Overall Rating
 Awesome: 31.41%
Worth A Look: 39.1%
Average: 21.15%
Pretty Bad: 7.05%
Total Crap: 1.28%
13 reviews, 78 user ratings
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| Blow |
by Preston Jones
"Well, it ain't no Goodfellas..."
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If celluloid were a narcotic, Ted Demme's newest effort, Blow, would most certainly be one of the more potent ones available.The story of George Jung, a Boston emigre to 1960s Manhattan Beach, Calif., a man who was supposedly responsible for 85 percent of America's cocaine supply at one point in the late '70s, is a gripping, emotionally engaging film. Blow pays homage to similarly themed drug films without ever stooping to blatant rip-offs.
The film opens with a flashback to Jung's childhood and the relationships he had with both his mother (Rachel Griffiths in a shrewish turn) and father (Ray Liotta in an outstanding performance). Times are tight, and young George is taught a valuable lesson early on by his father: "Money isn't real. It doesn't matter. It only seems like it does."
Bearing this in mind, Jung (Johnny Depp, in a stellar piece of acting) graduates from high school and moves with his childhood friend, Tuna (Ethan Suplee), to Manhattan Beach where he meets Barbara (Franka Potente, charismatic as always), falls in love and hooks up with Derek Foreal (played by Paul Reubens in an admirable performance), a male hairdresser and local pot czar.
Soon, Jung becomes "Boston George," the king of the beach and begins looking for ways to move up in the drug-dealing world. Tragedy soon strikes George, however, as he's becoming increasingly successful.
During an incarceration for possession of marijuana, Jung hooks up with his Colombian cellmate (Jordi Molla) and soon after his release, goes to Colombia where he meets Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis). Deals are made and soon Jung is importing massive quantities of cocaine into the United States. Jung meets and falls in love with Mirtha (played by Penelope Cruz like a Mommy Dearest clone), who helps him with his drug empire.
But drugs are a risky business and, as they all must, George's empire begins to slowly topple. His relationship with his daughter, father and mother all become tested as the years wear on. Ultimately, he is left with difficult and heartbreaking choices as a result of his lifestyle.
Blow provides an epic yet contained look at three decades of a man's life. It offers an unbiased window into Jung's life, never passing judgment on the man. Echoes of Goodfellas and Scarface can be seen throughout the movie. This film retains more of an interest in the human qualities of the story. A lion's share of the credit deservedly goes to Demme for this, but also his two screenwriters, David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes, whose screenplay was based upon Bruce Porter's book of the same name.
Demme has assembled a top-notch cast, with the standouts being Depp and Liotta. They create a heartbreaking father-son bond that resonates throughout the entire film. Director of photography Ellen Kuras also captures three decades through the lens admirably, using the camera well to convey mood and tone.
Blow, while seeming like a retread of better films to some, is a thoroughly engaging and entertaining look at the entry of cocaine into America.{b]Blow{/b] is a look at a man consumed by his way of life and determination to overcome whatever obstacles life sets in his way. Don't miss one of the better films to come along in recent months.
link directly to this review at http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=4720&reviewer=304
originally posted: 02/19/02 15:17:49
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USA
06-Apr-2001 (R)
UK
N/A
Australia
23-Aug-2001 (M)
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