Blow (2001)

Genre

Biography | Crime | Drama

Director

Ted Demme

Country

USA

Cast

Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths, Ray Liotta, Paul Reubens, Jordi Molla, Cliff Curtis, Max Perlich, Miguel Sandoval, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Gage, Tony Amendola, Bobcat Goldthwait, Jesse James, Alan James Morgan, Emma Roberts, Jaime King

Storyline

Son of a struggling small business owner, George Jung (Johnny Depp, adult - Jesse James, young) vows never to share a similar fate. In his twenties, he moves to California where he starts his own post pushing operation. When he goes to jail, he finds out about the wonder of cocaine, and, when released, he establishes the American cocaine market in the 1970's.

Opinion

Recalling Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas every single minute of it, Blow isn't witty, nor engaging as the 1990 masterpiece; instead it is dull, shallow, and, despite its title, it doesn't blow anything.

Director Ted Demme - died in 2002 of accidental cocaine induced thrombosis heart attack, as reported on several websites - made a film that not only glorified criminality, and the same substance and kind of person that eventually killed him, but attempted to make the audience feel sorry for the drug dealer, when you should feel sorry for the lives he has ruined. And what makes me cringe the most is that for many people he succeeded in that. In fact, it is plenty of people out there who thought, "Oh, poor George!".

Having said that, the film doesn't even tell the exact story of George Jung - some filmmakers really like to change people's lives, and yes, I'm talking about Clint Eastwood too. Many things have been omitted in order to clear his name, and to make him look like the good guy.

Among the multiples plot holes, there are some in particular that made me think. How is it possible than both Depp and Cruz's character never showed any drug addiction symptoms, like physical or psychological dependence, after years of heavy use? And shouldn't' be their daughter kind of addicted to cocaine considering her mother was snorting during the whole pregnancy?

At least is has Johnny Depp before he became Jack Sparrow. He gives a great performance, and his portrayal of drug dealer George Jung has depth. Ray Liotta gives a credible performance as Fred Jung, George's father. Notable performance also comes from Penelope Cruz. 

Quotes

Fred Jung: Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on.