A boy named George Jung grows up in a struggling family in the 1950's. His mother nags at her husband as he is trying to make a living for the family. It is finally revealed that George's father cannot make a living and the family goes bankrupt. George does not want the same thing to happen to him, and his friend Tuna, in the 1960's, suggests that he deal marijuana. He is a big hit in California in the 1960's, yet he goes to jail, where he finds out about the wonders of cocaine. As a result, when released, he gets rich by bringing cocaine to America. However, he soon pays the price.
Acting
Depp's most underrated performance, Cruz is unhinged
Costume
Wigs that deserve their own Oscar category
Direction
Demme's final film, tragically poetic end
Director
Ted Demme
Johnny Depp
George Jung
Penélope Cruz
Mirtha Jung
Franka Potente
Barbara Buckley
Rachel Griffiths
Ermine Jung
Ray Liotta
Fred Jung
Jordi Mollà
Diego Delgado
Cliff Curtis
Pablo Escobar
Paul Reubens
Derek Foreal
Miguel Sandoval
Augusto Oliveras
Max Perlich
Kevin Dulli
Ethan Suplee
Tuna
Kevin Gage
Leon Minghella
Tony Amendola
Sanchez
Jesse James
Young George
Emma Roberts
Young Kristina Jung
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real George Jung was released from prison in 2014, started a clothing line, then went back to prison in 2016 for violating parole.
This film basically killed the 'cool drug dealer' genre; after 2001, cocaine stories had to be tragedies, not fantasies.
US
