Ashley Edner, Bobcat Goldthwait, Cliff Curtis

Based upon the book, 'Blow: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost it All' by Bruce Porter, BLOW is the story of George Jung who is currently serving a 15 yea...( read more  read more... )r sentence. This is the true story of Jung who worked for reputed drug kingpin Carlos Escobar, and is accused of single-handedly importing cocaine into the USA in the 1970's. Jung's rise and fall coincides with the switch from pot to cocaine as the drug of choice among the rich and famous.

Flixster Users

88% liked it

293,838 ratings

Critics

54% liked it

134 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Ted Demme

Release Date: April 6, 2001

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DVD Release Date: September 11, 2001

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Stats: 17,282 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (17,282)


  • November 6, 2009
    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.
  • September 17, 2009
    Blow is like a cross between Scarface and Boogie Nights with a little bit of Goodfellas for good measure. It?s an entertaining enough film based on a real drug dealer with good performances from an impressive cast.
  • January 25, 2009
    Who would have thought a drug movie could be touching...but it was. I ended up feeling sorry for George in the end. I just kept waiting for the happy ending.
  • November 11, 2008
  • October 24, 2008
    "Based on a True Story."

    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 1980s. George (played by Johnny Depp) begins his...( read more) 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.

    Review
    Blow is a drug film, and yet I find it touching and emotional. Its not one of those typical hard-edged drug related movies like Scarface, they shook the ground a little bit by giving the main character a heart. And they developed it more as it basically became the main theme in the third act of the film, the shaky relationship between George Jung and his daughter Katrina was well-developed and you kind of feel bad to George when he took the fall and ended up in prison for 60 years. The ending is totally heart breaking and as the credits roll, you'll almost be in tears.

    Johnny Depp in one of the best roles he's ever done took the role of an ambitious small town drug smuggler and he gave it a heart. You actually feel sorry for the real George Jung and Depp definitely gave justice to the role. Penelope Cruz steals every scene she's in by flailing her arms wildly and shouting at the top of her lungs (well, that's that one scene only and it was in my opinion, excellently done). 'Blow' will definitely blow you away, its El Magico.
  • November 20, 2009
    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.
  • November 6, 2009
    Penelope Cruz in this movie is too good. And poor Depp...
  • November 2, 2009
    A great movie about a true story of the rise and fall of a drug czar
  • November 1, 2009
    Although it starts off slow, this is a depressing and true story about a man who lost everything to greed. Almost surely you will be crying by the end.
  • October 24, 2009
    Neither of them can act.

Critic Reviews


April 6, 2001
David Edelstein, Slate

An extraordinary -- and unfathomable -- piece of whitewashing. full review

April 6, 2001
A.O. Scott, The 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

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

April 6, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Take away the drugs, and this is the story of a boring life in wholesale. full review

April 5, 2001
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Blow is all surface, from its hippie and disco-era costumes to its wigs and makeup, right down to its star's bogus hardscrabble New England accent.

March 22, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Smart, sexy, funny and dangerous, this high-wire act is a movie and a half. full review

View more Blow reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • singerisi
    January 22, 2009
    impresionante como muestras el comercio de droga en los Estados Unidos, toda la distribucion, no me gusto mucho como muestran Colombia pues no es del todo asi
  • madcat612
    July 31, 2008
    The stewardess was much hotter than penelope cruz
  • shaunabored
    January 6, 2008
    Loved it!
    Sad but a great movie. Johnny Depp was amazing in this movie!
  • shashcsfreak
    November 13, 2007
    amazing movie and jonny ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • skellington16
    September 23, 2007
    saw the first part of it in my film studies class and now cant wait to see the rest
  • xnickeex
    July 8, 2007
    one of my favourite movies ever.

    johnny depp = amazing
  • misamorel
    June 13, 2007
    Gr8 movie!! will leave you glued infront of the screen.
  • dseward04
    May 26, 2007
    take the blow quiz
  • SilentMovie101
    November 25, 2006
    There are no more white horses of pretty ladies at my door.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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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 »
  • i played in cry baby,secert window, and blow  Answer »

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