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Blow (film)
Encyclopedia
Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American
cocaine
smuggler George Jung
, directed
by Ted Demme
. David McKenna
and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real life stories of George Jung
, Pablo Escobar
, Carlos Lehder
, and the Medellín Cartel
. The film's title comes from a slang term for cocaine
.
) and his parents Fred (Ray Liotta
) and Ermine (Rachel Griffiths
) of Weymouth
, Massachusetts
. When George is ten years old, Fred files for bankruptcy
and loses everything, but tries to make George realize that money is not important.
As an adult, George moves to Southern California
with his friend "Tuna" (Ethan Suplee
); they meet Barbara (Franka Potente
), an airline stewardess, who introduces them to 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
, visits them and tells them of the enormous market — and demand — for pot in Boston. With Barbara's help, 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 minor Mexican drug lord
s. But two years later, George is caught in Chicago
trying to import 660 pounds of marijuana and is sentenced to two years. After unsuccessfully trying to plead his innocence (by reciting the lyrics of Bob Dylan
's "It Ain't Me Babe
" and insisting that he did no more than "cross an imaginary line with a bunch of plants"), George skips bail 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 New England. 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 26 months in a federal prison
in Danbury, Connecticut
. His cellmate Diego Delgado (Jordi Molla
) has contacts in the Medellín cocaine cartel and convinces George to help him go into business. Upon his release from prison, George violates his parole conditions and heads down to Cartagena
, Colombia
to meet up with Diego. They meet with cartel officer Cesar Rosa to negotiate the terms for smuggling 15 kilograms to establish "good faith". As the smuggling operation grows, Diego gets arrested, leaving George to find a way to sell 50 kilos (110 lbs) and get the money in time. George reconnects with Derek in California, and the two successfully sell all 50 kilos in 36 hours, amassing a $1.35 million profit. George is then whisked off to Medellín
, Colombia
, where he finally meets the group's leader, Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis
), who agrees to go into business with them. With the help of main middleman Derek, the pair becomes Escobar's top US importer. However, Diego resents George for keeping Derek's identity secret and pressures George to reveal his connection. George eventually discovers that Diego has betrayed him by cutting him out of the connection with Derek. Inspired by the birth of his daughter and chastened by a subsequent drug-related heart attack
, George severs his relationship with the cartel and vows to leave the drug business forever.
All goes well with George's newfound civilian life for five years, until his wife Mirtha (Penelope Cruz
) organizes a 38th birthday party for him. Many of his former drug associates attend, including Derek, who reveals that Diego eventually cut him out as well. The party is raided by the FBI and George is arrested. Following his conviction, he becomes a fugitive. Meanwhile, his bank account — heretofore under Manuel Noriega
's protection in Panama
— is seized. One night, he and Mirtha get into a fight while driving. They are pulled over by police and Mirtha tells them Jung is a fugitive and has stashed a kilogram of cocaine in his trunk. He is sent to jail for three years, during which Mirtha divorces him and takes custody of their nine-year-old daughter, Kristina Sunshine Jung (Emma Roberts
). On his release he finds himself struggling to keep his relationship with his daughter on good terms.
George promises Kristina a vacation in California and seeks one last deal to garner enough money for the trip. George completes a deal with former accomplices but learns too late that the deal had been set up by the FBI
and DEA, with Dulli and Derek having leaked the nature and location of the action in exchange for pardons for their involvement in his prior action. George is sentenced to 60 years at Otisville Correctional Facility
in upstate New York
. He explains in the end that neither the sentence nor the betrayal bothered him, but that he can never forgive himself for having to break a promise to his daughter.
While in prison, George requests a furlough
to see his dying father. His unforgiving mother denies the request, saying a visit would only upset George's father. 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 finally, too late, his understanding of what his father meant when he said that money is not "real".
