Abhiroop Das
‘Blow’ explores how George Jung’s transformation from an ambitious youth to a seasoned drug trafficker is informed by the transformation of the world around him. His deep dive into the criminal underworld results in an unprecedented claim to fame: the credit for smuggling over 80% of the cocaine sifting through the country. Such a feat is impossible without a complete familiarity with the business landscape and an understanding of the times and people’s needs, which George understands deeply. Therefore, the film’s period setting highlights the reigning demands and anxieties of the masses and how they changed the way George does business. His efforts to bridge supply and demand take him through hell, and he realizes too late how grave his sins are. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Blow Tracks the Prevailing Attitudes of 1960s-80s America
Adapted for film by Ted Demme from the book penned by Bruce Porter, ‘Blow’ traces a significant period in the nation’s history, from the late 1960s to the 1990s, through the eyes of one of its most active contributors, George Jung. Having discovered marijuana while in college, he spends his time in Manhattan Beach, California, as a hardcore dealer and user. As the film progresses, he begins expanding his business to the east, earning plenty in profits by 1967. The popularity of marijuana is reflective of the decade’s zeitgeist, defined as the counterculture movement, an anti-establishment phenomenon that birthed several subcultures with a thriving demand for psychoactive drugs. Marked by a distrust towards the government and a general leaning towards freedom and experimentation, the 60s became a hot ground for George’s drug trade.
The nation‘s mood was forced to take a swift turn in the following decade with Nixon’s declaration of a war on drugs on June 17, 1971. This leads to an aggressive, nationwide suppression of many underground cultures and connections under suspicion of being affiliated with foreign cartels. These concerns weren’t completely unfounded, as the public’s preference for marijuana as a tool of expression was slowly being replaced by a growing dependency on more potent, dangerous drugs. In the film’s narrative, George comes to learn of cocaine and its insane potential as a business venture during his stint at the correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut. Wasting little time following his release in 1975, he put his elite distribution networks to use, ensuring an easier inflow of cocaine from abroad, becoming one of the most infamous smugglers of the time.
The film also captures Pablo Escobar’s creation of the Medellín Cartel in Colombia in 1976, triggering the main showdown of the war on drugs, one that stretches well into the 80s. Meanwhile, George climbs his way up to become Escobar’s primary distributor, smuggling shipments via planes and raking in millions. However, by 1987, his operations turned to their slow but alarming descent due to government crackdowns and enemies within their ranks, resulting in his incarceration in 1994 for sixty years, with no room for parole before 2015. While the cartel’s grip weakens and popular consciousness shifts away at the turn of the new century, George spends his time in prison, mourning the lost opportunities to spend time with his daughter.
George Jung’s Ventures Leap Across States and Nations
Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, George leaves for Los Angeles before finding his way to Manhattan Beach, a place teeming with free spirits. Both in real life and in the film, this region becomes his first base, paving the way for his unprecedented growth. From here, George starts exporting his product to Boston, using his stewardess girlfriend as a carrier to Beantown’s Logan International Airport. Soon, the business expands all over the country, and the story eventually comes full circle in the form of a promised vacation to California. ‘Blow’ as a narrative covers both the thrills of illegal activity and the fear and toxicity it spreads, as one by one, George loses everyone he considers near him, eventually being left all alone in the Federal Correctional Institute, Fort Dix, in New Jersey, America.
George’s story is incomplete without his connections to Mexico and Colombia, as they are foundational to his rise to power. Upon realizing that he can directly source marijuana for himself, the protagonist roams through Mexico’s cities before eventually finding his dealer in Puerto Vallarta. In a daring plan, he chooses to have a plane fly to and fry carrying shipment, creating the first of his notorious air distribution systems, which would soon catch the eye of the Colombian drug giants; upon teaming up with the Medellín Cartel, George beings to navigate through a much larger map than before, converting America into the biggest market for drugs. His connections also take him to Panama, where banks under the protection of dictator Manuel Noriega provide a safe haven for cartel money. Thus, the narrative seamlessly charts multiple locations in reconstructing George’s adventures.
