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BLOW (R)

Reviewed April 14, 2001 - Check out the Blow Website.

Studio Synopsis: In the turbulence of the 1970s, the international drug trade underwent a fast, violent and lucrative revolution — and one ordinary American was at its center. He could have been your next door neighbor. But in just a few short years, George Jung, a high-school football star from Small Town USA, single handedly became the world’s premiere importer of cocaine from Colombia’s Medellin cartel, changing the course of an entire generation.

Blow is a high-velocity look at George Jung’s spectacular rise and fall — based on the true story of how powder cocaine turned into America’s biggest drug problem and how one man from the blue-collar suburbs became the 35 billion-dollar a-year conduit to the Colombian cartels. Ted Demme (Monument Ave.) directs this riveting look at the manic allure — and dangerous reality — of a drug smuggler’s everyday life, and unfolds one of the great untold stories from the recent annals of American crime and culture.

Fuzzydog Review: A gritty and compelling adaptation of Bruce Porter's book, 'Blow: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost it All', Blow (the movie) gives us insight not only to George Jung's life but also to the high-flying drug cocaine drug trade of the 70s.  Johnny Depp is magnificent in this often dark film, portraying George Jung as a man who both caused his share of troubles but who was also often driven by uncontrolled circumstances along the way.  With great supporting performances by Ray Liotta, Jordi Molla and Paul Reubens, Blow is a film that moves quickly and stays interesting throughout.  It's a serious film, but one that also manages to maintain its sense of humor...think of it as a lighter, less comprehensive (but no less entertaining) companion piece to this year's "other" drug-trade film, Traffic...