The film closes with George as an old man in prison, imagining that his daughter (Jaime King
) finally comes to visit him. She slowly fades away as a guard calls for George. The film concludes with notes indicating that Jung's sentence will not expire until 2015, and that his daughter has yet to visit him (though his daughter did finally visit him a year after the film's release). The film's final image is a photograph of the actual George Jung.
" by The Rolling Stones
, "All the Tired Horses" by Bob Dylan
, "Rumble" by Link Wray
, "Glad and Sorry" by Faces
, "Strange Brew
" by Cream
, "Black Betty
" by Ram Jam
, "Blinded By the Light
" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band
, "Let's Boogaloo" by Willie Rosario
, "Keep It Comin' Love" by KC & the Sunshine Band, "That Smell" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
, "Can't You See
" by The Marshall Tucker Band
, and "Push & Pull" by Nikka Costa
.
Graeme Revell
also composed the original score for the film. However, his work was not released in the soundtrack CD. For example, the music in the scene where George and Mirtha have sex, a track titled "Little Ditty", written and performed by Paul Wagner
, is missing in the soundtrack album.
based on 135 reviews (74 positive, 61 negative), where the consensus is: "With elements that seem borrowed from movies like Goodfellas
and Boogie Nights
, Blow is pretty much been-there-done-that despite another excellent performance from Johnny Depp. It also becomes too sentimental at the end."
Rob Gonsalves from eFilmCritic.com gave the film 4 out of 5 stars stating: "Blow isn't really a classic, but it's a sobering story well-told." Roger Ebert
gave the film 2½ out of 4 stars, but questioned the value about making Jung the subject of this film, stating: "That's the thing about George [Jung]. He thinks it's all about him. His life, his story, his success, his fortune, his lost fortune, his good luck, his bad luck. Actually, all he did was operate a toll gate between suppliers and addicts. You wonder, but you never find out, if the reality of those destroyed lives ever occurred to him." David Nusair of Reel Films also questioned making a film about Jung, stating "The biggest problem with Blow is that Jung is such a complete moron." Nusair concludes that while it "is not a bad film ... the central character of George Jung just doesn't seem worthy to be the center of attention." Christopher Smith from Bangor Daily News
gave the film a "D+", stating "Blow is ultimately more about charisma than it is about truth, more about Depp’s smooth strut and tousled hair than it is about George Jung’s fatal flaws — his stupidity, desperation, ego and small-town greed."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
smuggler George Jung
George Jung
George Jacob Jung , nicknamed "Boston George", was a major player in the cocaine trade in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s. Jung was a part of the Medellín Cartel which was responsible for up to 85 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States . He specialized in the...
, directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Ted Demme
Ted Demme
Edward K. "Ted" Demme was an American film director and producer.- Early life and career :Born in New York City, Demme grew up in Rockville Centre on Long Island, New York and attended South Side Senior High School. He graduated from SUNY-Cortland in 1985. His media career likely began with a...
. David McKenna
David McKenna (writer)
David McKenna is an American screenwriter and producer. He worked as executive producer of E-Ring.He used the screen name Zachary Long for Bully....
and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real life stories of George Jung
George Jung
George Jacob Jung , nicknamed "Boston George", was a major player in the cocaine trade in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s. Jung was a part of the Medellín Cartel which was responsible for up to 85 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States . He specialized in the...
, Pablo Escobar
Pablo Escobar
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord. He was an elusive cocaine trafficker and rich and successful criminal. He owned numerous luxury residences, automobiles, and even airplanes...
, Carlos Lehder
Carlos Lehder
Carlos Enrique Lehder Rivas or simply Carlos Lehder is a German-Colombian drug dealer currently imprisoned in the United States, having been co-founder of the Medellín Cartel....
, and the Medellín Cartel
Medellín Cartel
The Medellín Cartel was an organized network of "drug suppliers and smugglers" originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The drug cartel operated in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Central America, the United States, as well as Canada and Europe throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded and...
. The film's title comes from a slang term for cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
.
