Crisis

Crisis

Year: 2021

Runtime: 118 min

Language: English

Director: Nicholas Jarecki

Echo Score: 68
DramaThriller

As the opioid crisis intensifies, the lives of three individuals become intertwined in a suspenseful narrative. A dangerous trafficker manages a network for distributing fentanyl, while an architect investigates her son's struggle with addiction and uncovers unsettling truths. Simultaneously, a professor’s vital research is exploited by a pharmaceutical company, exposing hidden agendas and difficult moral dilemmas with far-reaching consequences.

Crisis (2021) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Crisis (2021) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a world where the opioid epidemic has become a relentless undercurrent, everyday lives are pulled into a web of desperation and uncertainty. The film paints a stark, almost clinical portrait of North‑American cities and border towns where the promise of relief is shadowed by the specter of addiction. The tone is a careful blend of tense realism and quiet dread, letting the audience feel the weight of a crisis that is both personal and systemic, while hinting at the hidden forces that keep it alive.

Dr. Tyrone Brower is a principled researcher who finds his career and conscience placed on a collision course with a powerful pharmaceutical venture promising a breakthrough painkiller. As he delves deeper into the science, he confronts a corporate culture that values profit over safety, forcing him to weigh his dedication to discovery against the potential cost to countless lives. His struggle embodies the ethical questions at the heart of the story, framing a battle waged in labs and boardrooms rather than on the streets.

Claire Reimann is an architect whose meticulously ordered world is shattered by the sudden loss of her son, a tragedy she cannot simply accept. Driven by a need to understand the forces that claimed him, she steps beyond the safety of her designs and begins to trace the invisible lines that connect grief to the larger drug trade. Her journey is as much about confronting hidden truths as it is about reclaiming agency in a world that seems indifferent to personal loss.

Jake Kelly, a Detroit DEA agent, patrols the thin line between law enforcement and the relentless tide of illegal distribution that crosses the border daily. His own family is touched by the very addiction he fights, adding a deeply personal stake to his pursuit. As he navigates the complexities of inter‑agency cooperation and the murky corridors of the drug network, his perspective provides a gritty, on‑the‑ground counterpoint to the academic and personal narratives unfolding around him. Together, these three lives hint at a larger, interwoven story where truth, responsibility, and survival hang in a precarious balance.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 00:54

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Complex Thrillers About Systemic Corruption Like Crisis

Suspenseful narratives where separate lives collide against a corrupt institution.If you liked the interwoven plotlines and high-stakes exposure of the pharmaceutical industry in Crisis, explore these movies. This collection features similar suspenseful stories that pit individuals against powerful, corrupt systems, delivering gripping and morally complex cinematic experiences.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically use a complex, multi-perspective structure to unravel a large-scale conspiracy or criminal enterprise. The narrative follows several characters—often a corporate insider, an enforcer, and an outsider seeking the truth—whose fates become intertwined as they challenge a powerful, unethical institution.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a complex plot structure that exposes systemic wrongs, a tense and urgent tone, and a theme of individuals risking everything against a powerful, corrupt entity. They deliver a similar feeling of suspenseful, morally gray investigation.

Grim Dramas of Personal Vengeance Like Crisis

Emotionally heavy journeys driven by grief and a desperate search for justice.For viewers who appreciated the emotionally heavy storyline of the grieving mother in Crisis, this list features movies with similar narratives. Discover other powerful dramas where a personal tragedy fuels a relentless and grim quest for truth or retribution against overwhelming odds.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist, typically an ordinary person, who is thrust into a dark world after a life-altering loss. Their journey is one of grim determination, often blurring moral lines as they seek vengeance or uncover the truth, leading to an ending that is impactful but rarely provides full closure.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a heavy emotional weight, a central theme of grief-fueled determination, and a tense, grim tone. They focus on the visceral, personal cost of tragedy and the often-destructive path of seeking justice, creating a cohesive experience of somber suspense.

Unlock the Full Story of Crisis

Don't stop at just watching — explore Crisis in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Crisis is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Crisis Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Crisis, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Crisis Summary

Crisis Timeline

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Crisis Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Crisis

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Crisis

Crisis Ending Explained

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Crisis Ending Explained

More About Crisis

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