|
Movie Review: Blow
Reviewed by Eric Tarik Johnson 13/04/2001
Johnny Depp's magnificent performance in Blow surpasses many of his acting roles to date. The film is based on a true account of the life of George Jung (played by Depp), a drug dealer in the 60's and 70's. However, more than being just a story about Jung,
Blow deals with the highs and lows of the drug trade, and Jung is a symbolic figure of that time in which cocaine and marijuana addiction were the rebel's "religion" against the status quo.
Drugs were embedded in the culture of that period, and drug use became an icon of the Hippie movement that served as an escape from sociopolitical problems during a decade when images of civil disturbances and foreign warfare plagued a structure based on equal rights for all. George Jung happened to be one of the people that took part in the so-called economic drug boom.
The film begins with Jung as a young boy. His family is representative of the nuclear American family of the 50's. From the advent of his maturity, Jung vows that he will not take on the lifestyle of his father, refusing to toil daily to provide for just the bare necessities.
Ironically, however, Jung's father believes that whatever Jung's profession will be, he will earn his money honestly. In one shot, we see his father Fred, (Ray Liotta) in an argument with his mother Ermine (Rachel Griffiths) about his job search as the young Jung sits watching. This is an important cinematic shot that is juxtaposed a scene later where an older Jung, his wife and daughter are dealing with about the same situation.
The depiction clearly illustrates that Jung ends up in the position he had vowed not to be in. Even though all the drug deals bring him money and wealth, they never bring him happiness, a theme highly reminiscent of Brian De Palma's
Scarface.
As Jung gets older, he moves to Los Angeles and subsequently becomes introduced to the extremely marketable business of marijuana trafficking. He and his friend Tuna (Ethan Suplee) eventually become dealers themselves. He eventually gets caught like all highly successful drug dealers do.
However, this is just the first bust. While he is in prison, Jung's cellmate, Diego Delgado (Jorgi Molla), teaches him all the information he needs on cocaine drug dealing. Once out of prison, the two hook up. Diego introduces him to Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis), a leading drug dealer in Columbia, and Jung transforms his marijuana import and export personnel into cocaine experts.
Jung falls in love with a Columbian woman named Mirtha (Penelope Cruz). As the cocaine deals bring him more and more wealth, Jung finds himself moving closer to the top in financial power. However, like in all drug stories, friendships and relationships rooted in drugs lead to the inevitable - betrayal and disloyalty.
Eventually, as his drug dealing business finally catches up to him, Jung's life comes to a complete stop, putting a dent in the success he has gained.
Blow is a superb film about the consequences of drug dealing and addiction. More than that,
Blow shows how a person can climb from the bottom to the top, only to end up back at the bottom at an even lower point than before.
The film's cinematography is excellent as the images capture the feel and mood of the time. The actors are extremely talented as well - Depp should get an Oscar nomination for his pivotal role.
Jung's story is vividly told, reflective of the real George Jung's role as a consultant on the movie.
As with many other films, a Muslim viewer can't help but experience conflict. Because the storyline deals with a lifestyle of immorality, the film is full of images that can be regarded as encouraging negativity, which Islamically we should stay away from. However, there are obvious lessons and insightful messages about life experiences that can be obtained from
Blow - many of which the Islamic community is not immune from.
|