Plot
The film opens to a young George (Johnny DeppJohnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
) and his parents Fred (Ray Liotta
Ray Liotta
[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
) and Ermine (Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths is an Australian film and television actress who came to prominence in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in the 1997 film Hilary and Jackie....
) of Weymouth
Weymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. When George is ten years old, Fred files for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and loses everything, but tries to make George realize that money is not important.
As an adult, George moves to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
with his friend "Tuna" (Ethan Suplee
Ethan Suplee
Ethan Suplee is an American film and television actor best known for his roles as Seth Ryan in American History X, Louie Lastik in Remember the Titans, Frankie in Boy Meets World, Randy Hickey in My Name Is Earl, Thumper in The Butterfly Effect, Dewey in Unstoppable, and his roles in Kevin Smith...
); they meet Barbara (Franka Potente
Franka Potente
Franka Potente is a German film actress and singer. She first appeared in the comedy After Five in the Forest Primeval and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt . Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and...
), an airline stewardess, who introduces them to Derek Foreal (Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
), the main dealer. With Derek's help, George and Tuna make a lot of money. Kevin Dulli (Max Perlich
Max Perlich
-Biography:He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His mother was a teacher and his father, Martin Perlich, a writer and radio programming director and announcer, worked for a time with the Cleveland Orchestra. The Perlich family moved to Los Angeles, California when Max was four...
), a college student back in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, visits them and tells them of the enormous market — and demand — for pot in Boston. With Barbara's help, they start bringing the drugs to Boston.
As the demand grows, they decide to start buying the drugs directly from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
with the help of a few minor Mexican drug lord
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
s. But two years later, George is caught in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
trying to import 660 pounds of marijuana and is sentenced to two years. After unsuccessfully trying to plead his innocence (by reciting the lyrics of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's "It Ain't Me Babe
It Ain't Me Babe
"It Ain't Me Babe" is the title of a 1964 song by Bob Dylan, first included on his album Another Side of Bob Dylan. The song's opening line is allegedly influenced by musicologist/folk-singer John Jacob Niles' composition "Go 'Way From My Window." Niles is referred to by Dylan as an early...
" and insisting that he did no more than "cross an imaginary line with a bunch of plants"), George skips bail to take care of Barbara, who is suffering from, and eventually succumbs to, cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
While hiding from the authorities, George visits his parents back in New England. 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 26 months in a federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
in Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
. His cellmate Diego Delgado (Jordi Molla
Jordi Mollà
Jordi Mollá Perales is a Spanish actor, filmmaker, writer and artist.Mollà's artwork is represented in the Carmen De la Guerra Gallery in Madrid, Picasso Mio Gallery in Madrid and Barcelona and Cold Creation Gallery in Barcelona...
) has contacts in the Medellín cocaine cartel and convinces George to help him go into business. Upon his release from prison, George violates his parole conditions and heads down to Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
to meet up with Diego. They meet with cartel officer Cesar Rosa to negotiate the terms for smuggling 15 kilograms to establish "good faith". As the smuggling operation grows, Diego gets arrested, leaving George to find a way to sell 50 kilos (110 lbs) and get the money in time. George reconnects with Derek in California, and the two successfully sell all 50 kilos in 36 hours, amassing a $1.35 million profit. George is then whisked off to Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, where he finally meets the group's leader, Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis
Cliff Curtis
Clifford Vivian Devon "Cliff" Curtis is a New Zealand actor who has had major roles in film, including The Piano, Whale Rider, and Blow, and most recently has appeared in NBC's television series Trauma. He is also co-owner of independent film production company Whenua Films...
), who agrees to go into business with them. With the help of main middleman Derek, the pair becomes Escobar's top US importer. However, Diego resents George for keeping Derek's identity secret and pressures George to reveal his connection. George eventually discovers that Diego has betrayed him by cutting him out of the connection with Derek. Inspired by the birth of his daughter and chastened by a subsequent drug-related heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, George severs his relationship with the cartel and vows to leave the drug business forever.
