Product: Blow [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 4.0
Blows the show
Johnny Depp is Blow. The movie like the intrinsic narcissism of the drug, spirals out of Depp's eye. J.D. is fast becoming a hell of a character actor a la Val Kilmer. Only stylized acting like this transforms such a script into a movie I'll watch every few years. Depp's sensibilities, the cat-house cool, the vaunted respect balanced with a well hidden cockiness are all the vital inflections needed against the drug lords and soldiers he encounters in the movie. George Jung's ambitions far outweigh his talent. The gringo-makes-nice with a far-off world. Yea the documentary facade of the film is obvious, and all the nasty trappings of the Life are well delivered, but to rest on this is missing the point. Blow is a metaphor for the edge, Kristeva's semiotic unspeakable. Like any Eastwood movie, character, not the voice tracking of mainstream acting, is the true anima to an new economy. The late Ted Demme's eye for character is astounding. Jordi Malla's part as Depp's partner is brilliantly creepy and cloying, the devil in disguise. Cliff Curtis, who plays Escobar, is necessary, beedy eyes and all; not to mention Paul Reubens, the Bobcat and even Ray Liotta, who brought something essential. Yea this all happened I guess, no Scarface, but definitely a Boogie Nights.