Cocaine Cowboys poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Jon Roberts, Mickey Munday, Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, Dr. Joseph Davis, Sgt. Al Singleton

In the early '80s, a new business emerged in Miami, FL, that changed the face of the city forever. That business was cocaine smuggling; as America developed a growing appetite for the drug, Colombian ... read more read more...suppliers found that Miami was a good place to bring it into the United States, and a new breed of outlaws were more than happy to face the risks of importing cocaine in exchange for the massive profits to be made. At one time, cocaine runners were making so much money that the city's banks were running out of room to store the cash, and smugglers were developing new ways to move the product, from floating tanks with radio tracking devices dropped into the ocean to cars stashed with drugs so well-connected drivers with tow trucks could haul them away and abandon them if necessary. The profits from Miami's cocaine explosion helped to transform the city into a major American playground, but it also brought a criminal element interested in more than just dealing drugs, as bloody reprisals between competing gangs of smugglers became commonplace, and hitmen began working overtime to keep up with the demand for revenge. Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman are a pair of Miami-based filmmakers who were able persuade a number of key figures from Miami's '80s cocaine trade to speak on-camera about their exploits, as well as law enforcement officials who struggled to keep up with them. The result was Cocaine Cowboys, a true-life thriller about the underworld culture that helped spawn the film Scarface and the television series Miami Vice. Jan Hammer, who composed the Miami Vice theme song, created a like-minded score for the documentary. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

75,350 ratings

Critics

69% liked it

49 critics

R, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed by: Billy Corben

Release Date: October 27, 2006

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: January 23, 2007

Get It:

Stats: 1,605 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys
Upload a Photo | View All Cocaine Cowboys Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,605)

  • CloudStrife84
    December 7, 2011
    CloudStrife84
    Very gripping account of the history of the drug trade, and how it transformed the U.S into a crime-infested war zone. Centered around interviews with some of the pivotal names behind the killings and smuggling, we get a shocking inside-look into the minds and events that got it ... read moreall started. What's scarier yet though, is that many of these cold-blooded murderers and morally depraved criminals, bear the faces of ordinary people, that you'd never imagine to be taking lives for a living. Such as the reign of the "The Godmother" - a Colombian woman who for a while ruled the underworld for the Medellín Cartel. A truly despicable human being, who would send assassins to murder children, for the simple reason that they belonged to a rivalling family. Or as in the case with one of her hitmen, Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, who brags in the interviews about the countless killings he did for The Godmother. It left me with a bad feeling in the stomach, just hearing about the sick and evil atrocities of these heartless monsters. In spite of this though, I was thoroughly compelled by the stories shared with us. It dispels a lot of the illusions created by Hollywood and popular media, while at the same unveiling that sometimes reality transcends the fictional. A truly horrifying exposé, but also brilliantly constructed and compellingly absorbing. A word of warning for those planning to see this though: the imagery of this film is at times extremely gruesome and disturbing. So much to the point that I would label it as snuff. If you can endure that, however, then I can highly recommend this very thought-provoking and emotionally stirring documentary.
  • flixsterman
    March 29, 2011
    flixsterman
    Billy Corben's stunning documentary details the inner workings of Miami's cocaine cartel by soliciting testimony from the people who made it happen. WARNING: some of the crime scene photos and stock news footage is graphic.
  • dhetteix
    March 19, 2008
    dhetteix
    The first few minutes scream "amateur", almost making you wonder wether the cheesy visuals and re-enactnment / stock footage montages are going to be the primary story-telling vehicle.

    And then, it all clears up, and you are left with a nicely-done if a bit standardly-executed a... read morend long-winded look at the Cocaine Trade of Miami in the 70's and 80's.

