Sometimes you're flush, sometimes your bust.

Rating: 7/10 (20 January 2006)

Johnny Depp stars along with Penelope Cruz in this fly by night adventure story based on George Jung, one of America's major drug players during the Disco 70s. Ray Liotta also contributes in a small role as George's father.
As the movie starts, we meet young George and witness a few struggles of his parents involving money. George makes a decision at this point, to get as far away as possible from there and to never live like that.
A few years later, George and his childhood friend Tuna move to California. There they find life and culture some much different than life in Massachussets. Marijuana is everywhere, and Tuna convinces George that they can make something of this.
This is where the adventure begins, George and Tuna start off small time and eventually are bank rolling lots of money and expanding their pot empire. Eventually George makes a mistake and get's busted in Chicago with over 600 lbs. of marijuana.
George seems to take his trial rather casually, even addressing the judge in a very calm and rather "hippy" like manner. So the judge sentences him to prison. This is where George makes some decisions that will change his life. Some for the good, but mostly for the bad. Through it all, you'll see George live high and low, and ultimately lose the love of his life - several times.
This is a great movie and great story. Depp has never been better, even handling his accent fairly well. Cruz plays a mean and nasty role, but does it convincingly. Liotta does a nice job as Ray's father as well.
7/10