Delta Sierra Arts

Blow

Dir. Ted Demme
Stars Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ray Liotta, Rachel Griffiths.

Blow

It’s a big risk calling a movie Blow. Headline writers, pressed for time and happy for puns, are prone to turn even a mildly negative review into groan-inducing one-line summaries: “This Blows,” “Blow Sucks”. Low blows, indeed.

Happily, Blow (based on Bruce Porter’s book of the same name) has probably enough merits to avoid overly easy aphorisms. The title refers to cocaine, but Blow isn’t intended to be a drug movie in the sense that Traffic or Trainspotting are drug movies: it assumes its viewers already know the history of coke and how the drug took Studio 54 and Wall Street, and thus steers away from dealing with the well-documented social effects of cocaine. Instead, the film is more a biography of an extraordinary life, that of George Jung, the baby-faced Massachusetts native who went on to become the American connection for the infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, and the chief of the movie’s merits is the casting of Johnny Depp as Jung. If you did blow in the late 1970s or early 1980s, there is an 85% chance your coke spoon held the products of Jungian pharmacology. While Depp spends altogether too much of the film hiding his expressive eyes behind sunglasses, his Jung, simultaneously ambitious and laidback, bursts with enough charismatic energy to convince us that this small-town boy with not many connections was the one who made cocaine a major drug in America.

George Jung was, as they say, a character. So how do you film the life of a man larger than life and make some sense of it all? The answer of director Ted Demme (Life, Beautiful Girls) seems to be to use using editing and camera effects to create a kind of hyperreality. As in Traffic, filtered lenses indicate time and mood, so scenes on Manhattan Beach in California appear sun-bleached, almost sepia-toned, while the sex scenes between Depp and Penelope Cruz (All About My Mother) are red-hued. (Steven Soderbergh may have started a trend in the drug-movie genre. Cheech and Chong might want take note.) Freeze frames indicate the passage of time.

Using these devices, the movie traces the arc of Jung’s life, starting from his childhood in Weymouth, Mass. in the ’50s all the way to his present incarceration in a federal prison in Otisville, NY. (Aside: why is a 33-year-old woman, even one as talented as Rachel Griffiths, playing mother to a man five years older than her?) Everything seems to be right for George just after he leaves Massachusetts for California: he meets flight attendant Barbara (Franka Potente, of Run Lola Run fame) and gay hairdresser Derek Foreal (Paul Reubens, once known as Pee-Wee Herman, in full-on camp mode). Through Derek, George becomes a small-time pot dealer on Manhattan Beach, but his dreams are bigger, and he flies into Mexico to the source of the marijuana. The good times roll – with the profits from dealing, George and Barbara buy a house in Acalpulco – and this first half of Blow is almost Edenic: everyone is friends with everyone else, money is plentiful but doesn’t engender greed, people take dips in sun-kissed swimming pools.

The arrest of George Jung in Chicago is the movie’s point of innocence lost. After his hearing, George learns that Barbara has cancer and skips bail to be with her, the first sign of a devotion to people that will be a constant in the movie. George is arrested after Barbara’s death and thrown into jail, where he shares a cell with a Colombian, Diego Delgado (Spanish actor Jordi Molla, making his American feature film debut). Upon George’s release, Diego introduces him to Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis). It’s not the most pleasant of first meetings – Escobar shoots someone point blank in the forehead – but Escobar takes a shine to the American and makes him his chief importer of cocaine into the U.S.

As though paralleling the shift in drug trends from mellow pot to frenetic coke, the movie pulls into high gear once George and Diego go into the cocaine-import business. (A second aside: does the schizophrenic nature of the movie mean to imply “pot good, cocaine bad”?) George meets Mirtha, played by Cruz in thoroughly unsympathetic fashion, and the two begin a torrid relationship, all wild sex and drug binges. The money that accompanies the cocaine business causes a string of problems: betrayals occur left and right, friendships are broken and the now-married George and Mirtha fight constantly. The marriage does produce Kristina Sunshine Jung (Emma Roberts), the daughter who gives George meaning in his life. George’s love for his daughter provides a note of poignancy in the later arrests in the movie: whereas previously jail seemed more an inconvenience or an occupational hazard, the enforced separation from Kristina is truly painful for him.