All goes well with George's newfound civilian life for five years, until his wife Mirtha (Penelope Cruz
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
) organizes a 38th birthday party for him. Many of his former drug associates attend, including Derek, who reveals that Diego eventually cut him out as well. The party is raided by the FBI and George is arrested. Following his conviction, he becomes a fugitive. Meanwhile, his bank account — heretofore under Manuel Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
's protection in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
— is seized. One night, he and Mirtha get into a fight while driving. They are pulled over by police and Mirtha tells them Jung is a fugitive and has stashed a kilogram of cocaine in his trunk. He is sent to jail for three years, during which Mirtha divorces him and takes custody of their nine-year-old daughter, Kristina Sunshine Jung (Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts
Emma Rose Roberts is an American actress, model and singer. She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts. Roberts became known for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous. She released her debut album, which also served as the show's...
). On his release he finds himself struggling to keep his relationship with his daughter on good terms.
George promises Kristina a vacation in California and seeks one last deal to garner enough money for the trip. George completes a deal with former accomplices but learns too late that the deal had been set up by the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
and DEA, with Dulli and Derek having leaked the nature and location of the action in exchange for pardons for their involvement in his prior action. George is sentenced to 60 years at Otisville Correctional Facility
Otisville Correctional Facility
Otisville Correctional Facility is a medium-security state prison located in Orange County, New York, USA. Its location in Otisville facilitates transfers to the federal system prison , also in Otisville a quarter mile away...
in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. He explains in the end that neither the sentence nor the betrayal bothered him, but that he can never forgive himself for having to break a promise to his daughter.
While in prison, George requests a furlough
Furlough
In the United States a furlough is a temporary unpaid leave of some employees due to special needs of a company, which may be due to economic conditions at the specific employer or in the economy as a whole...
to see his dying father. His unforgiving mother denies the request, saying a visit would only upset George's father. 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 finally, too late, his understanding of what his father meant when he said that money is not "real".
The film closes with George as an old man in prison, imagining that his daughter (Jaime King
Jaime King
Jaime King is an American actress and model. In her modeling career and early film roles, she used the names Jamie King and James King, which was a childhood nickname given to King by her parents, because her agency already represented another Jaime — the older, then more famous model Jaime...
) finally comes to visit him. She slowly fades away as a guard calls for George. The film concludes with notes indicating that Jung's sentence will not expire until 2015, and that his daughter has yet to visit him (though his daughter did finally visit him a year after the film's release). The film's final image is a photograph of the actual George Jung.
Cast
- Johnny DeppJohnny DeppJohn Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
as "Boston George" Jacob JungGeorge JungGeorge Jacob Jung , nicknamed "Boston George", was a major player in the cocaine trade in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s. Jung was a part of the Medellín Cartel which was responsible for up to 85 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States . He specialized in the...
- Jesse JamesJesse James (actor)Jesse James is an American actor.-Life and career:James was born in Palm Springs, California, the son of Jaime, a laboratory technician, and Shane James, an actor....
as Young George
- Jesse James
- Penélope CruzPenélope CruzPenélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
as Mirtha Jung, George's wife - Franka PotenteFranka PotenteFranka Potente is a German film actress and singer. She first appeared in the comedy After Five in the Forest Primeval and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt . Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and...
as Barbara "Barbie" Buckley, George's stewardess girlfriend/fiancée who dies of cancer - Rachel GriffithsRachel GriffithsRachel Anne Griffiths is an Australian film and television actress who came to prominence in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in the 1997 film Hilary and Jackie....
as Ermine Jung, George's mother - Paul ReubensPaul ReubensPaul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
as Derek Foreal, George's middleman in the drug business. He is based on Richard Barile. - Jordi MollaJordi MollàJordi Mollá Perales is a Spanish actor, filmmaker, writer and artist.Mollà's artwork is represented in the Carmen De la Guerra Gallery in Madrid, Picasso Mio Gallery in Madrid and Barcelona and Cold Creation Gallery in Barcelona...
as Diego Delgado, George's partner in the cocaine business. He is based on Carlos Enrique Lehder RivasCarlos LehderCarlos Enrique Lehder Rivas or simply Carlos Lehder is a German-Colombian drug dealer currently imprisoned in the United States, having been co-founder of the Medellín Cartel....
