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Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths, Paul Reubens ... see more see more... , Jordi Molla , Cliff Curtis , Miguel Sandovar , Ethan Suplee , Ray Liotta , Kevin Gage , Max Perlich , Jesse James , Miguel Pérez , Dan Ferro , Tony Amendola , Bobcat Goldthwait , Michael Tucci , Monet Mazur , Lola Glaudini , Jennifer Gimenez , Emma Roberts , James King , Jaime King , Ashley Edner , Charles Noland , Lori L. Bailey , Pamela Abdy , Noah Emmerich , Lisa Claire , John Harrington Bland , Jimmy Burke , Brantley Bush , Kevin Chapman , Ted Demme , Crystal Erickson , The Dawk , Daniel Escobar , Tracy Falco , Jean-Carlos Felix , Lázaro Galarraga , Brian Goodman , Vanessa Grayson , Elif Guertin , Josh Herman , Faith Hoover , Brad Hunt , Patrick Husted , Kristina Jung , Ralph Kampshoff , Ajgie Kirkland , Skip O'Brien , Richard LaGravenese , Roberto Lopez , Lydell M. Cheshier , Dorothy Lyman , Jodie Mann , Charles Martiniz , Genevieve Maylam , Gonzalo Menendez , Mauricio Mendoza , Carlos Mendoza , Alan James Morgan , Randy Mulkey , Kathleen Mullan , Meriah Nelson , Tony Perez , Jack Polick , Michael Ralph , Raoul Rizik , Matt Robinson , Elizabeth Rodriguez , Bert Rosario , Leslie Schirrmacher , Dale Snowberger , Sophie Tsimel , Julia Vera , Santiago Verdu , Pamela Gaye Walker

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 198... read more read more...0s. 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. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

Flixster Users

88% liked it

293,838 ratings

Critics

55% liked it

136 critics

R, 2 hr. 3 min.

Directed by: Ted Demme

Release Date: April 6, 2001

Keywords: drug

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DVD Release Date: September 11, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (18,756)

  • fb7018436
    November 15, 2011
    fb7018436
    Are they trying to manipulate me into feeling bad for this scum bag? He got less than he deserved.
  • SajinPA
    October 15, 2011
    SajinPA
    "Blow" is a deeply touching biopic of a man's over-ambitious pursuit of a better life, only to end up in deeper muck than where he was before, regardless his 15 minutes of fortune.

    Johnny Depp at his best...
  • shawnewing92
    May 29, 2011
    shawnewing92
    "Money isn't real, George. It doesn't matter. It only seems like it does."

    The progressive story of drug dealer George Jung, is not a happy one. Depp's appearance is a tad distracting, but his performance brings a lot of compassion to his character. Although the lifestyle of the... read more drug dealers in the film are grand and appear to be full of rewards, the message is still that drugs will always lead you towards corruption and your own downfall.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    April 7, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Great movie! One of his best roles ever I would say for Depp, the story itself based on a true story is amazing and I really liked it alot. It was nice to see Emma Roberts when she was little as Depp's daughter.

    The film opens to a young George (Jesse James) and his parents Fred... read more (Ray Liotta) and Ermine (Rachel Griffiths). Fred files for bankruptcy and loses everything. Fred tries to instill George with a belief that money is not important.

    A grown-up George (Johnny Depp) moves to Southern California with his friend "Tuna" (Ethan Suplee) and they plan to earn a living by selling marijuana with the help of an airline stewardess, Barbara Buckley (Franka Potente), and a girlfriend of George who introduces them to her friend/entrepreneur Derek Foreal (Paul Reubens), the main dealer. With Derek's help, George and Tuna make a lot of money. Kevin Dulli (Max Perlich), a college student back in Boston who is a friend, visits them and tells them of the enormous demand for pot in Boston. With the help of Barbara, they start bringing the drugs to Boston.

    As the demand grows, they decide to start buying the drugs directly from Mexico with the help of a few Mexican drug lords. George then proceeds on to Chicago to do business, but is caught trying to import 660 pounds of marijuana and he is sentenced to two years. George skips bail (after trying to plead his innocence by reciting It Ain't Me Babe) to take care of Barbara, who is suffering from, and eventually succumbs to, cancer.

    While hiding from the authorities George visits his parents back in Massachusetts. While he is having a heart to heart talk with his father, George's mother calls the police who come and arrest him.

