Author: ChadPolenz@aol.com Subject: Review: Traffic (2000) Approved: graham@ee.washington.edu Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews Organization: None X-Questions-to: graham@jetcity.com X-Submissions-to: graham@ee.washington.edu Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Summary: r.a.m.r. #28089 Keywords: author=polenz
Traffic a film review by Chad Polenz
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
A top judge from Ohio is selected to be the new head of the DEA and learns the ropes of America's war on drugs while at the same time having to deal with the fact his own daughter is an addict. Several other subplots intertwine with this story including a pair of detectives who have brought down a local drug dealer and need him to testify against an even bigger trafficker whose wife never knew what he REALLY did for a living. Also, a fearless Mexican police officer plays both sides of the law against each other while he unknowingly helps one drug lord wipe out the top rival. There is no one central plot to the film, just these three stories overlapping with dozens of supporting characters playing vital roles.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT:
Top-notch performances by the cast give the serious-as-a-heart attack story even more depth and credence. Direction by Steven Soderbergh is magnificent in successfully bringing all the characters and stories together combined with superb cinematography. Each subplot is shot in a unique way giving them their own mood and motif - quite a risky move for such a mainstream Hollywood movie. If "Traffic" isn't great for its powerful and relevant theme it at least works as an entertaining character drama reminiscent of Paul Thomas Anderson's style.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD ABOUT IT:
The notion of the nation's top drug czar the clueless father of a junkie is trite, forced and quite unbelievable at times. The message this film is trying to send comes across loud and clear, but usually it's subtle themes that make great movies truly great. Later, when we see Michael Douglas (the czar) driving through the ghettos looking for his daughter it's hard not to laugh at him. He's driving around in his Mercedes assuming that since he is in the bad part of town it's a guarantee that's where his daughter will be.
The subplot involving the two detectives and their key witness is utterly predictable and when the good housewife suddenly becomes the kingpin in her husband's absence it's also quite difficult to swallow. And the third-string plot about the Mexican cop is kind of confusing.
OVERALL CRITIQUE:
Soderbergh's direction is excellent but another draft of the screenplay would really have smoothed out the many bumps in the story. At least all the actors are excellent in their respective roles, making even the most hackneyed scenes come off as serious and realistic as they are intended.
This film could have been a masterpiece but the final cut can't balance the poignant theme with the need to cram in so many characters, so many storylines and a few too many typical Hollywood stunts and gimmicks. At least 20 minutes could have been cut without sacrificing the story or the theme.
Have you ever read an in-depth article in Rolling Stone or the New York Times about the facts of this war? It's astonishing when you realize how much money is spent and how little progress has been made. So many people are in jail for such small drug offenses and so many upstanding members of the law enforcement community have died or suffered in one way or another doing something they have been told is such a noble, worthy cause. This film begs the question, "Is all this effort really worth it? Is this the best way to attack this problem?"
Still, "Traffic" earns high acclaim from me for its courage to tell such a condescending story about the war on drugs so well. This is one of those movies that really makes you think because it has such relevance to the world we live in - you may even recognize the characters and the scenarios from your own life. It's a movie you'll debate your friends and family about - and that's what it wants to do.
GRADE: A-
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