The film "Around the fire" is a fairly plausible attempt at showing drug culture and how it can negatively affect a person's life. The true thing that this film lacked was script. Not an altogether bad script, but one that could have used more work.

What, tradgically, does not get recognition is the direction of John Jacobsen. Jacobsen, who was working with two fairly unknown actors of the time, Devon Sawa and Tara Reid (who had some success earlier)used his skills as a director to truly pull the best performances from these young actors. Also Jacobsens direction in this film really parallels Mamet, in a way. He is a no-nonsense director who has not received the attention he truly deserves.