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IMDbPro

White Boy Rick

  • 20182018
  • RR
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,564
640
Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
Set in 1980s Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, 'White Boy Rick' is based on the true story of a blue-collar father and his teenage son, Rick Wershe Jr., who became an undercover police informant and later a drug dealer..
Play trailer2:30
5 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDrama
The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,564
640
    • Yann Demange
    • Andy Weiss
    • Logan Miller
    • Noah Miller
  • Stars
    • Matthew McConaughey
    • Richie Merritt
    • Bel Powley
    • Yann Demange
    • Andy Weiss
    • Logan Miller
    • Noah Miller
  • Stars
    • Matthew McConaughey
    • Richie Merritt
    • Bel Powley
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 229User reviews
    • 131Critic reviews
    • 59Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos5

    International Trailer
    Trailer 2:30
    Watch International Trailer
    Clip
    Clip 0:41
    Watch Clip
    Going For Custard
    Clip 0:57
    Watch Going For Custard
    'White Boy Rick' Trailer With Director's Commentary
    Video 2:39
    Watch 'White Boy Rick' Trailer With Director's Commentary
    Matthew McConaughey Takes 'White Boy Rick' Newcomer Under His Wing
    Video 3:51
    Watch Matthew McConaughey Takes 'White Boy Rick' Newcomer Under His Wing

    Photos101

    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rory Cochrane, and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Jonathan Majors, RJ Cyler, and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Dern, Piper Laurie, Bel Powley, and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey in White Boy Rick (2018)
    Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt in White Boy Rick (2018)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Matthew McConaughey
    Matthew McConaughey
    • Richard Wershe Sr.
    Richie Merritt
    Richie Merritt
    • Rick Wershe Jr.
    Bel Powley
    Bel Powley
    • Dawn Wershe
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    • FBI Agent Snyder
    Brian Tyree Henry
    Brian Tyree Henry
    • Detective Jackson
    Rory Cochrane
    Rory Cochrane
    • FBI Agent Byrd
    RJ Cyler
    RJ Cyler
    • Rudell 'Boo' Curry
    Jonathan Majors
    Jonathan Majors
    • Johnny 'Lil Man' Curry
    Eddie Marsan
    Eddie Marsan
    • Art Derrick
    Taylour Paige
    Taylour Paige
    • Cathy Volsan-Curry
    Bruce Dern
    Bruce Dern
    • Grandpa Roman 'Ray' Wershe
    Piper Laurie
    Piper Laurie
    • Grandma Verna Wershe
    Raekwon Haynes
    • Edwin 'Nugg' Crutcher
    Ishmael Ali
    • 'Freaky Steve' Roussell
    • (as Ishmael 'Ishdarr' Ali)
    James Howard
    James Howard
    • Chief Homicide Inspector Hill
    YG
    YG
    • Leo 'Big Man' Curry
    Danny Brown
    • 'Black Ed' Hanserd
    Kyanna Simone
    Kyanna Simone
    • Brenda Moore
      • Yann Demange
      • Andy Weiss
      • Logan Miller
      • Noah Miller
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Matthew McConaughey Talks 'White Boy Rick' Newcomer

    Matthew McConaughey Talks 'White Boy Rick' Newcomer

    White Boy Rick stars Matthew McConaughey, Bel Powley, and more discuss working with their young co-star Richie Merritt, who makes his on-screen debut in the film.
    Watch our interview
    Image caption not available
    View image

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During the last week of principal photography in Cleveland, production was briefly halted on two separate occasions due to exchanges of gunfire in neighborhoods near the set.
    • Goofs
      The bulk of this story is set in the early/mid '80s. However, Wershe Sr. tells his son that he is seeing someone about a "40 Cal". The .40 S&W cartridge debuted on January 17, 1990.
    • Quotes

      Richard Wershe Sr.: Straight talk? Your mother and I. We didn't plan on Dawn.

      Richard Wershe Sr.: We didn't plan on you either, but in the end things worked out.

      Rick Wershe Jr.: Dawn is a junkie, I'm shitting into a bag. Well that turned out well.

      Richard Wershe Sr.: What can I say, you know? I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy.

    • Connections
      Featured in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Matthew McConaughey/Taran Killam/Lady Antebellum/Sean Kinney (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Cocaine Blues (Live)
      Written by Red Arnall (as T.J. Arnall) and William Nichols

      Performed by Johnny Cash

      Courtesy of Columbia Nashville

      By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

      Published by Unichappell Music Inc. on behalf of itself and Elvis Presley Music, Inc. (BMI)

    User reviews229

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Not great, not terrible
    The story of Richard Wershe Jr., a 16-year-old who became an FBI informant, and one of Detroit's biggest drug dealers.

    It's a shame that this film does not have the right pace and storyline, turning out to be a missing shot (pun intended).

    The performances are generally good (especially by Matthew McConaughey), although the characters navigate in a narrative that tries to go from action to drama, without making a transition that makes sense.

    I'm a fan of the duo director / cinematographer (they made some eps of Top Boy), so I don't find the tone and atmosphere strange.

    The problem is the lack of details and interesting scenes, which make this film really easy to forget.
    helpful•8
    0
    • MarcoParzivalRocha
    • Jan 24, 2021

    FAQ1

    • Bel Powley, the actress who plays Dawn, is from London. The film set in Detroit, does she have a Southern (US) accent?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 14, 2018 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Cleveland, Ohio, USA
    • Production companies
      • LBI Productions
      • Protozoa Pictures
      • Studio 8
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 51 minutes
      • Color

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