STARRING: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Jordi Molla, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths, Ray Liotta, Paul Reubens, Ethan Suplee

LINE ON THE POSTER: Based on a True Story

WHAT HAPPENS: Blow details the true life rise and fall of George Jung (Depp) from his teen years as the son of a struggling small business owner (Liotta), which inspire him never to be poor, right through to his current day imprisonment. Moving to California, George was caught up in the 60's counter-culture explosion and his quest for money led him to drug dealing. However prison, isolation from his parents and the death of his first wife made him repentant but a Colombian contact, he met in Prison told him about a business proposition that would change everything. George was the man who introduced the USA to Cocaine and paid the price for it, because for all the fabulous wealth and power it got him, the true cost of his dangerously treacherous life came back to haunt in ways he would never imagine.

ANY GOOD?: It's a lot of fun for the first hour and then emotionally draining for the second but it never manages to make that transition from a promising movie into a great one. This is mainly due to blatant theft of...well eh...basically everything from the modern classic that is Scorsese's Goodfellas. It's Ok to be influenced by a great movie or pay tribute to it (Look at PTA's Boogie Nights) but director Ted Demme just goes that bit too far, making the film suffer as a consequence because at no point does he stamp it as his own. Not only that but we have Johnny Depp doing his best Henry Hill (Goodfellas main man) impression, Griffiths 'being' Lorraine Bracco (the actress who played Hill's wife) and even Ray Liotta (who played Hill) popping up as George's Dad. So we are left with a Goodfellas rip-off, which is enjoyable but feels thoroughly second-hand and unoriginal. However this shouldn't detract from the fact that the film is very watchable due to the fast pace, wall-to-wall music, interesting subject matter and fine performances from excellent actors....it's just it could have been more....so much more!

BEST BIT: George explaining his actions to the Judge at his first trial by saying all he did was 'crossing an imaginary line with a bunch of plants'....no he didn't get off.

INTERESTING FACT: As the credits begin to roll a recent picture of the real George Jung appears, it's a shock to say the least.