Haven't been here for years... all new and shiny these days.
Haven't been here for years... all new and shiny these days.
Member since:31.10.2000
Reviews:148
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Steven Soderbergh, Hollywoods hottest young director, has produced one of the movies of the year with Traffic. His previous films include the magnificent and fresh Out of Sight (my favourite film of 1998), The Limey and the superb Erin Brockovich; an impressive resume indeed and with Traffic he has enhanced it still further.
The film consists of three loosely connected stories that cover differing aspects of the drug trade in America. Ambitious though it is Soderbergh’s direction keeps the film moving along at a pace that seems to defy the long two and half-hour running time. The exceptional cast all turn in good performances in a film that contains over 100 speaking roles.
The first of the three stories that we are introduced to is based in Mexico. It stars Benicio Del Toro as a cop, Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez, who is caught in a world of corruption that his integrity struggles to combat. Benicio has starred in a range of films including Usual Suspects in which he played Fred Fenster and also the bizarre Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in which he played the drugged-up lawyer, but it is this film that will really put him on the map.
His screen presence is formidable and his portrayal of Javier captures the emotions of a man who whilst driven to combat the two rival drug cartels in Mexico is unsure of how to
do so. He eventually sides with General Salazar, an army man reputed to be the leading drug buster, only to find that Salazars’ aim is merely to destroy one of the cartels and side with the other.
The second story sees Micheal Douglas playing judge Robert Wakefield who is chosen to become Americas new drug enforcement czar. This segment, perhaps the weakest of the three, sees Wakefield travelling the length and breadth of America as well as to Mexico to examine the existing drug problem. He continually talks of the supply and demand problems at one point asking Salazar what his country’s attitude to treating addiction is.
The answer… the addict overdoses and dies… one less addict to worry about. This causes eyebrow raising from Wakefield who is completely unaware that his own 16-year-old daughter, Caroline, is taking increasing stronger drugs and beginning the downward spiral into addiction. When Caroline, who is admirably depicted by Erika Christensen, eventually goes AWOL Wakefield abandons his lofty ambitions to tackle the countries drug problems to concentrate on his family's.
The third thread of the story follows two DEA agents, Montel (Don Cheadle) and Ray (Luis Guzman), who are gradually working their way up the distribution chain in America. This leads to Carlos (Steven Bauer) who is high up in San Diego’s social ladder and whose wife Helena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is left to cope after his arrest. In an amusing shy away from convention Helena who is with threats to her son from unpaid debts and the impending loss of lifestyle and status takes over where her husband left off.
Each of the three stories are uniquely shot by Soderbergh, the Mexican scenes are washed in yellow, steely blue encapsulates Wakefield’s Washington scenes and bright colours are used to depict the DEA agents stake outs of those made affluent from drug dealing. The camera work is, whilst not as extreme as The Blair Witch project, handheld and this adds to the gritty realism of the stories.
There are so many good elements in this film that this review could be almost endless. The intelligent way that the subject matter is examined both, as macro (country) and micro (family) effects, is original and enthralling. The performance by Del Toro is the films most outstanding but without exception the remainder of an accomplished cast produce an unusually high standard. Somehow Soderburgh has managed to encapsulate in a single film, albeit with three stories, many of the major problems with the battle against drug trafficking.
The film intelligently raises a whole hatful of questions and moral dilemmas. For Del Toro the eternal does the end justify the means is thrown up and also how to determine what is the best moral cause of action in a world submersed in corruption. Douglas is offered what is for the government a PR role as drug-enforcement czar which he appears to seize with a certain zest until it becomes clear that if he can’t prevent his own daughter from drug use how can he prevent a country.
The DEA agents are faced with the continual realisation that for all their actions their job is effectively reactive not proactive; as a dealer points out in removing one dealer they are merely helping another. Jones also raises issues as a mother, who is protecting both her family and lifestyle, by continuing her incarcerated husbands business.
Obviously with such an ambitious undertaking there are also negative aspects and for me the ending has been a little too Hollywoodised, it is not sugar coated but slightly sweetened in a way that seems slightly out of kilter with the bleak portrayal of the rest of the film. Also in places the script seems to lose its way and is rescued only by the masterful editing of Soderbergh. These are small gripes and are vastly outweighed by what is an excellent and original film.
It is inevitable that this film will not be universally appreciated, it deals with an uncomfortable subject matter and regularly shows that whilst the fight against drugs is necessary it is a futile battle. The film has an apppealing realism to it, mainly due to the phenomenal research that ensures that it exudes authenticity this is greatly aided by the cinematography and hand-held camera work of Soderbergh. The impressive cast are all in fine form and Del Toro is exceptional. All in all this is a superb film and if you like thought-provoking cinema don’t miss it.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Gregory Hoblit - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Andre Braugher, Jim Caviezel, Noah Emmerich, Dennis Quaid, Shawn Doyle, Elizabeth Mitchell
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Great review, looks like another trip to the cinema is in order for me. Keep up the good work!
deechickster 22.02.2001 12:01
Excellent overview of what seems to be a complicated and intriguing plot. Instantly makes me want to run out and rent it.
flashpointz 02.02.2001 18:57
excellent review Simon - reminds me to get out and see something this weekend. Havent sen anything since Castaway.
By the way the Friday rant certainly seemed to boost yiour readership
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtakingTrafficis a tapestry of ... more
three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. Bold in scope, it showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peer...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Traffic is the Academy Award winning thriller set in the world of drug trafficking, from ... more
the cartels in Mexico to the wealthy dealers across America. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Traffic evokes the high stakes and high risks of the drug trade, as see...
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtakingTrafficis a tapestry of ... more
three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. Bold in scope, it showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peer...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon...
A high-ranking judge with a vendetta against drugs learns his own daughter is a cocaine ... more
addict - a San Diego housewife must suddenly take over her husband's drug dealing business when he is arrested - a Mexican police officer struggles to do the right ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Fantastic acting, original incite into the drug trafficking world. Disadvantages: Not that entertaining. Catherine Zeta Jones looking awful and unconvinving.
Alex1226 26.02.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)
Advantages: Variety of characters. Strong theme. Performances by Del Toro, Cheadle, Christensen & Douglas. Good support. Disadvantages: Heavy going in places. Quite long.
MrRPriest 08.03.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)
![Traffic [DVD] [2001]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78540259.jpg "Traffic [DVD] [2001]")
Jan 30th, 2001
(Apr 3rd, 2001)
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