It’s fascinating stuff from a fascinating life, and Demme coaxes strong performances out of a stellar ensemble cast. (He’s done this before: I’d be the first to admit that I find Beautiful Girls very moving.) Memories of The Ninth Gate notwithstanding, Depp is very good as always, while Cruz does her best with the flat, shrill character that is high-living Mirtha and Potente is sunshine and charm, even if her German accent does creep into one scene. Ray Liotta gives a performance of grace as Fred Jung, George’s father, a man who doesn’t necessarily approve of his son’s choice of careers but understands. There’s also lots of smart things to like about Blow. The soundtrack (including Cream’s “Strange Brew,” featuring Eric Clapton in his cocaine years, and the Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”) is clever enough to fuel the movie without overpowering it or being too obvious. The aforementioned editing and camera effects add to mood but aren’t overly gimmicky. The ending, featuring a wizened, incarcerated Jung, is a heartbreaker.

Despite all that, something doesn’t quite sit right about the film as a whole. Maybe one too many drug busts inures the viewer from the meaning. Maybe Demme tries to pack too much of George Jung’s life into one movie. Either way, outside of the genuinely moving George-Kristina scenes, there’s too much of a detachment from George Jung. While Jung’s very name might seem to invite psychological analysis of the man, the movie never shows us why he does what he does, or why he is so ambitious. There’s the implication from the childhood scenes that Jung never wants to have to work as hard for as little as his dad, but other than that. The film seems to suggest that the inevitable logic of capitalism works this way, that somehow the very fact of being American causes Jung to be entrepreneurially ambitious, to spot an opportunity to make money. But why Jung and not anyone else? Why is he always reaching for more when he doesn’t seem to be a man of particularly extravagant tastes? True, greed has its own logic, as does accumulation and the high of the next big deal (there’s a great scene where George and Diego are raking in so much money they begin judging the amount of cash they have by weighing boxes of hundred-dollar bills). But that’s too pat an answer, and for a biographical movie Blow gives us little insight into its lead.

Nor do we really see why cocaine electrified the nation or why the DEA was so zealous in pursuing Jung. When Jung is busted on his birthday, the main impression we get is of the government as party-poopers. Without a strong opponent, it’s hard to avoid the feeling of a passive voice: the movie’s focus is Jung, but all too often things seem to happen to him, rather than him directing the action. Jung gets lucky in having a cellmate who knows Escobar. Jung gets screwed over by Diego. Jung gets busted. It’s almost as though all Jung knows how to do is secure planes for importing drugs. This might be an accurate reflection of what actually happened in real life – as Jung says of himself in a voiceover, his ambition was greater than his talent – but it doesn’t necessarily make for good cinema.

So while Blow is strong enough to ward off those aforementioned cheap-shot headlines, and while its captivating depiction of the life of George Jung is a welcome corrective from caricatured stereotypes of drug smugglers, the whole of the movie comes across as less than the sum of its occasionally brilliant parts. The movie keeps flitting from location to location, chasing the next high (or low) of Jung’s life, never stopping to fully take in what it all means.

(The review first published in The Harvard Crimson under the headline “Powder Keg”. Follow the link for an interview of Ted Demme that I conducted.)

34 Comments so far
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yea i think they are saying pot is good and cocaine is bad…but that was a great summary of the movie!

This movie is the greatest biography, at the least, that has ever been made. All the things that were said to be left out(written in this article) is things that most educated people should already know. Also, if you had a clue of struggle, be it caused by family problems, lack of money, or THE DISEASE of drugs THEN I PROMISE YOU WOULD GET IT. This movie is about the memory of good days, change, pain, struggle, and life (GOOD,BAD,and BOTH). No other movie has captured the essence of these things quite as well. Whoever doesn’t get this movie entirely has to be completely seperated from all bad parts of life, and I feel sorry for these people because without expeirencing the bad part of life, the good simply can not be appreciated as it should be in order to enjoy it.

obviously the guy that thinks its a great biography is in a 12 step haze

when will george be relesed from jail

Whoever has any negative comments about george jung should keep them to themselves. O yea 2015 and he will be 75 yrs old

can i send a fan mail to mister george jung???

I would love to know how to contact mr. Jung. I don’t know why this movie changed everyones name except for george’s. Anyway I feel carlos lehder (I can’t remember his fake name in the movie but he was the guy that introduced jung to escobar and portrayed as the villain in “blow”) would have made a much interesting story. Mr lehder was the only cartel leader ever to be extradited into the us. He was convicted but for some reason he’s not in the jail the govt says he supposed to be in or any jail for that matter. He recently married a woman who owns a very large share of AIG insurance. She claims he is in russia controlling the trade of heroin fron afghanistan to western europe. This guy has obviously acquired much more power and influence over world politics than anyone in the drug trade including escobar. I’m sure he’s an extremely scary individual but something can definitely be said for the fact that jung and escobar are household names who’ve had their lives ruined while lehder is virtually unknown but untouchable. If anyone knows how to correspond with jung let me know.

I would like to know something about his daughter Kristina. You can write Mr. Jung in Jail he doesnt get out until 2015 if im not mistakeing

does anyone know what kind of sunglasses george wore during the scenes in manhattan beach?

hey..i found out the adress, where you can write mr. young. I´m from germany but i will begin to write a letter..maybe he is allowed to answer!? i dont know but i think it would be very interesting to know more about him…not just the “drug-life” of george jung…here the address for those, who want to write him to:

George Jung #19225-004
FCI
P.O. Box 7000 - West Bldg.
Fort Dix, New Jersey #08640

greets from germany…

well, i saw the movie “blow” awhile back and was totally taken by it since i am in the same situation as kristina, his daughter. my father has been in prison for 14 years and he really wasn’t part of my life as much as he should have been when he wasn’t in prison but since seeing the movie “blow” i wanted to get to know my father b/c i felt bad and i just visited him for the first time in 14 yrs last week and it was the best thing i’ve done.

hallo i polish girl.film blow is very very good

is he deceased??

The movie blow is AWESOME! I feel bad for Jung but atleast he ain’t got many regrets

I think the movie is just a review of his life and the only meaning it could have is that there is a price for a great life style…

i watched the movie, but b4 i had much interest in pablo escobar. after watching the movie i cried, because george had really decided to make a change in his life and settle down with his daughter kristina. the movie made me realize that alot of times people’s circumstances lead them to the decisions they make, and it must be truely sad to have the things u love taken away from you while there is nothing u can do about it. i am happy that his daughter went to look for him, as i know it is hard to be shut out of someone’s life that you really love.

i respect george and hope when he gets out he can have a life with kristina

Yeah, It makes me cry knowing that things have to be that way. I hope one day they will see each other again.

One of my favorite movies! The movie made it seem like George was broke as the reason for his last major drug deal when his 2 old buddies set him up. The movie made it seem like he lost all his millions from the Panama government convescating his money. Is this really the case? Hard to believe with all the money he made that he would keep all of it in one spot and not have a bunch of Swiss bank accounts (offshore)in numerous locations. Was he really broke at the time of his last arrest? That is the 1 part of the movie that really bothered me (how someone could “earn” 100 million $$’s and end up broke!! The rest of the story is still facinating and the movie was well done.

