Animals (2014, written by & starring David Dastmalchian)

I just learned about this film after watching an interview with Dastmalchian on the D-Con Chamber podcast. He has been sober for many years and wrote the screenplay based on some of his own experiences as a heroin addict.

It is a really beautiful film, sad but also quite hopeful which in itself feels like a rarity in films about drug addiction. It is also surprisingly romantic, but without glamorizing their lifestyle. It reminded me a little of Smashed, the movie about an alcoholic couple starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul.

I am surprised I had never heard of the film considering Dastmalchian has been in everything recently. Found it on Tubi, very worth a watch if you like indie slice of life type films.