Traffic (Widescreen Special Edition)

 

 

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As you may already know Traffic is a movie about the U.S. drug problem that deals with the issue on all fronts. Traffic is not really an action movie or a drama but it has elements of both. It is more like a fictionalized documentary showing how drugs affect cops, politicians, families, and many others on both side of the border.

Traffic's plot consists of three interwoven tales that all focus on the issue of drugs. Benecio del Toro plays a mexican cop that struggles to fight two immense drug cartels. Catherine Zeta Jones plays a naive, pregnant wife that is thrown off the deep end into drugs when her husband gets arrested for drug trafficking. Michael Douglass plays a newly promoted politician whose job is to lead the fight on the war on drugs. There are many other supporting roles that delicately fill in the gaps between the three basic situations.

Traffic is unique in that there no lead roles in the move. Each story is given equal face time and importance. The notorious color differentiation between the stories is clever, but really nothing more. Overall this movie is very informative and revealing of the actualities of the war on drugs. Much of it is common sense but many subtle contradictions and fallacies are exposed that show why the current policy cannot work (an example is the emphasis of curtailing the dealers and Topher Grace's character explains why dealers are a product of the demand for goods and not vica-versa)

Overall, I found traffic to be an excellent and revealing movie. However, this movie does seem to possess that polarizing effect on people. So, I suggest shoveling out a few bucks to rent it and give it a try.

Traffic(released Dec/2000) sports a high powered cast with a very compelling storyline that has more than a few messages to impart to us about the so called "war" on drugs,in this case,between the U.S. and Mexico.Based on the /89 British mini-series,with another mini-series made in the U.S. in 2004,director Steven Soderbergh first pitched and wooed Fox films for backing.But due to their differences Fox dropped the project and USA films picked it up.There were still minor difference to iron out but in the end Soderbergh got full control over the project and what a job he did.Who could go wrong with a powerhouse cast of the likes of Michael Douglas,Benecio Del Toro,Luis Guzman,Don Cheadle,Catherine Zeta Jones,Dennis Quaid,Salma Hayek,Amy Irving,Albert Finney,James Brolin,Benjamin Bratt and many more.
The plot has three simultaneous stories unfolding, each touching the other ever deeper as the film winds its way to the end.First there are the two Mexican state policemen,Javier Rodriguez(Del Toro) and his partner Manolo Sanchez(Vargas) and the drug war between two drug cartels in and around Tijuana,Mexico;between the Juarez Cartel and the Obregon Brothers Cartel.Enters General Salazar(Tomas Milian)supposedly working for the army and the government but in reality being used by the Juarez cartel to snuff out the Obregons.The General puts the squeeze on Javier and Manolo and they are soon working for him.But eventually they both start filtering info to the U.S. government,with Manolo getting taken out for his efforts by the General.Eventually Salazar himself,with Javiers info,is taken down as his corruption is revealed to the media on both sides of the border.
The second story involves an Ohio judge(Douglas) who is appointed to a presidential taskforce on drug control.As he familiarizes himself with the formidable task before him,the drug war he is fighting is closer to his home than he thinks.Their daughter Caroline(Erika Christensen)needs for nothing,lives in a beautiful home and goes to a private school.However along with several classmates,she is deeply involved with drugs.Her life spins faster and faster out of control with her parents apparently unable,too busy or just in plain denial,to do anything about it.In the end her father tracks her down to a sleazy motel room and finds her naked in a bed,higher than a kite.He takes her home and both she AND her parents attend recovery meetings with her faithfully.The judge gives up his position as the head of the task force to deal with his daughters problems.
The third story involves two DEA agents by the names of Montel Gordon(Cheadle) and Ray Castro(Guizman).The two become involved in the take down of a local businessman Eduardo Ruiz(Miguel Ferrer),who runs a local storage facility but is a front for drug smuggling.The bust goes down but just as the DEA swoops in,local law enforcement,unaware of each others involvement,gets the jump on them.The confusion caused,almost allows Ruiz to escape.Ruiz eventually decides to turn his drug boss over in exchange for immunity.His boss is also a local businessman,Carlos Ayala(Steven Bauer)and when he gets taken down his wife(Jones)is left to fend for herself.On a jail visit he tells her about a painting in their study.She investigates and finds the names of local contacts including a hitman and several out of country accounts he has.When she is threatened by a rep from the Mexican drug cartel for a money debt,the Obregan cartel in fact,she decides to pay a visit to them personally.She smuggles in pre-molded cocaine which is totally undetectable by sniffer dogs or any agents;this one being in the shape of a toy.In exchange for this new way of smuggling drugs she asks for total control of the drug distribution in the U.S.from the cartel,forgiveness of the money her husband owes and to take out Ruiz,the DEA witness.The deal is made and in short order Ruiz is dispatched through simple food poisoning.Because of this the DEA's case is dropped and Ayala is set free.However the DEA still plugs away as agent Gordon crashes Ayala's homecoming party,planting a bug under his study desk.
The subject of drug trafficking is a sordid and complicated mess.The movie amply points out that the drug lords have more of EVERYTHING when it comes to resources than any government agency.The well known corruption of the Mexican government both state and local is also fleshed out.The so called"war" is anything but;more like a rout in reality.Money buys alot and the government not only has to contend with the Mexican drug trade but also their tentacles,which stretch into the very fabric of North American society from those that sell it(from the big shots to the little guys on the street)to the buyers themselves.Soderbergh does a masterful job unfolding all three stories and in a non-complicated manner.This film won four Academy awards and it is not surprising to see why.
Technically speaking this print was made from a new digital transfer,with the Spanish subtitles presented as they were in the original U.S.prints,as per the directors request.It is in its original a/r of 1:85:1 and is clear and crisp.The soundtrack was mastered from the original 24 bit master and includes Dolby 2.1 and 5.1.There are two discs.The first contains,the movie,three commentaries,two music cues not included in the film,and more.The second disc includes:25 deleted scenes with commentary,a look at making the Mexican film sequences,an editing demo,dialogue editing demo,theatrical and TV trailers,30 minutes of additional footage(this film was originally 180 minutes),and more.It is all housed in a two section snap case with a small booklet included.
All in all a highly recommended film.No wonder that the film won four Academy awards with this cast and great storyline.And of course as I always say:A Criterion release is a superior release,so you know you are getting the best.

