more drug analyzing

Rating: 6/10 (23 March 2001)

OK, I liked this movie better than Traffic. That insulted my intelligence and meant it too. This movie isn't full of intelligence, but its not the director's intent. He wants to make a crafty movie, but all he pretty much knows is schlock. He did The Ref (Denis Leary driver). 'Nuff said.
This movie had some decent roles. Johnny Depp is in another drug movie, Ray Liotta (this is the third new movie I have seen him in this week Hannibal and The Heartbreakers were the others) is in another Goodfellas, and Penelope Cruz did decent in her manipulative female role. The acting was as good as you could expect from this kind of movie. Paul Rubens was, um, interesting as a homosexual drug dealer, but he was fun. I guess that is the only thing different about this movie from every other one, is that its fun.
The plot of this movie (which is a true story, and the film is 6 years in the making), is basically 2nd half of Goodfellas mixed with Requiem for a Dream. But its the nice version of it all. Its the all-American version as the titles so eloquently present. Low down: Guy grows up poor, decides he wants to be rich, gets hooked up with drug dealing. We watch as his dealing progresses through the decades. He then is busted not once, not twice, but three times. And the third time is supposed to be a tearjerker. He gives up all he loves for his dream of living a peaceful life with his daughter.
The editing is straight out of the Goodfellas college. Chock full of freeze frames, pauses, and just an overall feeling of crumbling goodness, the movie owed more to Scorcese than to Demme. The narrative, all in flashback (ala Goodfellas) is told with distinct settings for the years and obvious music throughout. And, no, I am not the only one who remembers Goodfellas, one of the greatest movies of all time. The big reminder is in Ray Liotta, this time father of Henry Hill.
But, you may get the hint that I thought the movie was utterly worthless. I didn't. It was fun in a mindless what am I watching sort of way. I would recommend watching Goodfellas for a mafia/drug syndicate movie, and Requiem for a drug syndicate/destruction of American dream movie. But, if you want a sugar-coated pill, see this movie. Not to mention the movie offers nothing new on the topics of drug trafficing (not like Traffic did either people). But, it was mildly entertaining. 6/10