Blow

I first saw Blow several years ago, and I loved it. Watching it again a couple of days ago my opinion changed dramatically. What made me change my mind? I think what made me like the film in the first place was its "groovy feel" and its realistic portraying of dope smuggling. The scene where George has to carry a suitcase containing fifty kilos of cocaine through customs is both good crafts work and very exciting to watch. Watching the film today, however, I must say I didn't find the George Jung character very plausible. To me, it seems like the entire purpose of the film is to whitewash George Jung and make him, and the dope trade, into something it obviously isn't. George Jung was a high level player in the organization known as the "Medellin cartel", run by drug lord Pablo Escobar. This was the organization which among other horrible acts, including countless murders, single-handedly declared war on the Colombian state and put Colombian society through several years of fear and arbitrary terror, making Meddelin and Bogota into two of the most dangerous cities in the world to live in. Yet, we are led to believe that George Jung wasn't like this. He never turns to violence. It's not George that's bad, it's everyone around else (except for his father and the murderous Pablo Escobar). It's astonishing how many alterations are made to the real story in order to whitewash George. When he skips bail the first time in the film it's because of his wife's illness when in reality he was motivated by pure egoism. When he makes the arrangements for the first cocaine flight it's this evil Colombian guy who demands of the pilot information on his family, implicitly threatening to murder them if something should happen to the narcotics, while this was in fact George's own preferred method of securing his goods. Not to mention the mild reaction he gets to Diego's treachery. He merely travels to Normans Cay in order to show his contempt for the guy. George never intends to hurt anyone. Wrong. The only reason why George called of his plans to kill Diego, or Carlos which was his actual name, was out of fear of an all out war with the Medellin cartel. To them, Carlos was much more important than George. I know; it's only fiction, and by the use of voice-over it is made clear that this is in fact George's own subjective account of what went down. To me, though, that just isn't enough. I think the film would have profited of a more complex character. The whitewash of George is not essential to the plot. My question then is why doesn't the director create a darker character, as would have been perfectly called for in this film? What are his motives? Why the need to whitewash? One is almost led to think that this was George Jung's own making. But it couldn't be, could it...?

Okay, it glorifies a criminal, that's been established. It has really bad cinematography (lighting), direction (could they have flash-cut some more?), and effects (George's pillow, er, I mean, gut at the end). The acting, apart from some decent moments, isn't phenomenal. And George's accent stinks (exact same new england accent after speaking spanish for years?? Uh, no). But after watching it a second time, I'd like to point out some things that to me are plot holes. (1) Why does it take so long for George to get "screwed"? That is, why did it take so long for the drug producers to sell more directly? (2) Why does Diego try so hard to find out George's west coast contact? Once George "created the market" couldn't Diego have sold to any Hollywood bigshot? (3) Why, once Diego "screws" George, does he take so long to "screw" Paul Rueben's character? Again, couldn't he have just found any other rich person with California connections? What made this hairdresser/entrepreneur so darned essential to this whole cartel? There were evidently thousands of people wanting (and addicted to) cocaine... just sell them some! (4) why, when the Colombians are first involving him with a pilot, George didn't recommend to work with his old buddy "Dooley" (5) what I kept waiting for - whatever happened to TUNA, or any of his old friends. (Besides....) (MOST OF ALL, 6) Why, after George's party with the "cocaine buffet" would the police be the slightest bit interested in having George take the rap for all the possession of drugs at the party? Wouldn't they want names, info., state's evidence? Wouldn't George not having to name any be a deal for HIM?? This story doesn't even make sense!! While painting George to be a misunderstood hero, and oh, we weep for his loss of his daughter, it forgets to even be logical. And "slipping" from the narrators memory are any explanations of: A) why he never paid child support B) why he couldn't get a real job ever in his life, even when sober, and even though he supposedly admired his Dad's work ethic so much C) why so many people evidently thought he was a schmuck (his mom, his wife, his daughter, Diego, etc.) Had the movie made logical sense, I could have accepted it as a polemic. But it fails to even do that.

