Last year saw the release of three fantastic and vastly different takes on the drug world. The epic Traffic, the haunting Requiem for a Dream, and the intimate Jesus' Son. Enter Ted Demme's (Jonathan's nephew) ambitious epic Blow, a film I feel would have benefited if it were longer.

In Blow, Johnny Depp plays George Jung, a man who, ultimately, became the first American to transport cocaine into the states, after developing a business relationship with a Colombian cartel. Of course, Jung wasn't merely an overnight success. As a young boy, he had to watch his loving father (Ray Liotta) struggle to make ends meet. It was at that point, he decided he never wanted to be poor. His adventures in the drug world begin in the late 60's as he and his friend (likable Ethan Suplee) become the hottest pot dealers in town. Unfortunately, Depp is sent to prison where he strikes up a friendship with Diego Delgado (Jordi Molla). During their sentence, the two men decide that when they get out of jail, the sky's the limit. Thus begins Jung's criminal cocaine career.

There is much more to Blow. There is a father/son relationship, a couple of romances and stories of friendship and brotherhood. But because Blow runs a mere two hours, much of Demme's sprawling epic feels underdeveloped.

This isn't to say that Blow is bad. That's hardly the case. It's full of fantastic elements. Johnny Depp turns in one of the best performances of his career as Jung. Ray Liotta is also incredible as Jung's understanding father. Perhaps too understanding. Blow also features a strong supporting cast including; Molla, Suplee, Cliff Curtis, Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee Wee Herman), and Bobcat Goldthwait. Most of the women of Blow are portrayed as unpleasant. Rachel Griffiths is terrific as Jung's hypocritical mother while Spanish sensation Penelope Cruz shows up as Jung's drug addicted wife. Cruz puts forth a valiant effort, but comes up short in an underwritten, seemingly one dimensional role.

Demme and writers David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes are obviously fans of Martin Scorcese's Goodfellas and Brian DePalma's Scarface, as they show Jung's turbulent journey to find the American Dream. I also like the fact that we see first hand why Jung has chosen to do what he does. Interestingly, it is the quieter moments of Blow that I really like best. Particularly the relationship between Jung and his father. These moments provide unexpected poignancy.

While Demme has made some great movies (see The Ref or Monument Avenue) Blow certainly marks a departure for the director. He shows confidence and true potential with his profession. Unlike P.T. Anderson (who went completely overboard with Magnolia), Demme knows the definition of restraint. Blow pulsates with an energetic rhythm and seems to know when to back off a bit.

Ultimately, Blow is about a man who is so blinded by power and money, he forgets what's really important in life. As a result, Jung often found himself alone, and unable to know who to trust. This may seem like a been-there-done-that sort of theme, but lessons learned in Blow, are painted in refreshingly subtle tones. Again, my big complaint with Blow is it's running time. I think studios have become a bit worried with the length of their films. Hell, if the movie works, give it room to breathe. As it stands, Blow is a really good film, but just as the that famous white powder, it loses it's potency when it's cut.