Factual error: The year is 1969 when they steal the first aircraft (single engine Cessna), and there is a 757 taking off in the background. The 757 first flew on 02-19-82. (00:22:05)
Continuity mistake: At the end of the movie just after Johnny Depp makes his last run of drugs back, he is seated at a table with a curtain at his back. The curtain is split open and if you look close you can see someone standing behind the curtain - their hands are clasped together. Then as Johnny Depp goes to the bathroom and comes back the person is still there then he quickly walks away as Johnny Depp sits down.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where George is in California measuring the purity of the cocaine there is a topless woman with a blue bikini bottom in the background. The trouble is in the first shot she walks from right to left and sits down and then in the second shot she again walks from right to left and proceeds to sit in a different chair. This all happens within the span of a few seconds.
Factual error: There is a reference to Hampshire College in a section of the film dealing with opening the drug trade on the east coast. The date is 1968 when the event occurs. Hampshire College was not founded until 1970.
Continuity mistake: In the hotel in Miami just before George gets shot, the scene starts with the camera on its side and the first thing that you see is a late model Ford van possibly 1997 model. Odd for a scene that occurred in the 70s.
Visible crew/equipment: When George goes to the East Coast (to send more drugs) in a motor home, you can see the camera crew members through the reflection of the windshield.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where George and Mirtha first meet at the party, there is a segment where they are talking. During the scene, Mirtha's hair goes from full (the Farrah Fawcett 70s style) to flat, back to full again, then flat, etc. Her hair changes back and forth between each frame change.
Factual error: When George and Tuna travel to Mexico early in the film (set in late 60s at this point) they go to a plantation to buy marijuana. They arrive there in a Volkswagen bus, but this model was manufactured after 1972, known to enthusiasts as a "late bay".
Continuity mistake: In the scene where George has just been released from jail for the first time he calls Diego from a payphone but all he does is insert quarters, he never dials a phone number.
Continuity mistake: When George arrives home to the apartment he shares with his "large" friend, his friend is there on the couch. His flatmate is lying on the floor. Each scene shows him still lying down, but sometimes he's moved right, sometimes left.
Continuity mistake: In the scene were Depp is in Mexico or maybe Columbia on a hot day, the guy he is with has a big sweat stain under his arm. After another scene he is totally dry, then in another scene he sweating again.
Continuity mistake: Near the end of the film when Johnny Depp's lawyer brings him the tape recorder he has a cigarette pack on either side. After the lawyer leaves the room and he pulls the recorder towards him, both cigarette packs are on the same side of the tape recorder.
Continuity mistake: When George calls Derek on New Year's Eve, George's wife places her champagne down next to him when she approaches him. The movie cuts back to Derek, then goes back to George, and the wife places her glass down again.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Paul Reubens is smoking a joint and holding it with a roach clip, the length of the joint changes sizes throughout the scene. At one point it is almost completely gone, then the camera focuses on Reubens and the joint is only about half gone, then goes back to being almost completely gone in when the camera cuts back.
Continuity mistake: In a scene where Johnny Depp is at the dinner table at his parents house, there is a close-up of Depp holding a lit cigarette. Then the next shot shows him take an unlit cigarette out of his mouth and light it up.
Continuity mistake: When George and Tuna and friends go to Mexico to buy pot, the Mexican guy who comes up to George has his long hair pulled back in a ponytail. When they turn around for George to follow him, his hair is worn long and loose.
Factual error: When George goes to meet Pablo Escobar, Pablo and George speak in English. As far as I know, the real Pablo Escobar spoke little or no English; certainly not enough to hold a conversation.
Continuity mistake: While George is arrested and talking with his lawyer, he puts the folder on the table. In the next shot the folder moves by itself.
Chosen answer: A star's screen time does not equate to what position they are billed at on a film. It generally relates to the selling power of their name. The film's main star would obviously be Depp. Cruz however would still be higher than people like Liotta, Reubens, etc. as her name is more known. It also helps with selling the film to audiences than just a one actor film.
Lummie ★