Hey guys I seen the movie Blow for the first time on 1/5/07 and it was heart touching i’d say that I shedded a couplpe tears because I felt bad for what happened to his Daughter he made a promise to her to go to California and broke it. I hope he gets out of Prison sooner than 11/27/2014 maybe he can get an early but i’m pretty sure that he will be doing time served which I think was 60 or 62 years. Man I hope he gets out of Prison alive and gets to see his daughter again. I wish I could meet Mr. Jung. Is there any way that you can send him an E-mail to the Prison that he could read. Has anybody ever contacted him and he replied?

HI MR JUNG U HAVE PROBERLY HERD ALL THIS BE 4 BUT IM A BIG FAN OF WOT U HAVE DONE RESPECT IF THERE WAS 1 THING U CUD CHANGE IN LIFE WOT WUD IT BE?
CHOW 4 NOW HOPE UR WELL

Very effective, emotional, reality shocking movie. George seems to be a good person, with his own subjective ideals… he didn’t seem to think he was harming anyone, yet, he should have listened more closely to his dad. Still, he maintaines some decorum (from what i’ve seen) He was a Noble Drug Trafficker.. and that was exactly what Pablo Escobar wanted!

Ive always wanted to meet mr. Jung
Im a reefer head from Wisconsin always admired the way he approached the industry. If i wrote Goerge in prison would he be able to respond?

DAM IM TWO MINUTES LATE!

i think we need find adress of kristina sunnshine jung…and then we will see what we gonna do.i think we need tell her that she must visit her dad,or for a few years he will die….and she will never see him….SO SAD!!!

…well i am from europe and i watch the film blow…i think its sad…i cry when i was watct it…my wish is that i find kristina…but my biggest wish is that kristina and george have peace(i dont know english very well)….SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!

Hi
I would like to use the poem/wish Mr. jung always says to his daughter. It’s very short but meaningful.
Can someone send it to me? I want to use it for the birth of my second child.
Thanks!

the movie was awesome! the only way i found this article is because i wanted to find a pair of those thick framed aviator sunglasses that Johnny deep had in the film. i use to own them but i broke ‘em. yeah my dad is in the same prison as george J.

does anyone know what type of glasses george wore in the movie… they’re alll so gnarly

i give George J. Jung his props he went thru some sh** i wish i could have it like he did! his life was so f***ed up man i could only wish and hope for the best with him and his daughter Kristina. My husband and i named our baby girl kristina too! it was an honer i hope to god his daughter falls back in touch with him cause it’s only fair Kristina Jung you should feel for him it was honestly for your own good after all it WAS your mother that messed it all up for you two girl think about it he only wanted the best for you and him! do it for the love of daddy’s girl and daddy you know you love him still come on kristina if you think about it don’t hesitate for a single second and visit your father. i wish i could meet your dad it would be such an honor! anyways i’m gonna be writing him soon but take care honey. kit kristina i want to speak with you!!!!!

“may the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, and may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars!” george if you could read this i hope you get out alive so that i could see you i really want to get to know you more love always Claudia E. Alvarez take good care of yourself and don’t worry i’m gonna go smoke a j. and take a toke for you and only you George!!!!

“May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars” George if you could read this right now i wish and hope to god that you come out alive and well! don’t worry i’m gonna look into Kristina but you don’t worry i’m gonna go smoke a j. if you know what i mean for you cause i know your stressin out but always keep your head up looking at the stars above you i love you George love always Claudia E. Alvarez good-bye for now. . . .no it’s see you later cause good-bye’s are for the end when you sleep for the afterlife so see you later George

Update on address: George J. Jung, inmate register #19225-004, FMC DEVENS SATELLITE CAMP, P.O. BOX 879, AYER, MA 01432.
Over a letter, he’d probably prefer a package with some cookies, soup, chocolate, or other stuff he can’t buy from commissary. His release date is projected as 11,27,2014.

we woyld like to tell us if any one of you visited george in prison?

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Blow

Written By Daryl Sng

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