'Allo! I'm not contributing to Ciao for the time being but if you are bored / desperate / weird enou...
'Allo! I'm not contributing to Ciao for the time being but if you are bored / desperate / weird enough to wish to continue to read my ramblings, you can find me on Dooyoo under the user name plipplop. See you around! :P
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I have been waiting for the DVD/video release of Traffic for some time. Having done well at the Oscars and having been universally acclaimed in the press, I was keen to see what all the hype was about. In this day and age, it makes a change for a film without dinosaurs, superheroes or computer game heroines to receive so much attention.
Traffic is without a doubt an excellent film. It is thought provoking, well crafted and well acted and makes for two and half-hours of engaging viewing. Nonetheless, having awaited the release with some anticipation I must say I was slightly disappointed with the end product.
The film is essentially a pseudo-documentary, containing three sub-plots that are all ultimately connected. To give you a decent overview of the plot(s) would be time-consuming and to be honest somewhat unnecessary – it will not be the story that attracts the viewer, but the style and content.
Traffic is a social commentary on the modern day drugs issue. It attempts to share the perspective of the police with that of the politicians, as well as providing an insight into the lives of the dealers and the users. Given the magnitude of the issue, two and a half hours seems like an extremely short period of time in which to
do this, but the film makers have crafted a well-considered story that manages to combine all these elements. Traffic ultimately asks a lot of questions – how the viewer anticipates the answers is a very personal thing.
Michael Douglas provides the politician’s view. A high court judge, who has been seconded into the National Drugs Task Force, Douglas thinks he has all the answers – until he is suddenly confronted with the reality of drugs, when he discovers that his daughter has a serious addiction. Mr Douglas has carved something of a niche for himself in Hollywood, with his portrayal of wealthy businessmen/political figures, but he is ultimately very convincing. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the wife of a wealthy businessman who is arrested upon suspicion of being involved in drugs trafficking. During the film, Jones’ character undergoes something of a personality change – switching from helpless to ruthless virtually overnight. Benicio Del Toro plays a Mexican law enforcement officer who treads the line between right and wrong throughout the film. Del Toro becomes caught in a web of political intrigue and is a subtle, yet striking character throughout the film. A large supporting cast adds an array of colourful and intriguing characters who allow the plot to flourish through clever dialogue.
Where Traffic really excels is through its stylish direction. Many of the film’s sequences are filtered to enhance the location and mood – Mexico is portrayed through gritty, sandy colours whilst in complete contrast, Michael Douglas’ world is portrayed through a cool, stylish blue filter. When the film first started I found the switching between scenes uncomfortable, and difficult to focus upon, but the techniques employed very quickly made the piece more fluid. There are obvious touches of documentary throughout the film, with on screen annotation for location, and one sequence is actually filmed in reportage as though the events we are seeing are part of the evening news bulletin.
Traffic is certainly an adult movie – strong language and violence are relatively frequent but it is probably the images of drug taking and substance abuse that makes the film so hard-hitting. Where this film sets itself above its peers is that the main addict/user is a bright, successful, wealthy young girl as opposed to the stereotypical homeless person or prostitute. Traffic challenges ideas and conventions and tries to show the drugs issue in a new way – and is generally very successful.
Nonetheless, as I stated in my original paragraph I was still a bit disappointed. Having seen the main theatrical trailer I can confirm that Traffic is not like the action/thriller that you may have been fooled into thinking it was. At times, Traffic is very slow – you certainly need to concentrate throughout – and some viewers may never make it past the first twenty minutes. Large sequences of the film are subtitled because the characters speak in Spanish (a feature that I did not particularly appreciate). Furthermore, some of the plot elements are handled as clumsily as any other “dumb” Hollywood movie. The Police attempts at witness protection are as amateur as they possibly could be – which I am sure the US force would be unhappy with. Zeta-Jones transition from clueless to ruthless is rushed and some of the characters are grossly under used (Dennis Quaid’s slippery lawyer springs to mind).
These things aside, Traffic certainly deserves a good share of the praise it has received. It tries hard to be innovative and original and certainly provokes thought and debate when the final credits roll.
Don’t expect an exciting movie – expect something that will make you think.
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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
Really impressive film review, captured it perfectly for me.
kleft 07.09.2002 18:48
Excellent review. Raf :)
DoubleTrouble 11.10.2001 04:01
*Nodding in agreement*..but you'll know that I largely concur with you from my own op. I found it even more disappointing than you did, but it does have its moments. Cheers, J.
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: The acting is very impressive/ editing is brilliant/ good use of colours Disadvantages: Drags on a bit/ not as original I some would have you believe
MrTink12 25.09.2004 ·
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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]")
Jul 29th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
