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Blow (Infinifilm Edition)

Blow (Infinifilm Edition)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Overall, an entertaining movie
Review: Johnny Depp: excellent. Ray Liotta: not convincing as Jung's father. Penelope Cruz: tiresome. The score: rocks. Editing: moves the story along, truly good. Subject matter: well-worn. Main character narration: been there, done that. Throw all the elements of Blow into a bowl, mix and pour, and you've got a very, very good movie. Not the best -- Goodfellas wins that prize for this type of film -- not the worst, and not even "just fair." But good. I sat down to watch it, skeptical at first. But as soon as the opening tune began and the narration kicked in -- done before in other films or not -- I was hooked and pleasantly surprised. So, he's a drug dealer. But he's well-played by Depp and his story is one of regret. Though many reviewers didn't feel for the guy at all, I did. The story is about drugs. Not exactly the Brady Bunch. But far more interesting.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Crime doesn't pay but there's some fun along the way
Review: Starring Johnny Depp, this story is based on the life of George Jung, a drug dealer who made millions of dollars in the 1970s and is now serving a long prison sentence. As a young man, George goes to California and teams up with a flamboyant gay hairdresser, played by Paul Reubens, to sell marijuana. After a short prison sentence where he meets Jordi Molla, a Colombian drug dealer, he graduates to cocaine. All this is done with relative ease against a background of the exaggerated hairstyles and clothing that seem like artificial props. His first girlfriend, Franka Potente is a stewardess who helps him get started by smuggling marijuana in her travel bag; his second girlfriend, Penelope Cruz is enamoured by his money. All of this casting is excellent and the craziness that was the 70s comes through loud and clear.

I liked the cinematography. The period of the 1950s was shot in an over-exposed brightness. And there were quick snapshot montages which were well done. The action moved quickly and I was intrigued throughout although the presence of Ray Liotta, cast as George's father, kept reminding me of "Goodfellas" which was a much better film. It is hard to relate to the Johnny Depp character however. His life was a tragedy but yet he seemed shallow. Perhaps this is by design because the writers did not want to glorify a drug dealer. It did glorify the money though, and the high-living lifestyle that it brought even though it blew away just like everything else. Even though I wasn't deeply moved, I do recommend this film. The moral is that crime doesn't pay, although we do see some of the fun along the way.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Money isnt real. Its nothing."
Review: "Blow" is based on the true story of George Jung (Johnny Depp in one of his best roles), the loving son of a struggling businessman (Ray Liotta) who, as a child, upon seeing his family struggle to make ends meet and witnessing his mother's (Rachel Griffiths) resentment for his father because of their low income, vows to never be poor. Thus ensues Jung's descent into the world of drugs. He begins his three-decade rise and abrupt fall as a drug lord smuggling pot into the US in his early 20's during the pot-crazed 60's, which garners him an enormous amount of cash. After landing a lengthy jail sentence, he meets Diego Delgado (Jordi Mollà) in jail who introduces George to the far more profitable world of cocaine dealing. He soon shoots to the top of the game and his biggest problem becomes where to put all of his cash. It is said that if you used cocaine during the 70's and 80's, there's an 85% chance it came from Jung.

Over the years he struggles with a crack-addicted wife (Penélope Cruz as you've never seen her before), the relationship with his young daughter, and maintaining his relationship with the only person who truly cares for him in the world, his father. Additionally, Jung is portrayed in a sympathetic light as a nice guy who just makes some bad decisions. Usually I disagree with this type of "glamorization" of criminals, but I feel that in Jung's case it is truly deserved.

"Blow" is not only the fascinating, pulse-pounding, and historically informative chronicle of the rise and fall of one of America's most influential drug lords; it also the exploration of some very deep personal connections, such as very deep father/son connection between George and his father. In addition, George's love for his daughter, who ends up being the single thing motivating him to stay alive throughout his jail sentences, delivers a powerful emotional impact in the film's final scenes. I also appreciated how director Ted Demme delicately showed us the parallels between George's mother's resentment for his father and George's wife's resentment for him after he loses most of his money as well as George's struggle to be a good father just as his own father did.

The final scenes of "Blow" are surprisingly moving, which ultimately distinguishes it from all of the other crime films out there.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Well BLOW Me Away
Review: George Jung is the focus in this film by Ted Demme. It's about the rise and fall of one of the country's biggest drug dealers. Johnny Depp is at it again playing Jung with a vulnerability that's easy to like. Ray Liotta co-stars as Jung's father. A man who tried as hard as he could, but never quite made it. Jung's mother ( played so good by Rachel Griffiths) is the example of what happens when a child doesn't exceed the potential of a parent.

After being caught with 660 pounds of marijuana and sent to prison for 26 months, Jung meets Diego. A Columbian who has a dream of bringing cocaine to the mainstream and getting rich while doing so. When Jung gets released he comes into contact with Diego and the great Pablo Escobar. The three form a partnership and everyone is filthy rich. However, Diego steals Jung's "California Connection" played by a welcomed Paul Reubens.
Penelope doesn't fit in this movie at all. Almost like a Highlights book. What's wrong with this picture?

Overall, this film was a great look into the mindset of a driven person who's ambition far exceeded his talent. Even though I felt sorry for Jung throughout the movie, I had to tell myself that he put himself in those situations. No one forced him to do what he did. So goes the cliche, "You play with fire... you get burned".