    The range of interviewees is excellent, the stories are interesting and genuine. It could have covered a bit more ground given the time period, such as the perspectives from the Columbian Cartels, but this is probably hoping for the impossible. Finally, there is almost no moralizing, which is a refreshing and clarifying touch to a documentary about drug trafficking, and this alone makes the film worth the rental price.
  • wbgoose13
    January 26, 2007
    wbgoose13
    Insightful drug doc is marred by overdone editing.
  • mattsigur1
    August 24, 2010
    mattsigur1
    Alex hit this one on the head. Questionable editing, and the American pilot guy is a big prick. Some of the things he says are just, "wow, really, man?" But interesting, nonetheless, in its depiction of the cartel.
  • RemiLogan
    April 2, 2009
    RemiLogan
    VERY interesting and enlightening documentary about Miami's 1980s history with drugs and the violence it attracts
  • acenate
    October 10, 2008
    acenate
    A pretty capable documentary, though the editing is occasionally a little sloppy and the information seems more anecdotal than factual. Still, an entertaining way to get a history lesson, and some of the footage they obtained(/shot?) was impressive. This place was crazy, apparently.
  • Dracula787
    April 15, 2008
    Dracula787
    Wow, sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. This is one of the most amazingly well put together and interesting documentaries I?ve seen in a long time. Many have called this the true story behind Scarface and Miami Vice, and that seems to fit. The narrative flow very... read more well and the whole thing is very fascinating. The documentary editing and photography is first rate, and the pacing is perfect. The film also manages to stay focused throughout on Miami and the effect the cocaine wars had on it. A lesser film would have gotten distractd by other issues like Pablo Escobar, but this film doesn?t. The drug traffickers are never glamorized and the film isn?t just an examination of criminals either the film shows how the drug trade affected Miami?s economy and lead to societal decay.
  • silentbob66
    March 28, 2008
    silentbob66
    a really great documentary showing the cocaine trade of the late 80's in miami florida from the real people that lived it the smugglers and dealers from the highs to the lows such as prison and death this is the best inside look of that lifestyle
  • KLFilmmaker
    January 19, 2008
    KLFilmmaker
    Very good doc on the Miami drug wars of the 70s-80s.

View All Cocaine Cowboys Reviews

Critic Reviews

Terry Lawson
December 1, 2006
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

The Jan Hammer music on the soundtrack works overtime to assure us that Cocaine Cowboys is the real, nastier version of Miami Vice Full Review

G. Allen Johnson
November 10, 2006
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

This is an ugly film, but with an undeniable allure. Full Review

Bruce Westbrook
November 10, 2006
Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle

Forget Scarface and Miami Vice. Cocaine Cowboys is the real deal -- a down-and-dirty look at the high living and illegal drugs that dominated south Florida in the 1980s. Full Review

Bill Stamets
November 10, 2006
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times

This documentary on Miami's lethal '80s cocaine scene is cut fast. Full Review

Stephen Hunter
November 9, 2006
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

At half the length it would have been twice as good, but nevertheless it stokes a nostalgia some may have for a magic period in Miami history when it was ever so briefly the American Casablanca. Full Review

Jessica Reaves
November 9, 2006
Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune

After beginning at a healthy clip, the film becomes mired in endless remembrances of debaucheries past and Miami's descent into lawlessness. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
November 2, 2006
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

While the filmmakers clearly got a contact high from hearing all these war stories, most civilians will find a little of this goes a long way. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
October 31, 2006
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

The only thing more boring than listening to someone on drugs may be listening to someone brag about how many drugs he used to sell. Full Review

Michael Rechtshaffen
October 30, 2006
Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter

As sensational as Scarface and a lot livelier than that Miami Vice movie.

Jeannette Catsoulis
October 30, 2006
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

A hyperventilating account of the blood-drenched Miami drug culture in the 1970s and 80s.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja
    Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja (98%)
  • Limelight
    Limelight (98%)
  • Bait
    Bait (36%)
  • Smokin' Aces
    Smokin' Aces (50%)

More Movies like Cocaine Cowboys

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Cocaine Cowboys : Watch Free on TV

Cocaine Cowboys Trivia

  • What movie was based on a true story, made Miami what it is today, and was the basis for the show Miami Vice and the Movie Scarface?  Answer »
More Cocaine Cowboys Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Cocaine Cowboys Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Cocaine Cowboys to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Cocaine Cowboys News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

Hannah Skin by Hannah
16927 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins