Blow (film)
Blow | |
---|---|
Directed by | Ted Demme |
Written by | |
Based on | Blow by Bruce Porter |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Ellen Kuras |
Edited by | Kevin Tent |
Music by | Graeme Revell |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date |
|
Running time | 124 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $53 million[1] |
Box office | $83.3 million[1] |
Blow is a 2001 American
Plot
George Jung and his parents Fred and Ermine live in Weymouth, Massachusetts. When George is 10 years old, Fred files for bankruptcy, but tries to make George realize that money is not important.
In the late 1960s, an adult George moves to
While hiding from the authorities, George visits his parents. George's mother calls the police, who arrest him. He is sentenced to 26 months in a
As the smuggling operation grows, Diego is arrested, leaving George to find a way to sell 50 kg (110 lb). George reconnects with Derek in
All goes well with George's newfound civilian life for five years, until Mirtha 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 FBI and DEA raid the party and arrest George. He becomes a fugitive, and his bank account—heretofore under Manuel Noriega's protection in Panama—is seized by Noriega. One night, he and Mirtha get into a fight while driving. They are pulled over by police and Mirtha tells them George is a fugitive and has stashed a kilogram of cocaine in his trunk. He is sent to jail for three years, Mirtha divorces him, and takes custody of their nine-year-old daughter, Kristina Sunshine Jung.
Upon his release, George struggles to maintain his relationship with his daughter. He 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, Fred. His mother denies the request. George records a final message to Fred, recounting his memories of working with his father, his run-ins with the law, and finally, too late, his understanding of what Fred meant when he said that money is not "real". An old man in prison, George imagines that his daughter finally comes to visit him. She slowly fades away as a guard calls for George. The film concludes with notes indicating that Jung will not be eligible for parole until 2015, and that his daughter has yet to visit him.
Cast
- Johnny Depp as George Jung
- Jesse James as Young George
- Penélope Cruz as Mirtha Jung
- Franka Potente as Barbara "Barbie" Buckley
- Rachel Griffiths as Ermine Jung
- Paul Reubens as Derek Foreal (Richard Barile)
- Jordi Molla as Diego Delgado (Carlos Lehder)
- Cliff Curtis as Pablo Escobar
- Max Perlich as Kevin Dulli
- Miguel Sandoval as Augusto Oliveras
- Ethan Suplee as "Tuna"
- Alan James Morgan as Young "Tuna"
- Ray Liotta as Frederick "Fred" Jung
- Elizabeth Rodriguez as Martha Oliveras
- Kevin Gage as Leon Minghella
- Tony Amendola as Santiago Sanchez
- Bobcat Goldthwait as Mr. T
- Michael Tucci as Dr. Bay
- Monet Mazur as Maria
- Lola Glaudini as Rada
- Jennifer Gimenez as Inez
- Emma Roberts as Kristina Sunshine Jung
- Jaime King as Older Kristina
Soundtrack
Blow's soundtrack is a compilation of songs and artists from the 1950s to the 1970s. Graeme Revell also composed the original score for the film.
Track listing
Tracklist adapted from Discogs.[3]
No. | Title | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | " Marshall Tucker Band | 6:04 | |
13. | "Push & Pull" | Nikka Costa | 4:48 |
Release
Blow was released to North American theaters on April 6, 2001. To promote the film, pocket-size rectangular mirrors were distributed at advance screenings.[4] The promotional items attracted criticism for appearing to promote cocaine use, as the mirrors resembled ones used to cut cocaine.[5]
Blow performed below expectations at the box office. With a budget of roughly $53 million, it managed to earn just under $53 million domestically, but raised just over $30 million internationally for a worldwide total of $83,282,296.[6]
Reception
The film holds an approval rating of 55% at
Rob Gonsalves from eFilmCritic.com gave the film four out of five stars stating: "Blow isn't really a classic, but it's a sobering story well-told."[10]
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."[13]
Penélope Cruz was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her performances in Blow as well as Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Vanilla Sky.
References
- ^ a b c "Blow". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
- ISBN 0-06017930-9.
- ^ Blow at Discogs (list of releases)
- ^ "Blow criticised for glamorising drug abuse". The Guardian. April 10, 2001. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ^ Lisi, Clemente (April 10, 2001). "'Blow' Gift Reflects Poorly on Hit Movie". New York Post. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ^ "Blow (2001)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
- ^ "Blow (2001)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ "Home". CinemaScore. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
- ^ Gonzalves, Rob. "Blow". eFilmCritic.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (April 6, 2001). "Blow (R)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
- ^ Nusair, David (April 24, 2001). "Blow (2001)". Reelfilm.com. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
- ^ Smith, Christopher (2001). "Blow: Movie Review, DVD Review (2001)". Weekinrewind.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
External links
- Official website (2008 archive)
- Blow at IMDb
- Blow at Box Office Mojo
- Blow at Rotten Tomatoes
- Blow at Metacritic
- Blow at AllMovie