White Boy (2017) User Reviews

Should be required viewing for anybody who somehow still believes in good government/good justice system/media is accurate bullshi@t

[paulbh1 · 8/10 · 7 July 2020]

Excellent but disturbing documentary on Starz right now, "White Boy Rick". Not to be confused with the fictionalized tv show about the same guy (I will never understand why many people watch unnecessary fictionalized accounts and are bored by documentaries). SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON: Originally sentenced to life for non-violent crimes committed by a juvenile, he's been in prison since 1987 (and is actually scheduled to be released in a couple of weeks) because a hopelessly corrupt political system in Detroit, with the help of the FBI, actually framed him as THE cause for the decline of Detroit! To put Rick's punishment in perspective you will meet a hitman, who says he admitted to 30 murders in court, served 17 years while an actual kingpin of 1980s Detroit served @12 years!

Should have been longer, too much content to completely cover in 1 hr 22 minutes. Because it was too short, a lot of info. is jammed into a short period of time and details are left out.

He did what he was told by the FBI

[holtdeborah · 7/10 · 17 April 2021]

Thats right, he worked undercover for the FBI, yes he was a young drug dealer, but the FBI didn't give him a choice. I remember the story years ago. Rick was very intelligent, but he was too young to realize he was being used. The FBI didn't come to his trial to set things straight so he could be released or a lesser charge. Goes to show how corrupt the criminal system was at the time, and perhaps even worse now.

Good doc

[Calicodreamin · 8/10 · 3 April 2021]

A short and informative documentary on Detroit's white boy rick and his excessive conviction for drug possession. The interviews were relevant and the storyline had a good flow.

Just say No!

[gibbs-18172 · 6/10 · 16 March 2020]

Story of a guy who was guilty of selling drugs, lots of murky dirty cop stuff, 17yr old serving 29yrs up to press. All upset and as per normal in these documentaries not one mention of the amount of lives ruined or lost due to the activities of the drug pushers they interview

See this movie! Simple as that.

[jrneptune · 9/10 · 9 April 2019]

I haven't seen the 2018 movie White Boy Rick but I seriously doubt that it can be as compelling and amazing to watch as this documentary. I can say I have personal experience with the drug war of the 80 and 90's and so much of the movie rings true.

Politicians, police officers, and more corrupted by money and influence brought in from illegal drugs.

I seriously doubt that the 2018 movie will get away at naming names and pointing fingers at the folks that were possibly corrupted. I just hope this documentary doesn't get mired by lawsuits against it like a few have been.

The interviews are great and are a mix from everyone and I do mean everyone, from FBI, DEA, Judges, Mayors, Police Chiefs, Lawyers, Journalist, Drug dealers, hitmen, family members, and a host of others.

To make matters worst, he was arrested on a non-violent crime at 17 years old with no previous criminal history and too many parties do not want him to see the light of day.

A must see if you saw White Boy Rick

[jhn_knr · 9/10 · 11 June 2019]

I'm not going to say anything about White Boy other than if you want to fill in the gaps and get more information after seeing "White Boy Rick" then "White Boy" is a must.

White Boy Rick

[anthonycarta10 · 10/10 · 14 May 2021]

Growing up in Detroit; YBI till I die was graffitied on shuttered homes. Tony Jack sightings at Paul's Chop House were a thing of substance. People knew Gil Hill for the Beverly Hills Cop films, we knew him because of Damion Lucas. And above all Coleman Young was the MFIC. After Rick Wershe, White Boy Rick was a nick name given to any white boy in the neighborhood who sold a nickel bag, little did we know the reality and intrigue behind the name. This film goes in depth on this urban legend of a story we heard as kids. It's engaging and informative. I had no clue how this story came together and my mind is blown. Amazing documentary.

To Hell White Boy!!!

[bronzesrv · 1/10 · 1 February 2021]

So we just going to sit up here and act like millions of lives weren't lost, especially minorities and children because of "white boys" actions. Are we also going to forget about the minorities, My People, Latinos, Mexicans, hell even Asians ,doing extreme sentences for Less. It's sad we're focusing on white boy because he's WHITE. This idiot has poisoned our communities, he got what the hell he signed up for. He hasn't taken responsibility for his actions to this day, what in the hell you think happens when you do dope and cross crooked cops who does dope. White boy wanted to act like a hoodrat, he got treated like one! End of the discussion. Who in the hell does he think he is?!

