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During the ‘80s, First Lady Nancy Reagan told kids to “just say no” to drugs. But, at the same time, on the streets of Detroit, a teenage kid was buying and selling drugs with the FBI’s blessing—and even their encouragement. And the biopic White Boy Rick tells his unbelievable true story.
White Boy Rick follows the rise and fall of Richard Wershe, Jr. (Richie Merritt), a teenager in 1980s Detroit, who grew up helping his dad (Matthew McConaughey) sell weapons that he modified in their basement. By 14, Ricky had befriended some of Detroit’s most powerful criminals and was recruited as an FBI informant. But when he was no longer needed by the FBI—yet he was still living in a run-down house with his dad—he decided to take advantage of his contacts to go into business for himself.
The story of this teenager turned kingpin—with some help from the FBI—is truly fascinating. It’s a combination of so many factors working against him: his dad’s shady dealings, the wrong friends, some prodding from law enforcement, and plenty of bad decisions.
Unfortunately, though, the film inspired by Ricky’s story isn’t nearly as fascinating as the story itself. It’s dreary and often hard to follow, with a tendency to give too much attention to characters and storylines that serve as little more than distractions. Yes, there’s a lot to the story, but it needs to be edited and trimmed to keep it focused—and the screenplay simply meanders too much.
Of course, it doesn’t help that everything about the characters and their story is more than a little off putting. From Ricky’s dad to the FBI agents and police officers to Ricky himself—with his awkward moves, his greasy grin, and unsettling teen moustache—they’ll just give you a sour feeling in the pit of your stomach. And though Ricky is portrayed as a kid who’s trying to fit in with people who are cooler, richer, and more important than he is, he doesn’t really come off as an especially sympathetic character.
Really, it’s Matthew McConaughey who steals the show here. Not only does he give another strong performance as a troubled outsider, but his character has much more depth than the title character. He’s a single dad who’s struggling to provide for his kids in any way he can—and all he really wants is to save up the money to start his own video store. He may use questionable methods to make the extra money, but he’s not as tough as he lets on. Because of this, he has some great moments—and despite the intriguing story McConaughey is definitely the best part of the whole messy film.
White Boy Rick may be based on a remarkable true story, but the film itself is far from remarkable. It boasts another solid turn from McConaughey, but it doesn’t have a whole lot more to offer.
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