. - Cliff CurtisCliff CurtisClifford Vivian Devon "Cliff" Curtis is a New Zealand actor who has had major roles in film, including The Piano, Whale Rider, and Blow, and most recently has appeared in NBC's television series Trauma. He is also co-owner of independent film production company Whenua Films...
as Pablo Emilio "El Patrón" Escobar GaviriaPablo EscobarPablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord. He was an elusive cocaine trafficker and rich and successful criminal. He owned numerous luxury residences, automobiles, and even airplanes... - Max PerlichMax Perlich-Biography:He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His mother was a teacher and his father, Martin Perlich, a writer and radio programming director and announcer, worked for a time with the Cleveland Orchestra. The Perlich family moved to Los Angeles, California when Max was four...
as Kevin Dulli, one of George's childhood best friends and partners in the drug business - Miguel SandovalMiguel SandovalMiguel Sandoval is an American film and television actor.Sandoval was born in Washington, D.C. He began working as a professional actor in 1975 when he joined a mime school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He later joined the troupe full time and continued his study of mime. He began his film career in...
as Augusto Oliveras - Ethan SupleeEthan SupleeEthan Suplee is an American film and television actor best known for his roles as Seth Ryan in American History X, Louie Lastik in Remember the Titans, Frankie in Boy Meets World, Randy Hickey in My Name Is Earl, Thumper in The Butterfly Effect, Dewey in Unstoppable, and his roles in Kevin Smith...
as "Tuna," one of George's childhood best friends and partners in the weed business- Alan James Morgan as Young "Tuna"
- Ray LiottaRay Liotta[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
as Frederick "Fred" Jung, George's father - Kevin Gage as Leon Minghella
- Tony AmendolaTony AmendolaTony Amendola is an American actor who is best known for his recurring role as the Jaffa master Bra'tac in Stargate SG-1.-Career:Major movie roles include Blow, The Mask of Zorro and its sequel, The Legend of Zorro...
as Sanchez - Emma RobertsEmma RobertsEmma Rose Roberts is an American actress, model and singer. She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts. Roberts became known for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous. She released her debut album, which also served as the show's...
as Kristina Sunshine Jung, George and Mirtha's daughter- James KingJaime KingJaime King is an American actress and model. In her modeling career and early film roles, she used the names Jamie King and James King, which was a childhood nickname given to King by her parents, because her agency already represented another Jaime — the older, then more famous model Jaime...
as Older Kristina
- James King
- Dan FerroDan FerroDan Ferro is an American actor, best known for his role as Tommy Ortega in the 1980s television series Falcon Crest. He played an inept narcissistic soldier in 1996's Sgt. Bilko.He later appeared in the 2001 film Blow.-External links:...
as Cesar Toban, Mirtha's ex-husband - Bobcat GoldthwaitBobcat GoldthwaitRobert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
as Mr. T - Miguel PérezMiguel Pérez (actor)Miguel Perez is an American actor known for his work in various television appearances.-Personal life:Pérez was born Arnoldo Cruz Perez in San Jose, California, the son of a telephone repairman and a housewife. Growing up, he was a lonely child who was teased by his peers for being obese...
as Alessandro - Michael TucciMichael TucciMichael Tucci is an American film, TV, and stage actor.-Biography:He played the T-Birds member Sonny LaTierri for the 1978 film version Grease, a role that he is best known for. He portrayed law student Gerald Golden in the TV series The Paper Chase from 1983 to 1986...
