Blow

Rating: 9/10 (21 October 2008)

Based on a True Story.
Following the life of cocaine-trafficking pioneer George Jung in a way that recalls Martin Scorsese's Casino, Blow recounts the man's days from his 1950s childhood in Boston to his downfall in the 1980s. George (played by Johnny Depp) begins his life as the son of Fred (Ray Liotta), an earnest breadwinner, and Ermine (Rachel Griffiths), who frequently walks out on them in pursuit of a more fulfilling life. When George moves west to California in the late '60s, accompanied by best pal Tuna (Ethan Suplee), he becomes an entrepreneur in the marijuana business, which soon spreads to the East Coast as well, with girlfriend Barbara (Franka Potente) smuggling the product during her stewardess shifts. George is arrested in 1972 -- at which time Barbara dies of cancer -- but George finds a new ally in Diego (Jordi Molla), who proposes the idea that he become the American conduit for Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis). George flourishes in the heyday of the disco era, and falls for Mirtha (Penelope Cruz), a self-serving bombshell who eventually has a daughter with him. Trouble escalates as the FBI threatens to bring George and his crew down, while he desperately tries to be a stable parent to his young offspring. Blow also features Paul Reubens and Max Perlich in featured roles.
Review: Blow is a drug film, and yet I find it touching and emotional. Its not one of those typical hard-edged drug related movies like Scarface, they shook the ground a little bit by giving the main character a heart. And they developed it more as it basically became the main theme in the third act of the film, the shaky relationship between George Jung and his daughter Katrina was well-developed and you kind of feel bad to George when he took the fall and ended up in prison for 60 years. The ending is totally heart breaking and as the credits roll, you'll almost be in tears.
Johnny Depp in one of the best roles he's ever done took the role of an ambitious small town drug smuggler and he gave it a heart. You actually feel sorry for the real George Jung and Depp definitely gave justice to the role. Penelope Cruz steals every scene she's in by flailing her arms wildly and shouting at the top of her lungs (well, that's that one scene only and it was in my opinion, excellently done). 'Blow' will definitely blow you away, its El Magico.