This is your mind on drugs.

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2001)

A lot of movies strive to strike a balance between entertainment and morality. "Blow" is a parable about the dangers of drug abuse from the real-life story of a narcotic trafficker who was just too nice a guy to get involved in such a dirty business. At the same time it is an engaging film with a believable and well-told story. Johnny Depp, who has built his career playing the anti-hero, stars as George Jung. Depp's performance weaves the viewer in and out of the highs and lows, the rewards and the risks, of George Jung's chosen path in life. He is one of my favorite actors, especially for his portrayal of Hunter S. Thompson, a well-known anti-hero, in the film version of Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." I always find myself rooting for Depp's characters, even though they almost always lose in the end. And as much as we like George Jung as Depp portrays him, we know that he will lose. The last vision from the film is a photograph of the real-life George Jung, looking as if he was already dead, doomed to prison until the year 2015. No caption was necessary. "This is your mind on drugs." Ray Liotta basically plays Henry Hill's father from "Goodfellas," in a supporting role. This film is not particularly uplifting and the ending is very depressing. Still, I think it makes its point very powerfully, and for that reason, I rated it an eight.