Power Corrupts Absolutely

[duckduckpoose · 10/10 · 24 April 2021]

An raw look at the the corrupt Detroit political machine and all the hypocritical politicians that drove that city into the ground. White Boy gives insight into a criminal organization that stretched into the highest reaches of the Detroit power structure. Unfortunately, White Boy's story is an important lesson on the political corruption most major American cities contend with to this day.

A must watch!

[TheOneThatYouWanted · 9/10 · 15 September 2020]

Heavy hitting and entertaining to boot. Teaches you a ton and I can not recommend this film enough. I know there is another non-documentary picture out there but I would save your time and just watch this instead.

Excellent documentary.

[sbharbison · 10/10 · 7 April 2021]

This is a well done documentary and should be seen by anyone that is not already aware of how our government really works. It might be shocking to some people, but it par for the course to anyone that already know how our government works.

More proof

[Gswillis · 9/10 · 14 May 2021]

More proof that the media is completely corrupt and toxic.

More proof that the justice system and law enforcement organizations are broken.

More proof that "inner city " culture and the "thug life" is a fungus on the ass of life.

The War on Drugs....the casualties are endless

[Agent10 · 8/10 · 19 December 2021]

I'm something of a law and order kinda of guy. Or more importantly, a by the books person who feels things should be done a certain way.

The War on Drugs is an absolute cluster bomb, and we lost that battle long ago. The biggest issue is the fact the government supplied drugs to cartels, dealers and even its own people. It had idiots that had no idea about drugs making arbitrary rules that ruined lives and destroyed families. And worst of all, law enforcement is the biggest beneficiary of seized goods and contraband, which means they will never want to abolish their cash cow with updated laws and sentencing. The drug problem was never addressed properly and the underlying reasons for the "problem" exploding are never understood. In the end, there are probably hundreds of tales like White Boy Rick, though I doubt they have the insidious details that make this story so interesting.

Richard Wershe, Jr. Was a pawn for the drug enforcement community, a teenage carrot to draw out far worse individuals than himself. While his legend has gotten out of control and hyperbolized over the years, in the end he was a small time dealer/government informant who was left to dry. I won't excuse the fact White Boy Rick was a criminal, but the aftermath is where this story is its most interesting.

Thirty years for a small time drug crime is utterly ridiculous. The length for most drug offenses in general are an affront to humanity, and Rick payed the ultimate price. This leads to the reason why so many refuse to help the police or other law enforcement, and even for a fastidious person like myself the punishment does not fit the crime.

Anyway, this is a very well put together and taut documentary that doesn't dawdle with the facts or the pace. It perfectly illustrates the corruption of higher leveled perpetrators and the aftermath of who really has to do the time for the crime.

See this movie to know what really happened.

[mykal-08309 · 8/10 · 28 August 2021]

Interesting and attention keeping documentary about Rick. He should really be let out of prison.

More people should have been charged

[atleverton · 8/10 · 10 June 2023]

This is an interesting documentary that asks what happens when the people who enforce the law break it? It narrates the true story of white boy Rick, a teenager who was groomed to be an FBI informant, then abandoned to a life of crime and then ultimately arrested and sentenced to one of the most Draconian prison sentences for being a drug dealer. He received life in prison. I have so many questions about the situation. Obviously, the first question is why was Detroit allowed to be such a corrupt place in the 1980s? The mayor and candidates for Mayors basically were friends with and protecting drug dealers. The movie does address some of these allegations, and there are charges that come out of that eventually. But it has to be some kind of crime to groom a 14-year-old to be an informant against very dangerous people. He was almost assassinated twice. I don't know about you, but I've never almost been assassinated, so I think there should be some charges for whoever was responsible for him becoming an informant. And then there's the fact that when he was arrested, he was in bed with the niece of the mayor. He was sentenced when he was 17, so obviously he was younger than that when he was arrested, therefore the person in bed with him was committing a crime, so why wasn't she charged with anything? It's an interesting documentary because it examines the media's culpability in creating the legend of white boy Rick, but I think it doesn't do a good enough job of addressing the biggest problem in the whole situation, which is who thought it was a wise idea to have an informant who was 14 years old?

Pathetic state of affairs in USA

[vicky-avinash-999-11200 · 9/10 · 23 May 2023]

Boy, o boy. America preaches the whole world on Human Rights and then right under the nose of uncle SAM, there is such a grave injustice and violation of human rights in the name of war on drugs. Undoubtedly, America is one of the most cynical, morally corrupt and ethically rusted country in the world. Clearly, the policemen were in it, judiciary was in it and prosecutor office was in it. They all wanted to save their skin and conspired to put a young man behind the bar and spoiled his while life. The corrupt and spiteful justice system in America cant even do it right after multiple years have passed. Pityful and pathetic.