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Rating: 9/10 (1 October 2014)

When you begin to critique a film, some thing of the script, the special effects, or the camera shots, but most think of the performance of the actors. The majority of the time the actors make or break the film. It is possible for famous actors to not do so well in films while unheard of actors may come to stardom with an uncharacteristic performance that blows the audience away. Ted Demme made a very important decision when making the film Blow by casting the lead role to Johnny Depp. Without this choice, it is very possible this film could have been a total bust instead of one so effective and engaging. Johnny Depp plays the protagonist in the film, George Jung. Depp is a very well known actor who has played many different roles in his lifetime, but seems the perfect fit for Jung. While Depp is more known for his less serious and comedic roles nowadays such as in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, most of the current generation does not know about his serious roles in films early in his career. His persona as an actor is known in many different ways because of his wide variety of character traits. From his witty sense of humor, to his charismatic personality, to his mysterious and perplexing behavior, Depp can play almost any role. In Blow he plays George Jung, an ambitious 18 year old who wants to get away form his poor working class upbringing in Massachusetts so he moves out to California to start new and "conquer the world". Throughout the movie, Jung is depicted as a very intelligent and determined individual who always appears to be trying to prove someone or something wrong. He very quickly takes over the drug empire on the West Coast and back home in the East Coast before he starts collaborating with the Colombian cartel. All along the way Depp uses his variety of traits and portrays an aspiring, yet very lazy young individual who uses his charisma and seriousness to get what he wants. As stated in the New York Times review of the film, "Mr. Depp's sorrowful countenance is the still point at the center of ''Blow's'' swirling hyperactivity, and his witty, spare performance gives the picture a poignancy -- a depth of feeling" (Scott 1). The strong character of Depp makes you question your morals as you begin to root for Jung and hope he does not get caught while he is illegally distributing drugs. As you start to support a man who is breaking the law, you realize you are doing so because you like George. You want to meet George. You want to be friends with George. Some may even want to be George. The audience feels sympathy for him because of his past and understands why he is doing what he is doing. It even breaks your heart in the end when he gets caught and sent to prison for life. Jung is the anti-hero of the film, the protagonist who lacks idealistic views and morality, yet is the main focus of the plot. Rolling Stone said: "Depp is dynamite, showing how George is susceptible to temptation but also to feelings and pain. It's not every actor who could survive the series of wigs and ruinous fashions that mark George as Sixties hippie, Seventies drug lord and Eighties cocaine casualty." (Travers 1) While jokes are made about the physical change in Depp's appearance with his numerous different hairstyles to match the culture of those decades, the main focus is how his character changes and adapts throughout the film based on his experiences. Depp starts Jung off as a quiet and underachieving kid from Massachusetts who gets a taste of the good life when he finds success dealing marijuana in California. Next, you slowly start to see Jung's character change as he starts operations back east and in Mexico. His success fuels his ambition and temptation, which as a result raises his ego and confidence. As George joins the big leagues and begins to work with the Colombian cartel in the cocaine industry, you finally see his character in full swing. At this point, he has turned into a psychotic drug dealer bent on making more money than he could even begin to imagine what to do with. He forgets about his family, his wife and daughter, and just wants to make money. Whether it be getting shot for not releasing information or defying the leader of the cartel, Pablo Escobar, George gets in many deadly situations which is something his character at the beginning of the movie never would have done. All along the way Depp is sensational in depicting these changes and as Peter Travers described in his review of the film, he is simply "dynamite". This movie demanded an outstanding actor to play the lead role, and Demme's choice of filling that role with Johnny Depp is ingenious. It would not have been the same if someone else were in his position. He fits the role perfectly, and as a result created an incredible film.