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Depths Of Depp
Review: Johnny Depp plays George Jung, your every day man turned multi-millionaire drug dealer. The amazing journey starts with just a bit of weed going to people on the beach, soon he and his friends are working their way to Mexico in major exports. After a brief stop in jail Depp changes from marijuana to cocaine. Soon Depp has so much money he can't fit anymore in his house. It is in this time he meets his wife-to-be decently played by Penelope Cruz. A mishap with his wife later and he is in jail again. The part about this film that sets it apart from most drug movies is that it shows the highlights of the illegal exchange business but it also shows the bottoming out. The other thing it has is a connection with the characters. You actually begin to feel for Depp as he is separated from the one thing that he loves in his life, his daughter. Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) and Paul Rubin (Pee Wee Herman) also have roles in this film that has heart and substance(s).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Blow: A Film About An Unapologetic Life...
Review: This is a remarkable film about an exceptional story based on an eventful life. I'm surprised by the number of critics. Does this film try and glorify the drug dealer? No. Is George Jung a hero? No. Is the film's purpose to make him one? No. This is why I have problems with a majority of the critics of this excellent film. Why the criticism? The subject matter? The fact that it was based on a true story?

At any rate, back to the film, which is wonderfully shot backed up by great performances from Johnny Depp, Ray Liotta and Jordi Molla. The film is told from a narrative perspective by George Jung (Johnny Depp) tracing the spectacular rise and fall of the pioneering US cocaine distributor of the 1970's / 80's.

The film moves seamlessly from George's adolescence to adulthood through a number of locations and vividly captures the essence of that decadent era. The sets, costumes and music all work perfectly.

The audience takes an incredible journey, pulled into a world of drug smuggling / distributing, the illusion of 'easy money', ensuing greed and finally betrayal. While many are quick to point out the fact that this person was a "drug dealer" and ponder, "why feel sorry for him?", this misses the point. His story doesn't search for sympathy from the audience, although it is a sad one. It is an unapologetic look at an unapologetic life.

The greatest takeaway from his experience was that he realized too late what was truly important in his life. Simple things, not the money, not the cars, but "real" things as foreshadowed by his father's speech to him as a child. A point that is continually being underscored by his father's unconditional love (wonderfully played by Ray Liotta, a refreshing character change for him) and culminates in his own unconditional love for his daughter - although he is too late to recieve it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best films of the year- a knockout
Review: Blow is a movie that ranks up there with the best of the best drug movies and rightfully so. It shows the story of George Jung, which has not really been touched on before in the media or in movies, and while some might think the story isn't interesting, I found it fascinating, sometimes quite sympathetic, and cool.

Johnny Depp gives possibly his best performance to date as the drug dealer, who started out as a pot dealer in California (then sending the weed to Boston and gaining a fortune). Then after prison time, gets a newfound drug dealing venture- cocaine, which he supplies to America via Pablo Escobar and in the process of making 85% of cocaine users in the 70's and 80's, also became a millionaire. But like a certain other film (best film ever) GoodFellas, this film gets the sad juices and flowing and even though some might think it shouldn't be used on a man such as Jung, it didn't matter to me.

I saw it as a really good look at the guy who tries to find redemtpion and in the process looses everything, but find out who he is and should be some day. Brilliance achieved in great craft-like filmmaking, fine acting and a good script, plus a mindblowing soundtrack. Exceptional cast includes Depp, Potente as Jung's first love, Cruz as his second and unfortunate love, Pee Wee Paul Reubens in his best role in 16 years as a coke and pot dealer and Ray Liotta in a swuitcheroo role from GoodFellas as Jung's father.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Sympathy for a monster?
Review: This is a movie about a major drug dealer, George Jung, who is presently serving federal time for smuggling cocaine. The movie attempts to make the audience feel sympathetic towards this poor dope, who just made a few mistakes (as other reviewers say) and wound up in prison. But the regrets the character expresses in the movie, and those the real Jung expresses in an interview on the DVD, are all about getting caught. He apparently feels no regrets over his actions, only that they led him to prison.

In a DVD extra, his daughter (in the movie) says, Most kids when they think of their fathers think of them driving them places, doing things with them, but when I think of my father, I think of kids smoking crack. Right on.

The movie is depressingly... um, I can't spell it, anti-woman. All the women are bad people, even the daughter who never visits her father in prison. Oh, and yet another terrific performance from Rachel Griffiths, who goes from strength to strength.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie
Review: This movie is great for the simple fact that it shows how easily cocaine was brought into the US it was very funny and exciting for me to watch i think there was agreat performance by Johnny Depp the movie kept going it didnt leave you behind it didnt get boring to me anyway. it shows how easily money can manipulate people it shows how the american dream isnt all that it really is cracked up to be and how to choose your paths wisely but the movie on the other hand shows that no matter how big you think you get theres always some body bigger it's like in scarface "lesson number 1 don't underestimate the other guys greed" and i think george jung found that out the hard way. the dvd is great the special feats. are great its infinifilm so they are really cool there are interviews w/ the real George Jung and all in all the movie was great if like scarface youll probably love this movie

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Grand Treat
Review: An excellent piece of Depp cinema, the film itself is very catching. Certainly worth the time and money to acquire.


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