Successful, fun movie

Rating: Null/10 (6 April 2001)

I found this film to be a refreshing turn in the wake of recent rise/fall drug epics which can deliver too strong of a message. Demme's "Blow" doesn't bother us with speeches about the futility of the drug war or the dangers of such a lifestyle. We are here to watch the misadventures of several colorful characters, and have fun doing it. The performances of Depp, Reubens, and Liotta really carried the movie for me. Johnny Depp's performance in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" was one of my favorites and he did an equally good job of creating the likeable, self-conscious drug dealer that we see here. Previously, I haven't liked anything that Ray Liotta or Pee-Wee has done in the past, but they really do a good job here. Liotta is very comfortable and confident in his supporting role of the honest, hard-working father with a lot of love to give who can't seem to catch a break. Paul Reubans has a lot of fun as the flamboyant "contact" who isn't always who you think he is. These characters were so much fun to watch in their individual performances and their play off of each other that I really had a lot of fun watching. The subtle comedy in this movie was very clever against the backdrop of the seriousness of drug trafficing. Depp's eventual physical breakdown combined with his explanation of his excesses allowed us to take this moment lightly even though individual tragedy was at hand. His wife's transformation from the Columbian princess into the jogging suit, bleached blond, low-class Mom also gave me a chuckle. Demme knows throughout the movie that the story is tired and full of cliches, but he keeps it fresh by not allowing it to take itself too seriously. I would compare this movie more closely to "Boogie Nights" than "Traffic". For me, Traffic tried to accomplish too much, and at times I felt as though I was simply watching anti-drug and anti-drug war propaganda. "Blow" is so much fun that it really doesn't matter what your personal opinion of drug enforcement or drug policy happens to be. We're having too good a time seeing what kind of trouble these characters are going to get into next.