Traffic (2000)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers (WGA):

Simon Moore (miniseries Traffik)
Stephen Gaghan (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 January 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

No One Gets Away Clean

Plot:

A conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is an addict.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Teenage Daughter | Judge | Witness | Mexico

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 59 wins & 57 nominations

Cast

Benicio Del Toro	...	Javier Rodriguez
Jacob Vargas	...	Manolo Sanchez
Andrew Chavez	...	Desert Truck Driver
Michael Saucedo	...	Desert Truck Driver
Tomas Milian	...	General Arturo Salazar
Jose Yenque	...	Salazar Soldier / The Torturer
Emilio Rivera	...	Salazar Soldier #2
Michael O'Neill	...	Lawyer Rodman
Michael Douglas	...	Robert Wakefield
Russell G. Jones	...	Clerk
Lorene Hetherington	...	State Capitol Reporter #1
Eric Collins	...	State Capitol Reporter #2
Beau Holden	...	DEA Agent - CalTrans
Peter Stader	...	DEA Agent - CalTrans
James Lew	...	DEA Agent - CalTrans

Also Known As:

Traffic - Die Macht des Kartells (Germany)
Traffik (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive drug content, strong language, violence and some sexuality.

Runtime:

147 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:18 | Germany:16 (f) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

A-1 Self Storage, 1190-B W. Morena Boulevard, San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Bedford Falls Productions

Trivia:

When a critic commented that it seemed unrealistic that the daughter's high school record was almost perfect when she was taking drugs, screenwriter Stephen Gaghan pointed out that the high school record in the movie was his and that he had been abusing drugs at the time.

Goofs:

Continuity: The last name of actor Peter Riegert is spelled two different ways in the credits. The first time it appears on screen at the end of the movie it's Reigert, which is wrong. The second time, Riegert, is right.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Javier Rodriguez: [in Spanish] Last night I had an ugly nightmare.
Manolo Sanchez: [in Spanish] Oh yeah? What happened, man?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Soundtrack:

An Ending (Ascent)

One of the greatest ensembles of all time collaborate..

One of the greatest ensembles of all time have collaborated on one of the greatest films of all time. The acting in this is first-rate and brilliant, and if one of these actors had been left out, this movie could not have been what it was. I was a huge Benicio Del Toro before, but this movie has sent me into obsession. He is spectacular as a Mexican cop who is forced to make a moral dilemma. Michael Douglas seemed right at home in his man in power role, this time the President's new drug czar, but it was refreshing to see him have emotions. It was also refreshing to see Catherine Zeta-Jones as something besides a pretty face. She was tremendous as a San Diego wife who finds out her husband's "true" life. Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman provided some humor and yet some serious and emotional points as well. Jacob Vargas was enjoyable as Del Toro's partner in Mexico. However, for me the real stand out in this film has got to be Erika Christensen, who plays the drug czar's (MD)addicted daughter. She will be a force to be reckoned with.

One of the best parts of this film was the cinematography, the color choices made by Soderbergh were absolutely astonishing. The colors represent feelings about the towns involved. The "dustiness" of Mexico shows us all how difficult a life it is below the border. The "blue" of Cincinatti, shows how upsetting life can be with drugs in it. While the "normalness"of San Diego and La Jolla, show how this could be Anytown USA involved in this phenomenon. The way Soderbergh and film editor Stephen Mirrone allowed these scenes to flow was a highlight that any movie would love to have.

This will one day be on the next top 100 of all time list because of it's message and sheer enjoyment. For me this two and half hour film sped by in no time and I was sad to see it end. The one thing this movie has that others have not, is the fact that it has America talking about a situation that needs to be discussed. If you want to see a movie with an excellent cast, cinematography, direction, and an important message, that isn't preached at you, this is the one that should be chosen.