BLOW (2001) *** Johnny Depp's portrayal of a young American who penetrates the rarified stratosphere of international narcotics smuggling is most notable for its warning to everyman: watch him fall for that dimwitted Penélope Cruz character (Cruz only gets ahold of the character after the fall, but we've seen that character in film and in life-we know who she is) and think "there, but for the Grace of God, go I." Cruz, like Depp's mom, is addicted to cash, an addiction more psychologically crippling than anything else portrayed here. I don't have any problem believing that Depp doesn't have much trouble going on or off his five grams of cocaine a day; I've seen similar things, it effects everyone differently. I've also seen very bright, strong people fall into the bag halfway through their first line. In any event Depp's portrayal is so thoroughly convincing that he's belieabable as a blond guy, think of those eyebrows and you know I'm saying something. Several of the other performances are also strong: Jordi Mallá gives a stunning portrayal of an essentially good and generous ex-con turned impervious to the moral implications of his decisions by power and a chemical rush that starts in the back of his head and throws him into the future so hard that he can't see the present going by; no one will ever portray Pablo Escobar better than Cliff Curtis; and Ray Liotta is inspired casting-he doesn't have to tell us that he isn't exactly sure where the moral goalposts are, we've seen him in enough films to know. Additions to the growing body of evidence against prohibition: could even Donald Rumsfeld run the cocaine business in a more offensive manner than Escobar? Does it make sense to keep Depp in jail, long after he's capable of drug running? Is Depp, as an entrepreur, anywhere near as destructive as the CEO of Exxon? Who would make a better father, Depp or Rumsfeld? What does all of this tell us about imbalances in our societal mythos? Why do we worship (capitalist style, with the currency of our culture) those who most effectively destroy us?
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