Blow (R, 2003)

common sense media says

Uneven drug trade story has explicit drug use.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that young George watches his parents fight about money. His relationship with his mother remains difficult throughout the movie; she turns him in to the police and disowns him. His first girlfriend dies of cancer. George is heartbroken at the loss of his own daughter after he's sent to prison. Drug abuse leads George to a near-fatal collapse. Like Traffic, the movie's premise is that the drug trade is impossible to stop because of America's demand for drugs. Regular use of strong profanity. The movie is set at a time when cocaine use was widespread and held in some circles to be socially acceptable. Brief casual nudity in a poolside scene. Sexual excess of the disco era is alluded to but not seen. In one scene, George is brutally beaten by gunmen working for his former partner.

Positive messages: Not applicable.
Violence: Less than you might expect given the subject matter. In one scene, George is brutally beaten by gunmen working for his former partner. Drug abuse leads George to a near-fatal collapse.
Sex: Brief casual nudity in a poolside scene. Sexual excess of the disco era is alluded to but not seen.
Language: Regular use of strong profanity.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The movie is set at a time when cocaine use was widespread and held in some circles to be socially acceptable.

More on Blow

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the larger cultural issues associated with the importing of cocaine and marijuana.

What's the story?

What's the story?
BLOW explores a time in recent history when changing social norms seemed to offer a tidal wave of commercial opportunity for someone inclined to take advantage of the situation. As played by Johnny Depp, George is less a villain than a young go-getter at the wrong time and place. He finds it easy to ignore the evils of a trade that offers him enormous amounts of money, a chance to exercise his wits, and a constant adrenaline rush from making up the rules as he goes along. In the funniest scene, George condescendingly tells a federal judge that he doesn't feel that what he did--importing and selling marijuana in the early 1970s--was a crime, quoting Bob Dylan to bolster his case. (You can see on the judge's face that she's adding months to his sentence with every word he says.)

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Borrowing more than a bit from GoodFellas and Boogie Nights, Blow works better as a character study than as a history of America's obsession with drugs, a subject on which the script presumes viewers will already have some perspective.

Depp is excellent as usual, and there are some very moving scenes near the end of the movie with George's father (Ray Liotta) and his own young daughter, who turns her back on him. Parents will need to fill in the blanks and discuss with their teens the larger cultural issues associated with the importing of cocaine and marijuana.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: New Line
Director: Ted Demme
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ray Liotta
Genre: Drama
Run time: 119 minutes
Theatrical release: February 4, 2003
DVD release: February 4, 2003
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: pervasive drug content and language, some violence and sexuality

This review was written by M. Faust
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

FutureMrs.John ...
teen, 16 years old
 
Good for teens!
Wow. What a great movie! It really got me interested in learning more about George Jung. I'm 15, just seeing it for the first time. It was such a great movie. It was very informative and I think most teenagers would enjoy this one! One of my favorites for sure. Also, once again, Johnny Depp does not disappoint!

 
Great Movie!
I first watched this movie when i was 13. I fell in love! This is a great movie, that shows what drugs can do to a person and the people that care about them. I think that anyone and everyone should see this movie. It makes you laugh and it makes you cry. Wonderful movie!

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