Based on a true story of how the American cocaine market was founded, this is a lot more funky than I had expected. A thumpingly good soundtrack right from the start and Johnny Depp cruising in to be a convincingly laid-back big-shot - almost like a graduate from Boogie Nights. Penelope Cruz manages to be blisteringly erotic in a few well-crafted scenes and without removing a stitch of clothing. Later, instead of following the usual pattern of despair in the second half where most drug movies home in on drug dependency, Blow refreshingly focuses on the emotional losses suffered by the characters. A film that just about manages to be more than the sum of its parts, it would have made a nice sort of pre-quel to Traffic, but it stands alone in fine form. And it's moving rather than depressing.

I don't understand why many people I talked to either thought the film was bad or mediocre. Sure, it isn't a "great" movie, but when was the last time you saw 5 great movies in a row? A great movie comes along once in a blue moon, depending on your definition of great. I personally was very engaged in the plot. Johnny Depp gives a tour-de-force performance, fully engaging himself in the character. I'm sure he did lots of research on George Jung and tried to mimick his every mannerism, because this was far from a half-baked effort. Then again, I don't ever recall Johnny Depp doing a movie where he didn't put his full enthusiasm into the role. The movie has many tragic moments and many funny moments. The film is a little over 2 hours long, but the time flew by in a breeze. I was so enlightened that I'm anxious to do some research on the real George Jung. I'm not a fan of Penelope Cruz, and they could've chosen a much better actress, but she's only in the film about 20 or 30 minutes, so she isn't given enough time to ruin the film. Paul Reubens gives a surprisingly earnest performance as a flamboyant, bisexual hairdresser. It's too bad he's caught up in all this controversy, because he seems to have sufficient range as an actor. I loved hearing all the great classic rock songs in the soundtrack, and every time I watch the film the songs get stuck in my head and I start singing them for days on end. "Blow" is a touching drama that doesn't try to exploit the world of drugs, nor condemn it. After seeing George's tragic outcomes as a world-class coke dealer, I doubt anyone would want to get in or get back into the "business," but that doesn't necessarily mean the message is preachy. My score: 8 (out of 10)

source: Blow

This could be one of Johnny Depp's best. Most of his movies are basically average, if not a bit above average because of his movie star fame. This one is no different. It doesn't take the effort to become the greatest, which it easily could have done with the supplies it was given. But satisfies us just enough to remember it. Blow is about an ordinary guy who gets caught up in the marijuana business. He eventually moves on to cocaine, amasses a fortune, and loses it just as quickly. In the end, like almost everyone else, he gets pinched. This movie is a really cool ride. Johnny Depp does a great job here. It's a definite must see. Watch this! 7 stars

While I think dealing drugs is horrendous,,, this is a great movie! Great cast with a good, well told story. Go watch it already!!

Should we simpathize a pusher? Did he ever pay taxes...or what? And Penelope CRuz is really awful .... she irritated me for most of the movie, and thank lord she wasn't in for the first part. really a waste of time , tho i can save the first 3 minutes on the california beaches. Boring , flat and slow.

Blow is a lackluster attempt to display the life of a drug dealer. His life is filled with multiple set-ups and double crossings that are unable to conjure any amount of sympathy for a man who decided to take the fast road to the large life. The movie is a boring rendition of a person's life gone badly due to the decision of working on the wrong side of the law. This is another unfortunate attempt by Johnny Depp at acting, which in the end turns out like all the others..a total failure.

Will be brief with this review... This just isn't that good of a movie. The plot starts out fun on the beaches of California but as the drug empire grows the plot wears thin. Johnny Depp gives an average performance and the support sucks. Ray Liotta as the dad was a terrible cast. The scene with Pablo Escobar was cheesy and poorly executed (no pun intended). It's an interesting premise for sure, but the plot has no lessons, no payoff, nothing. Just kind of lame.