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If you’ve just finished Breaking Bad and are left wanting more drug-fuelled drama to lighten up your evening, then you’ve come to the right place.
By this point in time, most of us have seen the phenomenon that is Breaking Bad. The drama, which ran for five seasons between 2008 and 2013, is the highest ranked fictional TV show of all time on IMDB, winning countless awards for its gripping story and captivating performances. If you have not, you can find it on 123movies
But you don’t need us to tell you that, right? If you’re reading this post, you’ve likely finished Breaking Bad and are left wanting more to fill the void. Well, if that’s the case, then you’re in luck. While supplying Class A drugs might have been Walter White’s speciality, supplying top notch movie recommendations is ours.
So, if you’re looking for drug related movies to follow up on your experience of watching Breaking Bad, be sure to read on below!
5 Movies to Watch After Finishing Breaking Bad
1. El Camino
If you didn’t already know, the Breaking Bad story doesn’t stop after the credits roll on season five’s finale. While we no longer follow the story of Heisenberg (for obvious reasons), we’re lucky enough to have been provided with both a spin off TV show and a feature-length film which are set before and after the events of the show.
Fans of the show should get themselves stuck into the prequel show Better Call Saul if they’re looking for a long-term Breaking Bad fix. But, if you want a conclusion to Jesse Pinkman’s story, then you need to turn your attention to El Camino.
The film picks up immediately after the events of Breaking Bad’s final episode, where Jesse was able to break free of his captivity at Brotherhood compound. The film follows Jesse as he continues to flee from his captors, the law and his past. It also connects some of the dots regarding his, shall we say, interesting relationship with Todd Alquist.
It answers plenty of questions that were left up in the air following the end of Breaking Bad. It also features plenty of cameos from returning cast members, and is a thrilling self-contained story in itself.
2. American Made
Alder Berriman, more commonly known as Barry Seal, was one of America’s most notorious drug smugglers, having spent years flying drugs into the US before eventually being arrested in 1983. Following his arrest, he became an informant for the Drug Enforcement Agency and was then murdered by contract killers in 1986.
It’s shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that a life as eventful as Seal’s has been dramatized for the big screen, with Tom Cruise playing the lead role in the 2017 film American Made. While certain historical accuracies may be up for debate, there’s no denying that the film is rollercoaster from start to finish. Cruise in particular put in one of his best performances in recent years.
American Made probably won’t change your life in the same way the Breaking Bad might have. However, it’s a compelling 2-and-a-half-hour romp full of plenty of twists and turns that’s bound to attract your attention and keep it.
3. Scarface
There’s a reason why Breaking Bad’s celebrated story often draws parallels with the 1983 seminal classic Scarface. While Breaking Bad is arguably a little more nuanced (there aren’t any drugged-fuelled, grenade launcher massacres to speak of), Scarface also weaves a story of one man whose ambition and greed ultimately comes full circle.
Scarface elevated the distinguished career of Hollywood heavyweight Al Pacino, whose performance as protagonist Tony Montana is one of the most iconic of any gangster film ever made.
Interestingly, while the film is now widely considered to be a cult classic, it was originally panned by critics, who levelled it for its violence and explicit language. In all fairness, they may have had a point – the F-bomb is dropped a staggering 218 times in 170 minutes of run time!
4. Sicario
For anyone who watched Breaking Bad and found themselves rooting for DEA agent and mineral enthusiast Hank Schrader, Sicario is a film that focuses on the traditional good guys, rather than the drug lords themselves.
Emily Blunt, who is also now Mary Poppins (talk about range!) leads an all-star cast as FBI agent Kate Macer who’s enlisted by a government task force to aid in an ongoing war against drugs on the border area between the US and Mexico – familiar territory for Breaking Bad fans!
And when we say this is an all-star cast, we’re not joking. Alongside Blunt for the ride are Josh Brolin, Benicio del Toro, Daniel Kaluuya and Jon Bernthal. Need we say more?
5. The Mule
If there’s any one reason to watch The Mule, it’s Clint Eastwood. But, thankfully there’s more than one reason! The Hollywood veteran directs and plays the leading role in this crime drama which follows a pensioner who is unsuspectedly drawn into the drug world, becoming a – you guessed it – mule for the cartel.
As with American Made, the film is loosely based on a true story. Earl Stone, a 90-year-old horticulturist, is forced to become a drug mule in his rundown pickup truck after his business is run into the ground by the rise of internet flower shops.
As strange a plot as it might seem, you’ll soon learn that the story is a grounded one, sharing many of the same beats as Breaking Bad. Perhaps labelling it as a geriatric take on the show is a little inaccurate, but it does summarize some of the themes you’re likely to see.
Which Film Are You Looking Forward to Watching First?
So, which film has caught your eye from this list? Fancy sticking to the world of Breaking Bad with El Camino? Or maybe a brand-new story and set of characters has caught your eye? Whichever film you choose to watch first, we’d recommend that you get round to watching them all eventually!
Are there any more drug-themed movies that you would recommend to fans of Breaking Bad? If you can think of any, feel free to leave them in the comments down below.
