I am a 48 year old married man with two children aged 18(boy) and 16(girl).I enjoy reading, buying a...
I am a 48 year old married man with two children aged 18(boy) and 16(girl).I enjoy reading, buying and selling(anything) films,food and music, especially soul/Motown. I also have a long haired Chihuahua who is my shadow
Member since:29.01.2001
Reviews:67
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This film will not suit everyone, of that I am quite sure. It is a film that sends out a strong message, that the war against Drug Trafficking can never be won. That fact alone left me thinking about the whole issue of Drug legalisation and whether that would make any difference to the situation.
The film stars Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta Jones. Another surprise - if you think you are going to see some on screen chemistry between them, wrong, the never appear in the same scene together.
If you were expecting a ouzi shoot out in every scene, again you will be disappointed. The film is so well put together that it doesn't actually need to include the usual high body count to enhance it.
The film has 3 seperate plots. Firstly we have Michael Douglas (a very underrated actor) playing the part of the USA's new Drug Czar. His mandate is to make a serious difference to the flow of Drugs entering the country. The more questions he asks the more he realises that he has be given a hopeless and impossible task. Such is the amount of money involved in the production and supply of Drugs throughout the world that it will never be erradicated. Some people will be caught and punished but for every one of those there will be another ten to take their place.
Money also buys power and protection. Many of the drug producing countries are corrupt from top to bottom. To try and make a stand against them is to virtually sign your own death warrant.
Michael Douglas's situation is made worse when he discovers that his 16 year old daughter has become the latest addition to the drug taking culture.This obviously puts him in an impossible situation.
The second plot centres around the Drug Baron husband of Catherine Zeta Jones. He is arrested for conspiracy to supply a huge amount of Class A Drugs and is remanded in Prison. Zeta Jones has to face up to the reality that her husband is a Drug Baron rather than the successful businessman she thought he was. Her life is turned upside down and she finds herself having to become involved herself in order to survive.
The third plot centres on two Mexican Policemen. They stumble on a huge consignment of Drugs but before they can take possession of it and receive the praise for their work, they are outranked and outmanouvred by the Mexican army who take it themselves. The General in charge makes out to be the only person seriously fighting the Drugs Cartels but we later find out that all is not what it seems.
Remember what I said earlier about money and corruption.
If you like to watch a film rather than follow the action then I recommend this to you. Its slow pace may not be to everyones liking but as the plot unfolds I found the message it was giving becoming more and more obvious.
I can certainly see why the film received so many rave reviews and in my view it deserves them for having the courage to dare to be different.
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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
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
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: Some of the best character acting seen in years, particularly in the smaller parts. Disadvantages: Dull, slow, annoying, over-long, too complicated, no real ending, over-the-top direction....the list is almost endless
superpricee 20.08.2001 (21.08.2001)
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Review of Traffic (DVD)
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)