Roll-M: Movie Review |
Traffic (starring Michael Douglas, Luis Guzman, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones; written by Stephen Gaghan, adapted from the U.K. miniseries, “Traffik”; directed by Steven Soderbergh; rated R)
A hard-hitting film centering on corrupt Mexican drug lords and their high-risk world of drug trade, Traffic weaves a number of different characters and their separate stories into a complex tapestry. Although each story is important, the movie is anchored by Michael Douglas as an Ohio State Supreme Court justice and newly appointed federal anti-drug czar. Like the preacher’s son who’s always the hellraiser, Douglas has his hands full with a drug-addicted teenage daughter (convincingly played by Erika Christensen). And while his story is the most central, equal time is given to undercover DEA agents, Mexican cartel overlords, a mid-level drug trafficker and his unsuspecting pregnant wife (Zeta-Jones), and a number of others caught in this dangerous web. Eventually, all the threads are pulled together in a way that is satisfying.
This is not a film for everyone; the “R” rating is well deserved due to the proliferation of drugs and violence. But the pace is non-stop and never loses its audience. Director Soderbergh, acclaimed for his films Sex, Lies, & Videotape and Erin Brockovich, knows how to keep interest level high with his excellent pacing and character development. Traffic gets off to a slow start, but then, so does a 747 rumbling down the runway. Once it takes off and is airborne, you’ll want to stay aboard to its final destination.