Blow

Name: Blow
Genre: Biography, Drama, Crime
Released: April 6, 2001
Duration: 124 min
Rating: 52
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz

2001

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 265 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 265 Ratings

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Blow

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Movie Details & Credits

New Line Cinema | Release Date: April 6, 2001 | R

Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz

Summary: A high-velocity look at George Jung's (Depp) 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 directs this riveting look at the manic allure -- andA high-velocity look at George Jung's (Depp) 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 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. (New Line Cinema)… Expand

Director: Ted Demme

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 124 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Peter Travers

Scorches the screen with a badass bravado all its own. Smart, sexy, funny and dangerous this high-wire act is a movie and a half. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Carries little in the way of passion or revelatory charge. Read full review

Michael Sragow

Too soft on its lead character and too willing to chalk up America's drug appetites to the times-that-were-a-changin' in the '60s.

Edward Guthmann

It's an honest portrayal, but it leaves the audience stranded, without the emotional hook of a character we can care about. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

A textbook case of a film that's befuddled by its subject.

Dana Stevens

Depp's witty, spare performance gives the picture a poignancy -- a depth of feeling, if you'll allow the pun -- that Mr. Demme's hectic direction and the hurried script by David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes don't quite earn. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

You can't make an epic about a mouse. Read full review

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User Reviews

cwp62492

Nov 14, 2011

One of those movies where you will laugh your ass off at parts, but want to cry at others. Overall very good. Depp, as usual when playing a drugged out crazy guy, delivers an excellent performance.

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

ImA

Nov 5, 2009

Wow, can't believe the critics on this one.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

timone

May 26, 2022

Well now, I see that Johnny Depp starring in another biographical film that is Donnie Brasco being the first and now he's in the movie where it literally have something to do with drugs. Now much like how Trainspotting and Traffic being the ones I've seen I've heard that this movie isWell now, I see that Johnny Depp starring in another biographical film that is Donnie Brasco being the first and now he's in the movie where it literally have something to do with drugs. Now much like how Trainspotting and Traffic being the ones I've seen I've heard that this movie is similar to Goodfellas and Boogie Nights though I haven't seen Boogie Nights but I have seen Goodfellas. I heard about that it borrowed elements from them but Ray Liotta is in this and he's from Goodfellas as well. Actually I literally watched Goodfellas before this making me think to myself that this is similar. Oh well. Johnny Depp plays George Jung lives with his mother and father played by Rachel Griffiths and Ray Liotta, his father files for bankruptcy and telling his son that money is not real and important. As he got older he moves to Los Angeles with his friend, Tuna, meeting a lot of women including Barbara, a drug dealer, Derek Foreal played by Paul Reubens, and their collage friend, Kevin Dulli, to make alot of money by selling marijuana and buying them from Mexico. George gets caught, unable to plead for his innocence, he skips bail to take care of Barbara. She dies from cancer leading the group to split up. He visits his parents, her mother called the police sending him to prison for 26 months. He meets his cellmate, Diego played by Jordi Mollà, who convinces him to help him go into the drug business. Upon his release, he violates his paroles to do what he does best by smuggling drugs from around the world. Now upon hearing about this, this film is directed by Ted Demme which is believe this was his last film he ever did due to the fact that he died from a heart attack which may have been related to cocaine. I don't know. Maybe he's been doing drugs while working on the film. Maybe I'm just picky. You don't get to see Penélope Cruz until after an hour. She didn't get enough screen time after an hour where you get to see her falling in love with George Jung. Once you think about it, you get to see her at the cover. I've heard some songs in it that are rock 'n' roll which I heard of when I was a kid like "Black Betty" and "Blinded by the Light". Whilst that happens, Johnny Depp says this one line which I heard of before from a movie which I love, he says "Uh... We're gonna need a bigger boat." Great line. I think this was improvised much like that line from Jaws itself was improvised. Despite how similar from what I witnessed this movie was, Blow is an easy watch and definitely the one I loved. Johnny Depp did a marvelous performance in this movie. If you haven't seen this but heard about it, I'd say give it a watch and if you love it watch it again.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

BlakeJ.

Mar 11, 2007

Good, but not as good as the teenage crowd makes it out to be. Johnny does a fine job. Penelope Cruz is so evil I wanted to reach into the screen and choke her, that's acting.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

geewah

Jan 14, 2021

A good but paint by numbers crime biopic. It does come across at times as trying to be another Scorsese gangster flick but can't quite hit those heights.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

FilipeNeto

Jan 16, 2022

This film deals with the trajectory of the life of George Jung, a famous drug dealer who was one of the main responsible for the entrance of Colombian cocaine in the American market in the 70's and 80's. Very marked by the figure of his father, and the way he desperately tried to take moneyThis film deals with the trajectory of the life of George Jung, a famous drug dealer who was one of the main responsible for the entrance of Colombian cocaine in the American market in the 70's and 80's. Very marked by the figure of his father, and the way he desperately tried to take money home despite his mother's criticism, George Jung had more money than he could really spend, went through prison several times and learned, inside prison, to be even better at drug dealing. The film follows his trajectory until his arrest for good.

The film is good, and it approaches the subjects treated with dynamism, and even a certain irony. It has a good rhythm and the editing, as well as the direction, works quite well. The film tries to be light, not overly heavy, which allows it to assume a less dramatic stance than we might expect at first glance, and which reminded me of other similar films such as "Wolf of Wall Street" (although without the avalanche of slang this movie used).

The cast is led by Johnny Depp, in a job considerably different from what he's used to, but in which he manages reasonably well. Ray Liotta is good, but not as good as would be necessary to give credibility to his character... Penélope Cruz is thrown into the film like someone throwing a huge rock into a small pond, but despite the presence and the somewhat dominant form that the actress assumes, she can't bring that much to the film and ends up becoming a kind of passionate, histrionic Latin lover.

Technically, the film has decent production values and appears to be expensive. The cinematography is good and does its job well, as are the sets and costumes. Some of the scenarios, such as an apartment absolutely full of bundles of money, are really illustrative of a reality they want to portray. It doesn't have great effects, but what it does have is effective, and the soundtrack also works quite well, and it's atmospheric enough. The film takes place during the 70's and 80's, but it didn't always manage to set us in the intended period.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

ryancarroll88

Aug 27, 2010

A half-baked attempt at a variety of ideas that were better used in greater films (namely Goodfellas). Depp and Liotta give entertaining performances as usual, but the fun burns out quickly.

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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60	#60 Most Discussed Movie of 2001
11	#11 Most Shared Movie of 2001