I have finally seen this film in it's entirety and I like to say that `Traffic' is a richly entertaining epic that recalls the great works of the 1970s, when directors like Robert Altman and Francis Ford Coppola engaged mass audiences with works of genuine substance. Soderbergh works on a larger canvass than he's ever done before, bouncing several characters and plot-lines against and off each other, so that images and themes rhyme and echo. Although the subject matter is drug trafficking, this is not an "issues" movie per se. Instead, it's a profoundly affecting dramatic thriller where the destructive forces of drugs cut across different sections of society.

Some will say that it takes too long, or that some of the scenes are a bit slow. But does everything go fast paced in real life? It just tries to sketch a realistic view of handling with drugs. And maybe there isn't a lot of action going on, but that's not the goal of the movie.

This film has an amazing ensemble cast where everybody is working at the top of their game. However, Benicio Del Toro definitely stands out with the breakthrough performance. I don't think it's accidental that the movie begins and ends with shots of him. He plays Javier Rodriguez, a Mexican police officer caught in a futile and corrupt system, and it's as compelling of a character as Michael Corleone. Del Toro is exceptionally relaxed and subtle, keeping his thoughts and feelings private from the other characters in the films, but sharing it with the camera. Del Toro navigates the audience through a world of impossible choices and moral corruption, quietly simmering with intense conflict just beneath the surface. Benicio's been an indie stalwart for years and this film shot his stock through the roof.

Michael Douglas is also terrific, adding another strong performance to his gallery of flawed men in power. He shows genuine fear and vulnerability in a harrowing scene in which he searches for his daughter in a drug dealer's den. I've never seen Erika Christensen before, but she makes an impressive debut. Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman are as loose, limber and spontaneous as ever, providing plenty of comic relief as well as keeping it real. Catherine Zeta-Jones takes a complete 180 from her past roles and admirably plays against her looks, appearing very pregnant while thrown into gritty surroundings. Dennis Quaid is appropriately slimy as a corrupt lawyer.

Anybody who is starved for a genuine piece of film making should breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy Soderbergh's engaging film.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Flat out, lousy movie-making
This is a frustrating film for many reasons. Firstly the schizophrenia of the plotlines is poorly done and distracting. Read more

Published on Jun 14 2004 by James Terrell

5.0 out of 5 stars Traffic, not your typical Half Baked
this movie ruled. the shaky camera and grittyness is awesome. but instead of some review on how it is an academy award brilliant film of substance abuse,etc i will tell you how... Read more

Published on Jun 8 2004 by itscashed

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting look at drugs
"TRAFFIC" is three interwoven stories about the drug trade and its impact on people. It attempts toshows how drugs can affect everybody connected to the drug dealers... Read more

Published on Jun 2 2004 by William

3.0 out of 5 stars Traffic: Hierarchizing America in the U.S.-Mexico Binary
Traffic opens with a banner on the screen announcing the filmic location to be Mexico, "twenty miles southeast of Tijuana. Read more

Published on May 9 2004 by Carl Wilkins

2.0 out of 5 stars dude
dude this movie was HILARIOUS!!! its about this dude, and he couldnt find his car

Published on April 30 2004 by Yohance McDouglas

5.0 out of 5 stars Great director, great team, one wrong cut.
This film is truly a team film, because it does not have any true lead. All actors are supporting each other. Read more

Published on Mar 28 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Grim reality: the failure of the war on drugs
As I look down this list of reviews I can't help but feel like some people missed out on the point of the movie. Yes it has brilliant cinematography and casting. Read more

Published on Feb 27 2004 by Seg Arch

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but...
I liked this movie. The out of sequence telling is different and keeps your interest up from beginning to end. Read more

Published on Feb 18 2004 by K. J. Blake

4.0 out of 5 stars Hard hitting.. brilliant
There is no doubt in my mind that Steven Sodeburgh's "Traffic" is one of the best movies ever made on underworld. Read more

Published on Feb 7 2004 by mayuresh

5.0 out of 5 stars Traffic
I had went to theaters to see this movie. Mainly because the previews said it was a knockout, brilliant, and in every critics top 10 list. Read more

Published on Feb 6 2004 by TheDVDReviewer

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