“Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust. And when you're up, it's never as good as it seems. And when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on.”
George Jung describes his life as the man who established the American cocaine market during the 1970's. This compelling movie is based on a true story of a young man who rules the black market for the majority of his adulthood while trying to escape authority at the same time.

Johnny Depp cast as Jung gives an admirable performance. George comes from a home where the money flow was cut short as soon as his family was forced to file for bankruptcy. He makes a promise to himself to not have the same fate as his parents. He moves out and begins his journey in California with his friend Tuna (Ethan Suplee). They develop their own pot pushing operation and learn very fast how successful it is. Unfortunately, the tables turn when Jung is arrested and taken to jail.

While imprisoned, George becomes friends with his cell mate Diego Delgado (Jordi Molla) who introduces him to the lucrative cocaine trade in Colombia. He convinces Jung that the operation is flawless and that he will become instantly successful and rich and that is exactly what happens. George meets his wife Mirtha (Penelope Cruz) and they live the life of riches. George Jung becomes the biggest thing the drug industry has ever seen. He has a daughter who he becomes enamored with and makes many promises to her that he is not able to keep. This upsets his daughter and ruins their relationship. Once George is released from jail again he tries to rebuild his relationship with his daughter and it works, for a little while. Everything comes crashing down when he is arrested for the last time and sentenced to sixty years at Otisville State Prison in New York. In the end, it wasn't the sentence but the emotional damage he brought upon his loved ones that bothered him.

Director Ted Demme did a fantastic job casting the roles and depicting the life of this magnetic cocaine smuggler. Although this was an under-budget movie it was witty and appealing. I found the movie to be moving and entertaining and I give it four and a half out of five stars.