The Screen Addict Recommends – 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗹 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱)

A Top List of greatest Gangster / Crime films usually features titles like 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 (𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟮), 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 (𝟭𝟵𝟴𝟯), 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘀 (𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟬) and 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 (𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟱).

I’m not here to debate the validity of such entries – on the contrary – but one of my favorite Crime-flicks is rarely on the list.

Very high in 𝘮𝘺 Top-whatever, would be Ted Demme’s excellent 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘄 (𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟭), the biography of Joe-Schmoe-Turned-Joe-Blow George Jung.

I was reminded of how much I love 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘄 when I was binging the deliciously entertaining doc 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗹 on prime video & amazon mgm studios the other day.

Produced by Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 makes an awesome double feature with the Johnny Depp - Penélope Cruz starrer, which is also available on Prime in most territories.

The similarities between these two True-Crime stories are quite striking.

Both feature likable, seemingly unremarkable young men from working-class backgrounds who somehow become cocaine kingpins.

The emotional core of both stories is the father-son relationship. The scene in 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘄 in which Ray Liotta tells Depp “you’d have been great at anything” has me in tears every single time, and 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸’s Owen Hanson appears to have a similar bond with his blue-collar dad.

Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on your morals – both 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘄’s Jung and 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸’s Hanson end up losing everything, including their freedom. But then again, I’ve never heard of a happily retired drug lord…

In any event – seek out 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, it is well made and great fun. I doubt we’ll ever see a feature adaptation because the story is just too similar to 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘄, but there are enough fascinating characters in there to fill at least ten spin-off documentaries.

Here’s to everyone whose ambitions far exceeded their talents.

#thescreenaddict #film #tv #celebrateart