Grade A druggie escapist fare

Rating: 6/10 (25 September 2006)

Tremendously entertaining docudrama focuses on the exaggerated life and times of George Jung, at one time America's entire go to man when it came to the importing of only the purest Colombian cocaine. While clearly presenting itself as sympathetic, viewers might not totally buy into George's plight or muster any sympathy for the character in it's biased agenda. However if there was any one character actor to inject some integrity into the cliché, it is the fabulous Depp, who effortlessly translates all of Jung's subtle grace despite the movie's overtly entertaining and shallow tone. This grounding ultimately saves Blow from becoming just another rags-to-riches drug movie, as it most definitely follows the formula quite closely as well as suffering from what I can only label as "the goodfellas syndrome". Despite it's predictable nature, Blow provides premium entertainment, with it's vast production values, large scope, and interesting narrative, all over a bed of fun, fast paced entertainment