White Boy Rick - wikipedia White Boy Rick White Boy Rick Theatrical release poster Directed by Yann Demange Produced by John Lesher Julie Yorn Darren Aronofsky Scott Franklin Screenplay by Andy Weiss Logan Miller Noah Miller Based on Richard Wershe Jr. Starring Matthew McConaughey Richie Merritt Bel Powley Jennifer Jason Leigh Brian Tyree Henry Rory Cochrane RJ Cyler Jonathan Majors Eddie Marsan Bruce Dern Piper Laurie Music by Max Richter Cinematography Tat Radcliffe Edited by Chris Wyatt Production companies Columbia Pictures Studio 8 Protozoa Pictures LBI Entertainment Le Grisbi Productions Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing Release date August 31, 2018 ( 2018 - 08 - 31 ) ( Telluride ) September 14, 2018 ( 2018 - 09 - 14 ) ( United States ) Running time 116 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $29 million Box office $23.9 million White Boy Rick is a 2018 American biographical crime drama film directed by Yann Demange and written by Andy Weiss, and Logan and Noah Miller. Based on a true story, the film stars Richie Merritt as Richard Wershe Jr., who in the 1980s became the youngest FBI informant ever at the age of 14. Matthew McConaughey, Bel Powley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Tyree Henry, Rory Cochrane, RJ Cyler, Jonathan Majors, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern, and Piper Laurie also star. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2018 and was released in the United States on September 14, 2018, by Sony Pictures Releasing. It received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed over $23 million. Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Release 5 Reception 5.1 Box office 5.2 Critical response 6 References 7 External links Synopsis `` Set in 1980s Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, WHITE BOY RICK is based on the moving 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, before he was abandoned by his handlers and sentenced to life in prison. '' Cast Matthew McConaughey as Richard Wershe Sr. Richie Merritt as Richard `` Rick '' Wershe Jr. / `` White Boy Rick '' Bel Powley as Dawn Wershe Jennifer Jason Leigh as FBI Agent Alex Snyder Brian Tyree Henry as Officer Mel `` Roach '' Jackson Rory Cochrane as FBI Agent Frank Byrd RJ Cyler as Rudell `` Boo '' Curry Jonathan Majors as Johnny `` Lil Man '' Curry Eddie Marsan as Art Derrick Bruce Dern as Ray `` Roman '' Wershe Piper Laurie as Vera Wershe YG as Leo `` Big Man '' Curry Taylour Paige as Cathy Volsan Danny Brown as `` Black Ed '' IshDARR as `` Freaky Steve '' Roussell Kyanna Simone Simpson as Brenda Moore Kwon Haynes as `` Nug '' Production In February 2015, Studio 8 acquired a spec script by Logan Miller and Noah Miller, titled White Boy Rick. The script was produced independently of `` Trials of White Boy Rick '' writer Evan Hughes, who has stated on Twitter that `` The film used my work without pay nor credit. '' In November 2016, Matthew McConaughey joined the cast of the film, with Yann Demange directing the film, Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin and John Lesher produced the film under their Protozoa Pictures and LBI Entertainment banners, respectively. In January 2017, Bruce Dern and Jennifer Jason Leigh joined the cast of the film. In February 2017, Bel Powley and Brian Tyree Henry joined the cast of the film. In March 2017, Richie Merritt, Jonathan Majors, YG, Taylour Paige, Piper Laurie and RJ Cyler joined the cast of the film. Principal photography began on March 14, 2017. Following audience testing, in which the film scored quite high -- in the 90s -- director Yann Demange was given the go - ahead to shoot extra scenes. Release The film was originally scheduled to be released on January 12, 2018, but was pushed back two weeks from its original release date of January 12, 2018, to January 26, 2018, but was pushed back again from January 26, 2018, to August 17, 2018, after successful test screenings. In April 2018 it was pushed back again from August 17, 2018, to September 14, 2018. It had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2018. It was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2018. Reception Box Office In the United States and Canada, White Boy Rick was released alongside The Predator, A Simple Favor and Unbroken : Path to Redemption, and was projected to gross $5 -- 9 million from 2,504 theaters in its opening weekend. It ended up debuting to $8.8 million, finishing fourth behind The Predator, The Nun and A Simple Favor. It dropped 43 % in its second weekend to $5 million, finishing sixth. Critical response On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 59 % based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1 / 10. The site 's critical consensus reads, `` Solid work from the cast - particularly a scene - stealing Matthew McConaughey - helps White Boy Rick make up for a number of missed opportunities in the script. '' On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating `` generally favorable reviews ''. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of `` B '' on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 64 % positive score and a 44 % `` definite recommend ''. References ^ Jump up to : `` Film releases ''. Variety Insight. Variety Media. