (archive footage)
Kelly Hughes	...	Girl in apt
Jenna Reeves	...	Girl In Ocean
Monica Rooker	...	Grizel Lorenzo
Alfred Spellman	...	Chucho Castro

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive drug content, gruesome violent images, and language.

Runtime:

118 min | USA:116 min (short version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:M (2007) | Germany:16 | Norway:10 (TV rating) | Norway:15 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Company:

Rakontur

Movie Connections:

References "Miami Vice" (1984)

The real Miami Vice, or so they Claim.

A very stylized documentary, for a very stylized period of time, Cocaine Cowboys takes us into the world of Miami between 1970 and 1980. Using plush diversions with still images The Kid Stays in the Picture made popular, Cocaine Cowboys shows the immense changes Miami went through as it discovered the drug cocaine. Primarily interviewing three of the main names during this drug and blood soaked era, this film delves into a world filled with money, women and more importantly cocaine. As the film informs us, the Colombian Cartel made over ten billion dollars during their escapades in the Miami area, not only for themselves, but for the Americans helping them distribute.

The characters that are being interviewed, including an inmate captured for over twenty murders, never so much as flinch as they describe in detail, brutal murders. It is truly fascinating to listen to these criminals, two of which were released from prison, reminisce their achievements within crime organizations. This documentary does lack some of the more interesting comparisons director Billy Corben does brag about in his advertising for the film. Saying that it is the true story behind Scarface and Miami Vice, Cocaine Cowboys barely touches on these comparisons, and seems to bring the most interest from these brief allegories.

Despite this small short coming, the rest of the film is entertaining and educational, especially for a native Floridian like myself. I never really knew how large this business was in Miami until I watched this true rendition of the over fantasized films it claims to be the inspiration for. Explaining allot of what the American government will look away from, due to hefty drug money profits, does put a perspective on its true intentions, be it accepting drug money, ammunition money, or any type of blood money.