The Rise and Fall of George Jung.

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2001)

BLOW is a very familar film with a very familar storyline. Yes, we've been there and done that before, and there is no surprise on what is going to happen in the end. However, there hasn't been anybody like Ted Demme to approach a story like BLOW and use it in a unique and stylish fashion. BLOW is the true life story of George Jung (Johnny Depp) the man who introduced cocanie into the American culture in the 1970's. If Jung's business of dealing cocanie was leagl, he would have ran the third richest business in America. Everybody and anybody was doing cocaine in the 70's, it was a illeagl drug, but it wasn't know to be dangerous. The film shows the entire rise and fall of young George. From when he witnessed his father Fred Jung (Ray Liotta) file for bankruptcy, and his shrewd mother (Rachel Griffiths) keep leaving and returning to the family house, to his current state that he is in now. After George leaves his family in Massasschussets, he moves out west to California with his very large friend Tuna (MALLRAT'S Ethan Suplee). In California George meets and falls in love with a beautiful blond stwardess, Barbara (Fanka Potente). Barbara introduces George to pot, and George figures that he should sell it. Barbara then has George make a deal with Derek Foreal (a flamboyant Paul Rubens) to help sell the mary jane. The stuff sells like crazy and George is in the drug dealing business, until he gets caught and put into prision. In prision his cellmate (Jordi Molla) talks to George about cocaine and how popular it's going to be. George takes his friend's word of advice and both deal with the dangerous Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis) on selling cocaine in the U.S. Now George is richer than he ever could imagine, he actually has a apartment full of bills (no kidding!) While his partner gets married, George meets the beautiful Mirtha (Penelope Cruz) who looks tame, but has a wild life and a strong fire burning inside of her. Then when things couldn't get better, everything falls down to a deep dark abyss. I see BLOW similar to other classic movies like GOODFELLAS meets TRAFFIC. And all three films are similar. However like a rollercoster, we all know what the ride is like, we know the loops, twists and turns, and the drops. But BLOW is like a rollercoster ride, we know what to expect, yet we still enjoy it a lot anyways. I really enjoyed the opening scene where director Demme shows the processing of cocaine in South America while he has the Rolling Stone's "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" blasting on the soundtrack. And some of the editing and cinemtography in this film is brilliant! It's a shame that this movie didn't come out last year in 2000, it would have earned some Oscar nominations, maybe even some Oscars. And if we're lucky, we probably won't see anything this spectacular for a while. The acting in this film is also fantastic. Johnny Depp proves that along with his FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS co-star (Benecio Del Toro) that he is overdue for a Academy Award. Depp plays a unrecoganizable role of George with the Boston accent, the long sideburns, and the big gut. I also enjoyed Ray Liotta a lot as the devoted and loving father of George. And Paul Rubens pretty much steals every scene he's in as the lush Derek. However, I was (along with everyone else) was disappointed in Penelope Cruz's role. She did a good job, but the script or story didn't give her much texture to develop her character. She pretty much appears as the love intrest of George. But that is small potatoes compared to the rest of this excellent film. I would place BLOW with my libary of great realistic drama DVD's along with GOODFELLAS, CASINO, BOOGIE NIGHTS, DONNIE BRASCO, SCARFACE, and GODFATHER 1 & 2. And it comes to no surprise that at the ending credits of BLOW, Ted Demme gives special thanks to directors Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson. As you could see they pretty much gave Demme a idea on how to adapt this film. BLOW is a film that we have seen before, but it's always fun to see something similar and new like it. ***** (out of five)