as Dr. Bay - Monet MazurMonet MazurMonet Happy Mazur is an American actress, model and musician.-Personal life:Mazur was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Ruby Mazur, an illustrator who has worked in the record industry and at one time was the manager of Billy Joel. Mazur has four siblings: Nicholas, Cézanne, Matisse...
as Maria - Lola GlaudiniLola GlaudiniLola Glaudini is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Elle Greenaway on the hit CBS series Criminal Minds, and for her role as Agent Deborah Ciccerone on the award winning HBO series The Sopranos....
as Rada - Jennifer Gimenez as Inez
- Charles NolandCharles NolandCharles Noland is an American actor who had recurring roles on The West Wing, as Steve, a member of the White House press corps, and on ER as a desk man named E-Ray. He has also appeared in the films Dirty Deeds, Wayne's World, Old School, "Blow" and Bubble Boy.-External links:...
as Jack Stevens - Kevin H. ChapmanKevin ChapmanKevin Chapman is an American actor known for his big build and ability to play an assortment of characters ranging from the obnoxious brother, Terrence in FX's Rescue Me to street enforcer Val Savage in Clint Eastwood's critically acclaimed film, Mystic River.Chapman was discovered by the late...
as DEADEADEA is the commonly used acronym for the Drug Enforcement Administration, a United States law enforcement agency.DEA or Dea may also refer to:- Organizations :* DEA , UK development education charity...
Agent Eastham - Edward Demme as Archie Zigmond
- Daniel Escobar as Emilio Ochoa
- Brad HuntBrad HuntBrad Hunt is an American actor born in Moberly, Missouri.-Filmography:*Just Add Water as Denny*The Tripper as Hank*The Plague as Sam Raynor*The Darwin Awards as Stan*Lucky 13 as Zach Bader...
as GG - Kristina Jung as Clerk
- Ajgie Kirkland as FBI Special Agent James Trout
- Gonzalo Menendez as Ramon Ochoa
- Mauricio Mendoza as Benny
- Carlos Mendoza as Tony
- Jack PolickJack PolickJohn Gregory "Jack" Polick is an American musician and film and television actor.Polick was born in Geneva, IL and attended the College of DuPage. Polick was a longtime bartender at the Johnny Depp-owned Viper Room in Los Angeles. He is the lead singer of the indie rock combo, Sign Of The...
as Ben - Raoul Rizik as Rafael Ojeda
- Elizabeth RodriguezElizabeth RodriguezElizabeth Rodriguez is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Carmen Morales on All My Children .-Filmography:-External links:...
as Martha Oliveras - Julia Vera as Clara Blanca
- Santiago Verdu as Juan Carlos
Soundtrack
Blows soundtrack is a compilation of songs and artists from the 1970s, such as: "Can't You Hear Me KnockingCan't You Hear Me Knocking
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones from their 1971 album Sticky Fingers.-Details:The song is over seven minutes long, and begins with a signature Keith Richards open-G tuned guitar intro...
" by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, "All the Tired Horses" by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, "Rumble" by Link Wray
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
, "Glad and Sorry" by Faces
Faces (band)
Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of the Small Faces after Steve Marriott left that group to form Humble Pie...
, "Strange Brew
Strange Brew (song)
"Strange Brew" is a 1967 song by British supergroup Cream. Released in late May of that year as the lead single from their album Disraeli Gears, this song features Eric Clapton on lead vocals rather than the usual lead by Jack Bruce. The single peaked at number 17 on the UK charts in June of that...
" by Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, "Black Betty
Black Betty
"Black Betty" is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching...
" by Ram Jam
Ram Jam
Ram Jam was an American 1970s rock band, best known for their 1977 hit single, "Black Betty".The band members were Bill Bartlett , Pete Charles , Myke Scavone , and Howie Arthur Blauvelt . Also, Jimmy Santoro, who toured with the band in support of their debut album, joined on guitar for the...
