Ali Catterall Salesman Lenny Brown (Woods) is fast losing his knack of selling the proverbial ice cream to Eskimos. Given a chance to shine in California by a philanthropic entrepreneur, Brown and his wife Linda (Young) live the high life off tax shelter investments; a fortune they lose when the federal government changes the tax laws.Seven hundred thousand dollars in the red, and in need of a 'boost', the yuppies without portfolio begin to hoover vast quantities of Colombian marching powder up their hooters, until they find themselves with rather hungry monkeys on their back. After briefly cleaning up, Linda's coke-induced miscarriage sees Lenny once more careering like a pinball between uppers and downers. Living purgatory follows.A contemporary take on Reefer Madness, with perverse echoes of Albert Brooks' Lost In America, The Boost was overshadowed on release by tabloid revelations concerning an alleged affair between Woods and Young, and their tumultuous falling out. Woods, then engaged to horse trainer Sarah Owen (now his ex-wife), reputedly slapped a $2 million lawsuit on his spurned co-star for "emotional harassment" during filming, citing Fatal Attraction-style late-night phone calls to his fiancée and, in one noteworthy incident, reputedly leaving a mutilated baby doll on his and Owen's doorstep.Ironically, the lack of chemistry between the supposedly loving leads is one of the more depressing aspects of this latter-day exploitation flick - the only real passion Woods demonstrates towards Young is when he's kicking her around the room. The script too is hilariously dreadful, perhaps mitigating Young's near-comatose performance when given howlers like "stay with me - 'til I fall off the Earth" to emote. Further, given Woods' edgy dramatic personae, his jittery descent loses all credibility when actually he looked that way to begin with.Ultimately, The Boost must be seen in context: in the 21st Century cocaine use is ubiquitous. However, in 1988, with America still embroiled in an unwinnable "war on drugs", the very fibre of the nation looked to be in peril - hence one of the most hellish - and for that read hysterical - depictions of drug-abuse.

jure-8 This is epic day by day down slide of a modern desperate character found nearly in everyone of us.I don't understand anyone who gave this movie grade bellow 7. It's high 9 for me. The lead is played marvelously by J. Woods. He is starting the movie on cocaine so imagine how great it becomes when he really turns to the drug. It's also deep love story - it might seems too sweet for someone but it also goes down so every taste is served.I'd like to mention the part in the movie that fully described business cooperation between Arabs and local American elite way before... This rises my 9 to 10.And i did recognize Sean Young played in Blade Runner! She was like cyborg in The Boost too nevertheless this fatality of her might have driven Woods over the edge in his pursuit for success.I think The Boost isn't preachy. It reminds us how fragile human mind is and how little chemistry is required to break totally.

triple8 SPOILERS THROUGHOUT POST: I saw This film shortly after it came out, have watched it more then once and really like it. This is a very dark movie that focuses on addictions. Woods and Young give a dark portrayal of a wholesome, happy couple in love who, through a series of bad breaks,descend into a hellish drug induced haze.There is a Powerful story here with some really good acting. Not just a story of drug addiction, the movie shows the addiction one can get to a certain type of lifestyle. This movie really does show, not just how insidious drug addictions can be, but how excess(money, power, glamor etc) can ruin a person. The Boost really gets inside the isolation that the main characters begin to sink into, and there is one scene in particular: (SPOILER ALERT!) where Linda, (after having her own plane, more money then she can handle and no need for a day job), sits chatting with coworkers(sober, drying out and gainfully employed after she and her husband lose everything, become addicts and make an effort to get off drugs). She sits with her coworkers making small talk and one can tell she'd rather be anywhere then where she is. That particular scene, among others, really stuck with me and is an example of how well the movie does at exploring not just the addictions, but the feelings, motivations and souls of the people behind the addictions.The Boost is not a very well known film, many people I know haven't even heard of it which is a shame as it's really very good. It's not a "hollywood" type of film at all, is quite dark, and I think anybody who liked leaving Las Vegas, Less then Zero or Bright lights, Big city will probably really like this movie. I would give it an 8.5 of 10 and would strongly recommend it if one is comfortable with the subject matter.

Michael O'Keefe I appreciated this movie more after the second viewing. Although dark, it leaves a powerful statement. James Woods is a silver-tongued real estate salesman that for the first time in his life he is successful and rolling in money. So much money and so quick, he turns to cocaine to stay in high gear. His wife (Sean Young)wishes things could stay plain and simple; but after slipping into the high life, she too needs drugs to remain functional. Steven Hill is the mentor that suddenly is disgusted with Woods character. The profitable real estate business dries up leaving Woods ass deep in debt and no way to support his drug habit. Woods finally clean and sober still can't repair the damage done to his life and marriage.John Kapelos and Kelle Kerr are noteworthy in support. Woods is dynamic and very convincing. Young on the other hand seems quite bland and exhibits little acting skills. Young however is not afraid to get naked! THE BOOST is dark, moody and all too realistic.