Blow

It was sad to realize that this was Ted Demme's last dramatic film as I watched it for the second time. I had seen this film back in 2001 when it came out but it didn't resonate with me at that time. I missed alot of the nuances and and was focused mainly on the drug culture and the Pee Wee cameo. Blow tells the true life story of George Jung a drug trafficker who made millions running cocaine and lost all of it along with his family and his freedom. The screenplay by Nick Cassavetes and David McKenna is based on the book by Bruce Porter. Johnny Depp does an amazing job with the material portraying both sides of George. He is an ambitious bold drug runner and and an empathetic figure who just wants a nice family life. You really feel for the guy even as he makes very bad decisions. The film has a great flow as we go from sad childhood to summer lovin' in California to drug free for all to the Fall From Grace. Paul Reubens is great as the distributor and Bobcat Goldthwait has an amusing cameo. Humor is one of the surprising themes that runs through the film without undercutting the seriousness of the story. Ray Liotta and Rachel Griffiths are great as George's parents though as they age their makeup is a little distracting, but the performances are still powerful. The style of the film feels like a hybrid of a 70's film heavily dosed with Goodfellas. This actually works very well intended or not. I miss this style of adult dramatic film. This film reminded me how much I will miss Ted Demme, Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella.
Memorable moment: Forty eight minutes in Johnny Depp makes a great face after being told to shut up.