Johnny Depp shines to ever-brighter heights...!

Rating: 8/10 (5 September 2001)

I am beginning to think there is NOTHING this young actor cannot do and do magnificently. The variety and range of roles handled by Johnny Depp maintains him as my pick for "Most Under-Rated Actor in Hollywood". The performance at hand of drugster George Jung is credible, tangible, believable, and ultimately tragic and sad, as surely was the life of the real man, still living supposedly behind bars.
From youth barely out of his teens, to aging inmate with a paunch, Johnny Depp carries off the role magnificently and one is so left wishing that the real-life character could have confined himself to 'small-time' activities by late in this film, that it brings tears to ones eyes: a person of tremendous potential was wasted. Equally stunning is the look-alike for Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis) and an excellent supporting performance by Ray Liotta, not known for playing sentimental roles.
Many may have eschewed this film over a perceived similarity to FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, but the two are separate and apart (and equally unique). The other work is a bit of a 'frenzy' for those not advance-prepared.
As with THE MAN WHO CRIED, BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, and CHOCOLATE, this is a must-see film for Johnny Depp fans, despite the fact that in two of the just-mentioned films his roles are less than leads. No matter. What this actor can do with a mere look, a gesture, a glance, an expression, others would need whole paragraphs to accomplish -- where not whole pages -- in order to rival. Simply impressive, superb, and without equal: Johnny Depp has no parallel in his generation.
The film's drawback is the remainder of the cast. It's weak. With exception of Jordi Molla (who coincidentally has acted with Javier Bardem of BEFORE NIGHT FALLS) as one of the two-timing partners, there is a serious weakness in casting. No matter. The players named carry the film. GO AND SEE IT. Rating 4 stars (on five).