Johnny Depp is known for transforming into some of the most incredible characters we’ve ever seen on screen. He’s been everything from Captain Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane, to Sweeny Todd and Barnabas Collins. The Golden Globe winner even sank his teeth into playing one of the most infamous U.S. drug traffickers of all time in an often overlooked and underrated 2001 crime thriller that’s coming to free streaming next month.
Directed by the late Ted Demme, the film in question features Depp at his very best, and though it didn’t win any awards, it was certainly one of the finest crime movies of the early 2000s. Released on April 6, 2001, it managed to take in $82 million at the box office against a budget of $30 million. While it wasn’t necessarily received well by critics, there was one thing that everyone could agree on: Depp’s performance was second to none.
We’re, of course, talking about Blow, the exceptional crime thriller that starred Depp as George Jung. Based on the 1993 book, Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All, the film traces Jung’s rise to becoming a cocaine kingpin, and his relationships with Pablo Escobar, Carlos Lehder Rivas, and the Medellín Cartel. Check out the full synopsis below:
“In the turbulence of the 1970s, the international drug trade underwent a fast, violent and lucrative revolution — and one ordinary American was at its center. But in just a few short years, George Jung (Depp), a high-school football star, single-handedly became the world’s premiere importer of cocaine from Colombia’s Medellín cartel, changing the course of an entire generation. Blow is a high-velocity look at George Jung’s spectacular rise and fall.”
‘Blow’ Is Everything You Want in a Crime Thriller
All that being said, Blow is anything but your run-of-the-mill crime thriller. It has surprising depth in the way it also explores the relationship between Jung and his parents, who are portrayed by Ray Liotta and Rachel Griffiths. Its soundtrack only adds an air of authenticity to the period piece, and the supporting cast, which includes Penélope Cruz, Paul Reubens, and Emma Roberts, help elevate Blow beyond the ordinary.
Fans think so, too, as Blow holds an 87% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is head and shoulders above its 56% critical score. Called everything from a “great film from start to finish,” to “a sobering story well-told,” it’s clear that the movie resonated with audiences despite not being a big commercial hit. In the years since its release, Blow has garnered a cult following, making it a favorite of many who recommend it for Depp’s performance alone.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing one of Depp’s most underrated movies, or perhaps just want to experience it for a second time, Blow will be coming to Tubi on November 1, 2025. Look for him and Cruz to reunite next year in the action thriller, Day Drinker, and it’s recently been announced that the star is set to portray Ebeneezer Scrooge in yet another reimagining of A Christmas Carol.
- Release Date
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April 4, 2001
- Runtime
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124 minutes
- Director
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Ted Demme