Depp and Cruz sizzle

Rating: 8/10 (2 September 2012)

Johnny Depp is George Jung, in Blow, a true story about the cocaine industry, from Mexico to Colombia. At the beginning George meets a stewardess, and uses her to smuggle marijuana into Boston. As the demand grows, he travels to Mexico to buy large quantities from drug lords. He gets caught with over 600 pounds of pot, and he is given a two year prison sentence. He skips bail and hides at his parent's house. His mother calls the police, and he is sent to a federal prison, where he meets Diego, who has ties to the Medellin cartel in Colombia. They travel there and set up an operation which grows bigger and bigger. He is introduced to the infamous Pablo Escobar, and they become partners in the coke business. George suffers a heart attack and his wife gives birth to a daughter, which causes him to reevaluate his life and give up selling drugs. Of course, the need for more money eventually lures him back, and he is again arrested and winds up back in jail. Along the way, he suffers many family crises with his wife, daughter, mother and father. It is a sad story with excellent performances by Depp and Penelope Cruz as his wife. Blow is a solid 8.5/10.