    George is now sentenced to twenty-six months in a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut. His cellmate Diego Delgado (Jordi Molla) has contacts in the cocaine trade in Colombia and convinces George to help him go into business. When George gets out of prison, he violates his parole conditions and heads down to Cartagena, Colombia to meet up with Diego. They meet with Cesar Rosa, to negotiate the terms for smuggling 15 kilograms for "good faith". As the smuggling operation grows, Diego gets arrested, leaving George to find a way to sell 50 kilos (110 lbs) of blow and get the money in time. He reconnects with Derek in California, and the two successfully sell all of it in 36 hours, amassing a $1.35 million profit. George is then whisked off to Medellin, Colombia, where he finally meets Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis) who agrees to go into business with George and Diego. With the help of main middleman Derek, the pair becomes Pablo's #1 importer. After an altercation with Diego over his "connection", who happened to be Derek (Diego pressured George to reveal his connection), and a drug-related collapse, George returns home and vows to leave the drug business forevermore, especially as he now has a daughter.

    All goes well with George's civilian lifestyle for five years, until his wife Mirtha (Penelope Cruz) organizes a 38th birthday party for him. Many of his former drug business associates attend, including Derek who reconciles with George after it is revealed that Diego cut him off of their deal. The party is raided by police and George is arrested. Following his conviction, he becomes a fugitive dodging his court date. Meanwhile, his large Panamanian bank accounts have been seized. His wife Mirtha causes him to be arrested while driving one night. He is sent to jail for three years and during that sentence Mirtha gives him the news that she wants a divorce and she wants custody of their nine year old daughter, Kristina Sunshine Jung. On his release he finds himself struggling to keep a relationship with his daughter on good terms.

    George promises his daughter Kristina (Emma Roberts) a vacation in California and goes into one last deal to garner enough money for the trip. On the deal, he is set up by the FBI and DEA, along with old accomplices, and sentenced to 60 years at Otisville Correctional Facility in upstate New York. He explains in the end that the sentence did not bother him, nor did the fact that he was betrayed by his accomplices "to save their own asses" bother him. What bothered him was he broke a promise to his daughter, in addition to the emotional damage he caused on those he loved (especially his daughter) and how his ambition exceeded his talent.

    In prison, his lawyer says that his request for a furlough for George to see his dying father was squashed by his unforgiving mother, who says it would only upset him. He is given a tape recorder to record a final message to his father. In the message, George recounts his memories of working with his father, his run-ins with the law, and how finally, too late, does he realize what his father meant when his said that money is not "real".

    The film closes with George being an old man in prison, imagining that his daughter finally comes to visit him and conversing with him. She slowly fades away as a guard calls for George indicating that she is not real and just an illusion. The film concludes with notes indicating that Jung is still in prison, his sentence not to expire until 2015, and his daughter yet to visit him, with the final imagery being a photograph of the actual George Jung.
  • flutieman07
    March 4, 2011
    flutieman07
    Not typically a movie I'd watch, it was a loaned to me by a friend. Johnny Depp's performance made it worthwhile, but I doubt I'll need to see it again.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    October 17, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Blow is the real life story of drug dealer George Jung (played by Johnny Depp). The film chronicles George's exploits from a small time marijuana dealer to one of the most important Cocaine dealers in America. An intense drama film this incredible true story is directed by direc... read moretor Ted Demme, who himself died a few years ago due to a cocaine overdose. Blow is a rivetting film about the golden age of cocaine smuggling, and dealing. George Jung managed to be in league with Pablo Escobar, the most notorious criminal who ever lived. With the Mendelin Cartel, George Jung amassed a large fortune in cocaine sales. Blow tells about his rise from a small town boy to his rise in the criminal underworld to his eventual arrest. An incredible film with a terrific cast this is a truly unique film. Depp is in top form as George Jung, and director Ted Demme's casting choices are well done. This is a terrific drama with many poignant moments. Mostly when George's parents were in a state of disbelief with his choice, those were very powerful scenes. I admit the film could have been better, and at times it felt a tad over acted, but in the end; the film worked well enough to keep me entertained. This a film that isn't for everyone, and some may find it quite uninteresting or others may find it boring. However this is a very good film with a good story, great acting and good acting. I believe that the reason this film works so well is because of the cast, and when you have a cast this good, you're film can be better than what the filmmakers want their films to be. In the case of Blow, thats exactly it. The cast makes this film very watchable, and the story is very interesting to boot. You have two strong elements, you have a good film.
  • cosmo313
    August 19, 2010
    cosmo313
    As far as biopics go, it's not the best, and suffers from the flaws that come with the territory, but, as far as entertaining drug movies (anti-drug movies that hypocritically glamorize drugs can still be good) that are also strong character studies go, this film is amazing.

