Blow (2001)
based on a true story
The story of how George Jung, together with the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar, established the billion-dollar cocaine empire in the United States in the 1970s.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 4 April 2001 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Director | Ted Demme |
| Starring | Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz and Franka Potente |
| Runtime | 124 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 5.8/10 · Metacritic 52/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 56% · TMDB users 7.4/10 |
| Budget | $53 million |
| Box office | $83 million worldwide |
Where to watch Blow
We could not find Blow on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent or buy Blow on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Blow in 3 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Andorra | Prime Video |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Spain | Prime Video €4.99 |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Ted Demme directed a 124-minute crime drama that leans hard into the "based on a true story" tag. Johnny Depp plays George Jung, the man who helped build a billion-dollar cocaine empire with the Medellín Cartel in the 1970s. Penélope Cruz and Franka Potente round out the cast. It is not a subtle portrait, but it is a direct one.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes sits at 56% as of 2025, with an average score of 5.8. Metacritic is less generous, landing at 52 out of 100 as of 2024. The consensus notes the film feels familiar, borrowing from Goodfellas and Boogie Nights, even if Depp remains excellent. It is a mixed bag. Critics debated whether George Jung deserved the spotlight. Rob Gonsalves called it a "sobering story well-told." Roger Ebert was less convinced, asking if the reality of the lives Jung destroyed ever occurred to him. That is the central tension.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $53 million. The domestic take was also $53 million. That is a break-even, which in Hollywood accounting is a shrug and in any other business a survival. Worldwide, it pulled in $83 million, clearing the hurdle with room to spare. On TMDB, users rate it 7.4 out of 10.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Blow.
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Sources
- Blow on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q631515 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Blow (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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