Life is tough. Happily ever after happens only in fairy tales. Actually, reality bites.

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Luckily we have films which momentarily takes us away from the harsh truths of life. They inspire and sometimes tell us, all’s not bad. Everyone likes to watch the rise of a defeated man. His strength to bounce from one failure to another tells us about the invincible human spirit. It rocks.

Emerging from the twists and turns of life some decisions go wrong. Mostly, films about rags to riches are appreciated. There are stories of loss so compelling they make one view the story in awe.

Blow: A young George Jung has a loving family but no money on the East Coast. His father tells him, money is not everything. But George is too ambitious to understand. On growing up, he moves to West Coast, California. George figures out that the best way to make money is by selling Marijuana. And so he ties up with a dealer. He expands his network up till East Coast.

America is partying and the demand is rising. George cuts the middlemen and dealers, and strikes a deal with the weed farmers. He’s rich and powerful. After some close encounters with the police, he starts dealing in cocaine, gaining influence. He makes enemies on his way after he steals his business partner’s fiancé. Jung is ousted by his friends and associates that gives him a chance to live a clean life with the dough from dope. Jung now has a daughter and watches her grow.

However, at his daughters fifth birthday all his former associates, richer now, come to meet him. This gives the police a chance to nab the who’s who of the drug mafia. George Jung is busted. George wanted to be loved by his daughter. He plans one last deal. But he’s trapped again. As he grows old in the jail he yearns to see her daughter who never visits him. The film is directed by Ted Demme starring Johnny Depp as George Jung.

The Hurricane: Based on the autobiography of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, the film is directed by Canadian director Norman Jewison starring Denzel Washington as the protagonist. Carter had a troubled and a violent childhood. At the age of 10, a minister tries to molest carter. He stabs him but the minister survives to make sure that young Carter is locked in jail. Carter resorts to violence when teased in jail by inmates much elder to him.

His aggression makes way to World Middleweight Boxing Championship. When he was just short of achieving the title he’s wrongly convicted for triple murder. Carter desperately tries to prove his innocence for years, but to no avail. Carter losses all hope. He pens an autobiography The 16th Round. An African-American boy is moved by his tale and contacts Carter’s friends. They try to get him exonerated. But the racist system is not interested to listen a black man’s travesty.