A dense film at 147 minutes;it addresses the issue of illegal drug trade in The States. It is a unique in that it is told from four perspectives-user,politician ,trafficker and enforcer. It does not however show the characters meet.
Soderbergh had a difficult time getting the project off the ground. Finally USA films took the bait and he was off and running. In fact he elected to operate the camera himself. This provided the film with its naturalistic look. He also wanted to shoot each of the four stories differently so that the audience could clearly tell them apart.
We are taken on an intimate journey with each of these characters. One of the first scenes to illustrate this is with the politicians (Michael Douglas) daughter played by the haunting Erika Christensen of "Swim fan" fame. We are introduced to a private school girl who is having more than a weekend dalliance with drugs. After freebasing some coke we see her float in the shower with an expression that screams "this must be what Heaven's like". I hear that type of non verbal performance the most.
There is no denying the cops and the villians crucial part in this movie. For me there were memorable scenes with the crooked cops and their Tarantino like Banter. With Benicio Del Toro at the helm I felt assured justice would prevail. He beautifully demonstrated his own internal conflict with the omnipresent drug war and ongoing frustration and restlessness with members of the FBI undercover unit.
I remember grimacing that Catherine Zeta Jones was in this movie. I could not understand how she could possibly fit in. Wasnt she that pouty,talentless,Welsh Gold Digger?.
Catherine had a small part to play here but scored a home run and my eternal allegiance to her.
Growing up in a private school environment,I was surrounded by mothers that were were overfed and disillusioned, I knew this character well. She did too and hit the ball out of the park.If she wasn't maintaining her facade, she was talking about how "duck is so fattening" at her ladies lunch. She was perfect.
The movie takes many routes. We are not spared a fathers worst nightmare in one of the movies final scenes. How his lifes work to preserve justice is futile when the rot has clearly set in his OWN house. No one is safe.
I like a director to go all the way. With subject matter like this ,there is no point in sugar coating it. Soderbergh did a magnificent job with the script. His frenzied cinamatography, precise casting and flexible pallete put this movie in clear oscar contention Does "Traffic" give us a hope? Not really. It does tell the truth. This is ALWAYS a good thing.
For a stirring tribute to the drama and the imagery of the film,please see flic. (spot all the special guest stars)
Jax
Hear! Hear!, it's a great piece of work, and you made your point succinctly and with passion, Jax.
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