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018. Jump up ^ `` White Boy Rick ''. Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved July 24, 2018. ^ Jump up to : `` White Boy Rick ( 2018 ) ''. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 16, 2018. Jump up ^ https://www.whiteboyrick.movie/synopsis/ Jump up ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. ( February 17, 2015 ). `` Studio 8 Buys Spec On Long Imprisoned Detroit Drug Dealer / Informant ' White Boy Rick ' ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ https://twitter.com/evanhughes/status/1039537427260604416 Jump up ^ Busch, Anita ( November 18, 2016 ). `` Matthew McConaughey In Negotiations To Star In ' White Boy Rick ' For Helmer Yann Demange ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Busch, Anita ( January 31, 2017 ). `` Bruce Dern, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Rory Cochrane Board ' White Boy Rick ' ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Kit, Borys ( February 1, 2017 ). `` Bel Powley to Play Matthew McConaughey 's Daughter in ' White Boy Rick ' ( Exclusive ) ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Busch, Anita ( February 21, 2017 ). `` ' Atlanta 's Brian Tyree Henry Joins ' White Boy Rick ' ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Busch, Anita ( March 3, 2017 ). `` ' White Boy Rick ' Coveted Lead Role Goes To Unknown 15 - Year - Old Baltimore Kid With No Acting Experience ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ McNary, Dave ( March 24, 2017 ). `` Power Ranger R.J. Cyler Joins ' White Boy Rick ' Cast ''. Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 26, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Current Basic Agreement Production List '' ( PDF ). Directors Guild of America. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on July 30, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Christine ( December 9, 2016 ). `` Will Matthew McConaughey be filming in Detroit next year ? ''. On Location Vacations. Retrieved December 20, 2016. ^ Jump up to : D'Alessandro, Anthony ( December 5, 2017 ). `` ' White Boy Rick ' Takes A Trip To August 2018 In Release Date Change ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved August 13, 2018. Jump up ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony ( February 9, 2017 ). `` Sony Release Date Changes : ' White Boy Rick ' Takes Over ' Bad Boys 3 ' MLK Slot, ' Goosebumps 2 ' Moves To Fall 2018 & More ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Lang, Brent ( June 16, 2017 ). `` ' Solutrean ' Retitled ' Alpha, ' Gets New Release Date ( EXCLUSIVE ) ''. Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved September 4, 2017. Jump up ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony ( April 10, 2018 ). `` ' Alpha ' & ' White Boy Rick ' Swap Release Dates On Sony Schedule ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved April 10, 2018. Jump up ^ Tapley, Kristopher ( August 30, 2018 ). `` ' First Man, ' ' Front Runner ' and ' Roma ' Among 2018 Telluride Film Festival Selections ''. Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved August 30, 2018. Jump up ^ `` 45th Telluride Film Festival Program Guide '' ( PDF ). Telluride Film Festival. The National Film Preserve. Retrieved August 30, 2018. Jump up ^ Vlessing, Etan ( July 24, 2018 ). `` Toronto : Timothee Chalamet Starrer ' Beautiful Boy, ' Dan Fogelman 's ' Life Itself ' Among Festival Lineup ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 24, 2018. Jump up ^ Rubin, Rebeeca ( September 11, 2018 ). `` Box Office : ' The Predator ' to Feast on ' A Simple Favor ', ' White Boy Rick ' ''. Variety Magazine. Penske Media. Retrieved September 11, 2018. ^ Jump up to : D'Alessandro, Anthony ( September 16, 2018 ). `` Why ' The Predator ' Is Shorter Than ' Predators ' At $24 M & ' White Boy Rick ' So Pale At $8 M+ -- Sunday Box Office ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved September 17, 2018. Jump up ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony ( September 23, 2018 ). `` ' The House With A Clock In Its Walls ' Sounding Near $27 M Alarm ; Counterprogramming Still In Deep Sleep ''. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved September 23, 2018. Jump up ^ `` White Boy Rick ( 2018 ) ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 26, 2018. Jump up ^ `` White Boy Rick reviews ''. Metacritic. Retrieved September 24, 2018. External links White Boy Rick on IMDb Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Boy_Rick&oldid=864332385 '' Categories : 2018 films English - language films 2010s crime drama films American films American crime drama films Columbia Pictures films Crime films based on actual events Drama films based on actual events Films set in the 1980s Hood films Films about drugs Films produced by Darren Aronofsky Films shot in Cleveland Films set in Detroit Protozoa Pictures films Hidden categories : All articles with failed verification Articles with failed verification from September 2018 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 16 October 2018, at 15 : 02 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: who was the movie white boy rick based off of
Answer: Rick Wershe Jr.