Compare Prices
Postage & Packaging: £1.​21
Postage & Packaging: £0.​00
Postage & Packaging: £0.​00
SHOPPING > DVDs > Drama > Traffic (DVD) > Reviews

Traffic (DVD)

from (5 offers) · Product Information

Traffic (DVD)

Quote-start

Traffic review

Quote-end

4 Mar 8th, 2001 

14 Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful

Advantages:
Variety of characters .  Strong theme .  Performances by Del Toro, Cheadle, Christensen & Douglas .  Good support .

Disadvantages:
Heavy going in places .  Quite long .

Recommendable Yes:

Detailed rating:

Did you enjoy it?

Story

Characters / Performances

Special Effects

How does it compare to similar films?

MrRPriest

MrRPriest

About me:

I watch as many movies as I can. I'm keen to establish a career in movie journalism. If there's a mo...

Member since:13.02.2001

Reviews:19

Members who trust:2

Traffic encompasses a month in the life of newly elected Drugs Commissioner Robert Wakefield. He is appointed by the President to crack down on the drugs problem in the United States. His first month in charge is an induction period for him to get a feel of what he is up against. At the end of this month, he is to give his first public speech on what he intends to do to help resolve the situation.

The plot incorporates three or four separate stories with a variety of characters. Firstly, we have Javier & Manolo - Mexican police officers investigating the drugs exportation from Mexico to the US, who are drawn into the trafficking culture and pushed to their limit. Secondly, we have Montel & Ray - DEA officers who capture local businessman Eduardo importing the drugs from Mexico. They pressure him into informing them who runs the show in the US.

Eduardo indicates that wealthy businessman Carlos runs the show in the US and he is arrested. As a result of his actions, we meet Carlos' wife Helena, who was unaware of his drug-running activities and is forced to face the consequences. Finally, we have Counsellor Wakefield and his family - his daughter Caroline is slowly becoming addicted to harder drugs without him realising.

Traffic addresses a difficult, but very important, subject. Director Steven Soderbergh chops and changes between the stories to keep the viewer on their toes. The movie is long, but I found myself drawn in by the different plots and characters, so you don't have time to lose attention. At various points in the movie, the characters cross each other's paths, highlighting the fact that everybody is affected by the drugs problem.

The movie shifts from one location to another - from different states in the US to Tijuana, the Mexican city where the drugs are produced. Soderbergh presents Mexico in a very grainy, yellow film that looks rough compared to the blue tinted sleekness of the US. The comparison between the two countries is further added to by the difference in styles of policing the drugs problem. The US spends budgets on a drug czar like Wakefield and gets him to address the issue, whereas Mexico has a couple of cops who are right in the middle of it all.

There are a few performances that immediately warrant a mention. Bendicio Del Toro is good as the smart half of the two Mexican police officers, who is drawn undercover in a brutal drugs army. As always, Don Cheadle is brilliant - this time as Montel Gordon, the smart half of the US DEA officers.

Finally, as Wakefield's studious daughter, Erika Christensen gives a debut performance to die for. Increasingly drugged up to the eyeballs and lost, she goes on the run, resorting to deperate measures to ensure she gets her hit. For me, this is the most intriguing story in the movie - the drugs czar whose own daughter is hooked. At first, his family life takes a back seat so that he can further his career. But, for all the research and meetings that he attends, the experience of losing his daughter to drugs teaches him the most valuable lesson.

Michael Douglas gets better and better throughout the movie. Having started out as a robotic, career-orientated politician, Wakefield becomes the family man as he fights to find his runaway daughter and patch up his marriage. Perhaps the best scene of the movie is when he finally makes his first public address as drugs czar and suddenly realises the enormity of the situation at hand...and walks out.

There are some talented people in the supporting cast - Catherine Zeta Jones as Helena, the jailed drug boss' wife. Luis Guzman as Ray Castro, the DEA partner for Don Cheadle. Miguel Ferrer as Eduardo. Much has been said about the brilliance of Dennis Quaid's performance, but I thought it was not really a noteworthy role.

