Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
"I can't feel my face"

2001 R / Crime Drama Directed by: Ted Demme Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Franka Potente

Tagline

Based on a True Story.

Summary Capsule

Man introduces cocaine to the US, man goes to hell forever

Mutant Meter

Movie Store [proceeds go toward monthly MRFH upkeep]

DVD | Soundtrack (Score)

DnaError's Rating: Ray Liotta must be stopped!
DnaError's Review: This movie has been added to the very short and very exclusive list of Movies I've Walked Out On. An honorable mention for a dishonorable movie. It really is a shame when a movie can't live up to it's own ad campaign. The commercials will have you believe it's an ultra stylish, hip, ironic look at the rise and fall of a 70's drug lord. About three minutes of it is, however, the rest of he movie is spent in silent awe of Johnny Deep's preternatural side burns.

"Puma man, he flies like a moron"

In a running time that seems to encompass the entire span of human existence, Blow tells the rise and fall, and rise and fall... and rise and fall of cocaine lord George Jung. It not totally bad, the performances are solid (expect for Ray Liotta)! It has some moments of the ironic humor promised in the ads, and moments when the movie's sense of style and pizzazz burns through. This has a downside, I nearly screamed out "STOP ZOOMING IN!". I was getting sea sick. However, it's not enough, the movie is boring, dull, and for all I know... still playing at the theater I left.

For me, the movie lost all meaning when Valdenio came on. MST3K fans will know what I'm talking about, the Aztec competant-guy who helps the Puma Man in the classic episode "Puma Man". Yep, he's in the movie as a very obvious extra. After that, I wasn't paying attention to the movie anymore, I was giddy... singing the Puma Man theme song to myself.

"Puma man, he flies like a moron, do de do...do de do do. Believe it or not, this movie still on, should have ended two hours agooooo. When you want, the taste of pine in a biscuit...do de do..."

"The magic word of the day is 'White Horse'!" When a game of Red Rover goes deadly

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• This movie is based on the Bruce Porter book called "Blow: How a small-town boy made $100 million with the Medellin cartel and lost it all".
• When the film first started casting, actors John Leguizamo and James Gandolfini were in talks to play Depp's good friend in the movie and his dad, respectively. The roles eventually went to Jordi Molla and Ray Liotta.
• One of Depp's earlier girlfriends in the movie is played by German actress Franka Potente, who you will undoubtedly remember as the lead from Run Lola Run
• Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait has a small cameo in this movie as one of Paul Reuben's drug friends. He's the dude who says "I can't feel my face" after he takes some coke.
• And yes, for anyone who's still asking, director Ted Demme is in fact the real-life nephew of Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme.

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

A photograph of the real George Jung appears at the end of the film, as the credits start to roll.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

From where do you know the screenwriters of this movie? Well, David McKenna is the man who wrote American History X and co-wrote Get Carter, while Nick Cassavetes is the son of the famous writer/director John Cassavetes, who himself also had a role as one of the bad guys in John Woo's Face/Off. He also co-starred with Johnny Depp in The Astronaut's Wife.

If you liked this movie, try these:

• Boogie Nights
• Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas
• Jackie Brown