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"Life passes most people by while they're making grand plans for it."
Legendary actor Johnny Depp again proves he is a versatile performer that can brilliantly accomplish any role that is tossed in his direction. Of course, I watched Blow because I was attracted by the cast led by the impeccable Depp.
Blow is based on the true story of an American drug smuggler who built a solid reputation for himself. George Jung (Depp) is a young man seeking a decent career. But he realises that there is a lot of money to garner in the business of drug smuggling.
After being busted while transporting pot, he then becomes a distributor of cocaine. Jung literally made the cocaine market in the United States, and it is rumoured that in real life he supplied 85% of the product available on the market at the time.
Blow chronicles the rise and fall of the drug dealer who led an extraordinary life and made a name for himself during his intermittent career frequently interrupted by being sent to prison. The film features a variety of different locations in addition to a number of different decades as the story progresses. This is a chance to show skill on the part of those who worked on costumes, sets and especially make-up. Depp looks genuinely older as the account of his character's life evolves.
The film tells a remarkable tale and can't be faulted for its production values. Blow is a vehicle for engrossing direction, compelling performances - just all round superb filmmaking.
Johnny Depp's performance was nothing short of fantastic. With a new character dropped into his lap brings new opportunities for him to further display his diverse talents. His character is fresh, original, and nothing that mirrors his previous work. Of course this is the beauty of Depp's work: never playing the same character multiple times. There are so many scenes when the poignancy of his performance brings you close to tears. The very last scene brought tears to my eyes.
Ray Liotta was a particular stand out in the film because he played his role with such authenticity. Although his character's son is a drug dealer who has been caught numerous times he doesn't care. Instead he always has love and respect for his son. Liotta captures everything in a father figure that we can all relate to - i.e. showing endless fatherly support towards a son.
The rest of the performances are very compelling. One could barely recognise Penélope Cruz as the bitter, ignorant wife to George Jung. Cruz displays a diverse selection of emotions; ranging from sympathy to pungent rage. Please note that high levels of profanity are present when the drama gets profound. All in all; this film contains a brilliant cast to tell such a story.
Strong direction is another vital ingredient for the success of the movie. Ted Demme's direction is focused; the pacing is slow, but he manages to keep something interesting remaining on the screen. Even during heavy drama it's very compelling and difficult to throw your interest.
One of the qualities I most admired was the use of classic rock music. Director Demme was a fan of classic rock, as was Johnny Depp. I was psyched when the first song was by The Rolling Stones.
Blow is an intriguing film that was a daring move on the part of the filmmakers. George Jung is still in prison and still haunted by his experiences when he dealt drugs. Watching a gripping account of his life will make you want to investigate further. Depp spent several days with the real Jung to ensure he played the role accurately and did justice to the source material.
Blow ended up being one of the best films of 2001. In a year filled with highly anticipated cinematic releases (i.e. the first instalment of Lord of the Rings). It was a breath of fresh air to see a drama like this hit the big screen. If your attention span allows you to sit through the whole thing, you won't regret it.
8/10