The movie provides us with optimistic endings for Del Toro, Cheadle and Christensen, whilst highlighting overall just how serious the drug problem is. A pretty powerful piece of movie-making, definitely worth seeing.

 

How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines

exceptional

very helpful

helpful

somewhat helpful

not helpful

off topic

Products you might be interested in »

Far From Heaven (DVD)

Far From Heaven (DVD)

Production Year: 2002 - Drama - Director: Todd Haynes - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Viola Davis, James Rebhorn, Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, Patricia Clarkson

User reviews (7)

Buy now for only £ 2.03

When The Boat Comes In - The Complete Series (Box Set) (DVD)

When The Boat Comes In - The Complete Series (Box Set) (DVD)

(+) Gripping tale of poverty, sex, affairs, theft, sheep stealing, dynamiting buildings.
(-) weak middle part

User reviews (1)

Buy now for only £ 49.93

Frequency (DVD)

Frequency (DVD)

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

User reviews (47)

Buy now for only £ 1.82

Jack And The Beanstalk - The Real Story (DVD)

Jack And The Beanstalk - The Real Story (DVD)

(+) Disc would make a nice Frisbee
(-) Too many to count.

User reviews (4)

Buy now for only £ 0.25

The Day After Tomorrow (DVD)

The Day After Tomorrow (DVD)

(+) Excellent special effects, gripping
(-) Story leaves much to be desired

User reviews (99)

Buy now for only £ 1.98

The Notebook (DVD)

The Notebook (DVD)

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

User reviews (60)

Buy now for only £ 2.96

Comments about this review »

redridinghood 08.03.2001 02:36

good op, thanks!

flashpointz 08.03.2001 02:18

Excellent review of a film I've yet to see. But you have obviously laboured over this piece and given the reader plenty of detail and all in all deserving of a VH

Compare prices for Traffic (DVD) »

1 to 5 out of 5 offers for Traffic (DVD) Show all offers   sorted by: Price 
Traffic [DVD] [2001]

Traffic [DVD] [2001]

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...

amazon marketplace dvd

Postage & Packaging£1.21
AvailabilityUsually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
 Visit Shop  >
amazon marketplace d...
Traffic

Traffic

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...

LOVEFiLM.com

Postage & Packaging£0.00
AvailabilityIn Stock
 Visit Shop  >
LOVEFiLM.com
Traffic-DVD

Traffic-DVD

thehut.com

Postage & Packaging£0.00
AvailabilityIn stock - Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
 Visit Shop  >
thehut.com
Traffic [DVD] [2001]

Traffic [DVD] [2001]

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...

amazon dvd

Postage & PackagingFree!
AvailabilityTemporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon...
 Visit Shop  >
amazon dvd


More reviews »

Traffic (DVD) - review by Edy

Advantages: Strong cast, especialy Don Cheadle
Disadvantages: Ending

Traffic (DVD) - review by Edy Edy 14.02.2001 (14.02.2001) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)

Traffic (DVD) - review by utero

Advantages: good story, directing, acting
Disadvantages: bit complicated

Traffic (DVD) - review by utero utero 05.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)

Traffic (DVD) - review by rushed

Advantages: good acting, very powerfull
Disadvantages: hard to understand, need to watch it a couple of times

Traffic (DVD) - review by rushed rushed 11.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)

Traffic (DVD) - review by rsmall

Advantages: Suprisingly indepth story
Disadvantages: It drags on whebn the story is finished

Traffic (DVD) - review by rsmall rsmall 09.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)

Traffic (DVD) - review by Manx

Advantages: Wonderful cast.
Disadvantages: Lacking in direction.

Traffic (DVD) - review by Manx Manx 03.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Traffic (DVD)



Are you the manufacturer / provider of Traffic (DVD)? Click here