, "Blinded By the Light
Blinded by the Light
"Blinded by the Light" is a song written and originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen, although it is mostly known by its 1977 #1 hit version recorded by Manfred Mann's Earth Band. It was released in the United Kingdom in August 1976, where it reached No...
" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a British progressive rock group formed in 1971 by Manfred Mann.-Formation:Having started in the 1960s with a British band that had such hits as "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" and "The Mighty Quinn", then moving on to Jazz Fusion with Manfred Mann's Chapter Three, Manfred's third...
, "Let's Boogaloo" by Willie Rosario
Willie Rosario
Willie Rosario a.k.a. "Mr. Afinque" is a musician, composer and bandleader of salsa music.-Early years:Rosario was born and raised in Coamo, Puerto Rico into a poor, but hard working family. His parents realized that as a child Willie was musically inclined and had him take guitar lessons at the...
, "Keep It Comin' Love" by KC & the Sunshine Band, "That Smell" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, "Can't You See
Can't You See (The Marshall Tucker Band song)
"Can't You See" is a song written by Toy Caldwell of The Marshall Tucker Band. The song was originally recorded by the band on their 1973 debut album, The Marshall Tucker Band. It was released as a single in 1977 and peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" by The Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
, and "Push & Pull" by Nikka Costa
Nikka Costa
Domenica "Nikka" Costa is an American singer whose music combines elements of funk, soul, and blues. She also had a career as a child singer starting in the early 1980s. She is the daughter of notable music producer Don Costa and is married to Australian producer/songwriter Justin Stanley.- Early...
.
Graeme Revell
Graeme Revell
Graeme Revell is a New Zealand film score composer.Revell attended Auckland Grammar School, where he finished his final year in 7A...
also composed the original score for the film. However, his work was not released in the soundtrack CD. For example, the music in the scene where George and Mirtha have sex, a track titled "Little Ditty", written and performed by Paul Wagner
Paul Wagner
Paul Allen Wagner is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Wagner played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Milwaukee Brewers , and Cleveland Indians ....
, is missing in the soundtrack album.
Reception
Blow was a minor box office success. With a budget of roughly $53 million, it managed to rake in just under $53 million domestically, but raised just over $30 million internationally for a worldwide total of $83,282,296. Reviews for Blow were decidedly mixed. The film holds an approval rating of 54% at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
based on 135 reviews (74 positive, 61 negative), where the consensus is: "With elements that seem borrowed from movies like Goodfellas
Goodfellas
Goodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese...
and Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
, Blow is pretty much been-there-done-that despite another excellent performance from Johnny Depp. It also becomes too sentimental at the end."
Rob Gonsalves from eFilmCritic.com gave the film 4 out of 5 stars stating: "Blow isn't really a classic, but it's a sobering story well-told." Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film 2½ out of 4 stars, but questioned the value about making Jung the subject of this film, stating: "That's the thing about George [Jung]. He thinks it's all about him. His life, his story, his success, his fortune, his lost fortune, his good luck, his bad luck. Actually, all he did was operate a toll gate between suppliers and addicts. You wonder, but you never find out, if the reality of those destroyed lives ever occurred to him." David Nusair of Reel Films also questioned making a film about Jung, stating "The biggest problem with Blow is that Jung is such a complete moron." Nusair concludes that while it "is not a bad film ... the central character of George Jung just doesn't seem worthy to be the center of attention." Christopher Smith from Bangor Daily News
Bangor Daily News
The Bangor Daily News is an American newspaper that was founded on June 18, 1889; in 1900 the paper merged with the Bangor Whig and Courier. The Bangor Publishing Co. publishes the paper in Bangor, Maine, in addition to two weekly papers distributed by the BDN and several others distributed by the...
gave the film a "D+", stating "Blow is ultimately more about charisma than it is about truth, more about Depp’s smooth strut and tousled hair than it is about George Jung’s fatal flaws — his stupidity, desperation, ego and small-town greed."