Closet Full of Coke: A Diary of a Teenage Drug Queen
Logline
Narrated by the teenage girl who lived it, Closet Full of Coke tells the true story of how a New York suburban fifteen-year-old girl's savvy and wit helps turn the small-time drug business of Armando, a Colombian drug dealer, into a multi-million-dollar cocaine operation that puts them on the DEA's Wanted List.
Genre
Memoir,
Short Summary
A teenage drug dealer meets a mysterious man at her dealers house. He whisks her to New York City to do a wholesale buy of drugs and soon after she is abandoned by her mother. She begins to work full-time with him at the age of 16
Setting
Suburbs, NY
Based on a True Story
Yes
Plot - Premise
Tragedy
Plot - Other Elements
Twist
Mature Audience Themes
Substance Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Language/Profanity,Sexual Abuse, Language/Profanity
Main Character Details
Name: Indra
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Desperate, Insecure, Naive, Skillful, Uneducated, Criminal,Insecure,Naive,Secretive
Additional Character Details
Name: Armando
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Role: Tempter
Key Traits: Greedy, Leader, Manipulative, Narcissistic, Aggressive, Charming, Masculine, Seductive, Complex, Criminal,Power Hungry,Narcisstic,Villainous,Masculine,Criminal,Manipulative,Unapologetic,Sexy,Seductive
Additional Character Details
Name: Seely
Age: 13
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Desperate, Empathetic, Insecure, Naive, Selfless,Insecure,Naive
Additional Character Details
Name: Carlos
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Aggressive, Uneducated,Uneducated,Crazy,Criminal,Villainous
Genre
DRAMA, ACTION
Brief
A teenage girl tells her story of drug dealing since a very young age, getting involved with dangerous criminals and eventually being caught. Even though she ends up free, her sister is killed by a shadow from the protagonist's criminal past that comes back to haunt her.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: GOOD
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
Yes, it does.
Draw of Story
The fact that it is a true story about a teenage girl who worked as a drug dealer back in the 80's, told by her own perspective.
Possible Drawbacks
The events are not always that compelling and the pace feels a little off.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
A woman talking about her own story as a drug dealer.
Fanbase Potential
If well adapted, it is the kind of story that could attract many people interested in narratives about criminals.
Awards Potential
Yes, but only if some changes are made to the writing and the pace. As it is, it wouldn't make for a thrilling, successful screen adaptation.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE WIRE - A TV SHOW THAT PRESENTS THE DAILY LIFE OF CRIMINALS IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE. WHITE BOY RICK - THE STORY OF A TEENAGER IN THE 80'S WHO WORKS AS AN UNDERCOVER INFORMANT AND ENDS UP ARRESTED FOR DRUG DEALING.
What’s New About the Story
It breaks some of our usual conceptions by establishing a teenage girl as a drug dealer queen. However, this unexpected situation could be even further explored by the author in her writing, since she actually lived through all that.
Lead Characters
Indra is a flawed, amoral girl who works as a criminal for years before she is finally caught by the authorities. However, she is also very charismatic, empathetic and, most of all, human.
Uniqueness of Story
Not really. Even though the story itself is very interesting, the writing could be improved and the pace requires some additional attention.
Possible Formats
Film - Indie, Film - Streaming, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
The story should be considered for an adaptation because it is an impressive tale based in real life, filled with complex, flawed characters that ultimately feel very true and human to the reader. The narrative itself also has a lot of potential for the screen, displaying an interesting mixture of drama, violence, corruption and romance that could impact the audiences positively. With a talented cast and a competent screenwriter and director, this could end up being a top-notch film or TV series. However, some aspects do require changes. One of them is the pace and the narrative's structure. Probably because it was written according to the author's memory, it sometimes feels a little flat and less compelling than it could be. In an adaptation, the story would benefit from a tighter, cleaner, more straight to the point approach, with a further refined arc for the main characters. Furthermore, some of the events portrayed in the book feel too mundane and irrelevant for this story, and could be simply cut. With some of these improvements, it could become a really successful adaptation.