    T... read morehe energy is high, the sets, decor, costumes, hairstyles, and soundtrack are excellent, and the performacnes are msotly really good. It's a little hard to buy Liotta as Depp's dad, but it could be worse. Depp is phenomenal, Suplee is really pretty good, and Reubens is just a goddamn riot. It seems a little contradictory that he made this a handfull of years after his infamous "crack" PSA, but he does an awesome job here.

    I find it sadly ironic that this movie makes the lifestyle fun and glamorus, and that the ultimate message is that drugs are bad, but that the dam ndirector died of cocaine related heart problems.

    I'll admit that this movie is a mess, but I really like it. There's a lot of good technique and other stuff on display here, and to me, that makes up for some of its issues. Plus, the movie has some hilarious moments and some really great lines. It gets depressing, but it's mostly a fun ride.
  • flixsterman
    July 24, 2010
    flixsterman
    The film itself is great, but it's dragged down by it's own intent. George Jung's warped abomination of a life, his twisted pursuit of the 'American Dream', is so sad and pathetic that it made me physically ill just to watch it unfold. Johnny Depp inadvertently gave Jung more c... read moreharacter and class than he ever deserved.
  • ythelastman89
    April 3, 2010
    ythelastman89
    A really well done biopic about George Jung and his rise in the cocaine business. Johnny Depp was extremely good and Penelope Cruz did a nice job as well. It has a unique style, which was nice. While it is not perfect, it isn't that far off. It's extremely fun and entertaining.
  • lewiskendell
    November 6, 2009
    lewiskendell
    I never could completely come to terms with Johnny Depp as Boston George. He's a good actor, but he never really seemed like a guy from New England. As the movie went on, I grew more accustomed to the character, but the issue never completely went away.

    As for the movie itself,... read more I liked it well enough. It was pretty obvious that some parts of the real story had been changed to make George a more sympathetic and likeable character. If you like these kinds of druglord sagas or you are a huge fan of Johnny Depp, then you'll probably like Blow. It's no Scarface, however.

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Critic Reviews

Joe Baltake
April 16, 2001
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

Depp works hard but we never get a clear view of George Jung, other than that of an aged boy. Full Review

Peter Howell
April 6, 2001
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Blow can't sustain the high. Full Review

David Edelstein
April 6, 2001
David Edelstein, Slate

An extraordinary -- and unfathomable -- piece of whitewashing. Full Review

Edward Guthmann
April 6, 2001
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

A mediocre biopic. Full Review

Jay Boyar
April 6, 2001
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel

Grabs hold of you by the lapels and simply won't let go.

John Anderson
April 6, 2001
John Anderson, Newsday

Depp aside, the acting is almost uniformly atrocious -- although it's hard to make hay out of this dialogue. Full Review

A.O. Scott
April 6, 2001
A.O. Scott, New York Times

Neither a tragedy nor a morality play, but rather a jaunty, candy-colored romp through a quarter century or so of American pop music, pop fashion and popular illegal substances. Full Review

Mike Clark
April 6, 2001
Mike Clark, USA Today

It's one of the few major releases so far this year that is worth a grown-up's time. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
April 6, 2001
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Tthe movie is higher on style than it is on substance, but one of its strong suits is that it never stoops so low as to lecture us. It throttles by with irresponsible abandon. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
April 6, 2001
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

In its way, this sometimes hilarious, sometimes deeply moving film has more to say about the influence of drugs on American society than the self-important Traffic.

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Facts

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    • George Jung: This is Grade A 100% pure Colombian cocaine, ladies and gentlemen... Disco shit... Pure as the driven snow.
    • George Jung: Hey, am I wearing lipstick? I said, am I wearing lipstick? When I'm getting fucked I want to make sure my face looks pretty.
    • George Jung: All I can say is that my ambition far exceeded my talent.
    • Fred Jung: I don't like what you're doing. It's not what I would've chosen for you, but I couldn't stop you if I tried, could I?
    • George Jung: Probably not.
    • George Jung: Oh yeah we are perfect,we are fuckin beautiful, Ladies and gentlemen i present to u 100% pure columbian cocaine".."when i went in the prison i had a bachelors in marijuana,but wen i got out i had a PHD in cocaine"
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Blow Trivia

  • He took a "blow" from Mrs. Brown, went to Notting Hill, made some Sense & Sensibility out of Ang Lee, and pondered the American Dreamz. Who is he?  Answer »
  • In which movie did Johnny Depp star as a cocaine dealer with a troublesome partner?  Answer »
  • Which Movie has this prayer: God of Rock, thank you for this chance to kick ass. We are your humble servants. Please give us the power to blow people's minds with our high voltage rock. In your name we pray, Amen.   Answer »
  • In Star Trek First Contact, what novel was quoted that convinced Captain Pickard to blow up the Enterprise?  Answer »
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