Blow (2001)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Ted Demme

Writers (WGA):

Bruce Porter (book)
David McKenna (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 April 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Based on a True Story.

Plot:

The story of George Jung, the man who established the American cocaine market in the 1970's.

Plot Keywords:

Cocaine | California | 1970s | 1960s | Marijuana

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	George Jung
Penélope Cruz	...	Mirtha Jung (as Penelope Cruz)
Franka Potente	...	Barbara Buckley
Rachel Griffiths	...	Ermine Jung
Paul Reubens	...	Derek Foreal
Jordi Mollà	...	Diego Delgado (as Jordi Molla)
Cliff Curtis	...	Pablo Escobar
Miguel Sandoval	...	Augusto Oliveras
Ethan Suplee	...	Tuna
Ray Liotta	...	Fred Jung
Kevin Gage	...	Leon Minghella
Max Perlich	...	Kevin Dulli
Jesse James	...	Young George
Miguel Pérez	...	Alessandro (as Miguel Perez)
Dan Ferro	...	Cesar Toban

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive drug content and language, some violence and sexuality.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) (cut) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #37768) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

Apostle

Trivia:

The scene where Ray Liotta asks Johnny Depp where he got the money to pay for Franka Potente's wedding ring, Johnny Depp says "Construction." This is a reference to Goodfellas (1990) where Lorraine Bracco asks Ray Liotta how he can afford to pay everyone with twenty dollar bills and why he knows everyone so well, Ray Liotta then replies, "Construction."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Kevin mentions the pot market at Hampshire College in 1969. Hampshire College admitted its first class in 1970.

Quotes:

[first lines]
George: That's a nice boy. Go get 'em, Dulli.

Movie Connections:

References Jaws (1975)

Soundtrack:

All the Tired Horses

Better than expected

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.