Reviewer:
Allison Stokes

Genre:
Drama

Movies/TV Shows:
Movie

Suggested Age Range:
Adult

Age Range Explained:
Drug use and some sexual moments

Subject Headings:
Substance abuse-drugs

Movie/TV Show Being Reviewed:
Blow

Review:
Plot Summary: Blow, made in 2001, is a movie that tracks the life of Carl Jung who was a famous drug dealer in the 70s. Carl grew up in a family that struggled financially and vowed to himself that when he grew up he would not experience the same misfortune. Jung first became introduced to marijuana as a young man in his twenties when he moved to California. When Jung gets caught selling marijuana he gets sent to prison, and this is where he is first introduced to the benefits of cocaine. When Jung is released from prison he dives head first into the cocaine market, making millions of dollars with each deal. His life revolves around both using and selling cocaine, and Jung finds other parts of his life begin falling apart because of his involvement with drugs. Review: As a counselor it is interesting to watch this movie because it illustrates the life of a dealer, both the good and bad. It shows the financial piece of dealing, but it also clearly shows how Jung’s life began to fall apart because of the choices he made.

An intersecting aspect of the movie to examine is how the time Jung spent in prison actually had a negative impact on him and introduced him to a much more dangerous drug. Blow also demonstrates the strain drug use has on personal relationships, and in the case of Carl Jung, he lost the close relationship with his daughter he once had. Blow also depicts the progression of drug use, and how easy it is to slip further and further in a world of drugs.