MovieChat Forums > Blow (2001) Discussion > An alternative theory of this film.

An alternative theory of this film.

posted 8 years ago by gss2
3 replies | jump to latest

This movie is about a guy who got recruited and used by drug traffickers who were working with U.S. government and/or law enforcement. The movie is not about this specifically or openly, but that is definitely what is going on in the story you see on film.

It appears (or so the film suggests though doesn't outright say) that Delgado, who was inspired by real life dealer Carlos Lehder, was working for the man the whole time. So was Señora Jung.

Remember how Delgado (Lehder) was conveniently in the same prison cell, always pestering Jung about what he did to get arrested. Jung lied at first but eventually slipped up. Once Delgado got his teeth into him, he groomed him and brought him up to the very top. Delgado introduces him to his future wife, and basically sets up his whole life from then on.

Delgado was the one who had Jung shot (in an alleged fight) to make Jung talk so that he could steal his connection to Foreal. Jung is immediately cut out of the business. Foreal gets cut out of the business quickly as well and they get arrested the first time that they are together again in years after Jung's wife invites him to their house. When the cops and agents show up, the cocaine they find was placed on the table by Jung's wife. Later, when the two of them were on the run, the wife causes an accident just as they are being followed by the police (Jung had mentioned to her that they were being followed). The thing that makes it suspicious is that, once again, it was Delgado that introduced the woman to Jung.

Both Jung and Foreal get arrested after exiting the business and having all ties severed to Delgado and Escobar. Nobody can figure out how or why law enforcement showed up then. It was seemingly without cause. However, it was Jung who cut them both out before they were arrested to ensure that no cartel people would be involved. If they were still doing business, somebody could wear a wire to a deal and get set up. The wife was also working for the cartel, and both were working with law enforcement.

This also explains why his daughter never showed up. She is the child of a mark. Why would she respect her father enough to want a relationship with him, especially coming from a culture where being scammed is a cardinal offense on the part of the person who was taken for a fool? Why would the ex-wife want her daughter around a guy she scammed? She had the daughter as part of her cover, but has naturally grown attached to her.

This idea of a hidden subplot is not as far fetched as it sounds. It actually has much basis in fact. Watch Kill the Messenger to learn about CIA connections to drug cartels in the 1970s and 1980s. It's real. Read about the real East German "Romeo Agents" who seduce women to gain access to secrets. Somewhere you will inevitably encounter passages on how, while communist states used men in this capacity, western intelligence services used women. This was occurring in Europe at about the same time as Iran-Contra was going on in Central America, which is during the time frame of this film. As for some law enforcement agent being placed in prison to gain access to an inmate being investigated, well you can find mention of that if you google "DEA jobs".

This is my interpretation of this movie. I won't speculate on what really happened to the real Lehder and Jung because I don't know how much of this movie is fictional or dramatized. Lehder could very well be sitting in prison right now for sake of his family, just like the man who (in the movie) was killed by Escobar in front of Delgado and Jung. However, it seems that much has flown over many other viewers' heads.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] countrygurl1990 7 years ago

Very interesting, thank you for sharing this.

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[–] kmags84 7 years ago

Ehh, interesting but when you dig into Lehder's life, how he treated Jung was how he pestered EVERYONE in Jail. Prison is and will always be Con-college. A good childhood friend of mine was the largest Oxy Smuggler in the Northeast, as well as one of the biggest in the Country. He was surrounded by people who wanted to know his entire op, all to do the same some day. They all learn from each other, make connections and pursue the best financial situation for when they get released. It's why a Convict is never an "Ex"... The system is designed to put you back inside.

However, your theory works under the surface regardless. The CIA has always been involved in Drug Smuggling. Opiates are the big mover today. They may say most of the Heroin comes from South America but in reality, it's no surprise that we guard tons of Poppy Fields in Afghanistan. Another issue in the film is the "Nationalization" of the Banks by the Cartels. This was with Poitical Interests in mind. Buying seats in respective Govts and taking control anywhere necessary. Jung was just the story of a man flying airplanes. It's why Critics weren't big on the film. It's really not all the interesting of a story in reality. Many people became rich doing what Jung did. Cocaine Cowboys got into it a little bit. So many planes were coming and going, it was impossible to keep track. GREED is what they all suffered from. Even Lehder... He had a flucking island!!! Worth BILLIONS but it was never enough. If the film got into more of the intricacies of the business, I'd be more inclined to go fully on board with the theory. Demme just didn't do a great job in that department. He used Pablo as the "Wow" Moment and it's still a sharp film but it's mostly surface.