DVD Review: Traffic (B+)

Traffic (2000)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Benicio Del Toro, Luis Guzman, Erika Christensen, Don Cheadle
MPAA: R
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

Inspired by the dramatic Traffik miniseries, this entertaining thriller is an excellent rumination on the complexities of the so-called "war on drugs". The always right on target Steven Soderbergh directed this character piece from a script by Stephen Gaghan. Traffic stars Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Erika Christensen and one of our favorite character actors, Luis Guzman (The Limey, Salton Sea, Boogie Nights, Carlito's Way - Rise To Power.

There are several overlapping stories in Traffic, but the main storyline centers around Michael Douglas, who has just been named drug czar for the United States. However as he takes the position he realizes that his daughter is a crack head that is on the road to heroin addiction. Benicio Del Toro (Sin City) plays Javier Rodriguez, a cop in Mexico that is trying to do the right thing yet still survive in a corrupt government system that is holding its people back. Catherine Zeta Jones quite convincingly plays the wife of a lying, drug dealing son of a bitch. In a bit of a surprise move for the script, when her husband falls into trouble she has no problem taking over the business. That impressed me. I guess sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

As you can see, there is an awful lot going on here but Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Solaris, Sex, Lies & Videotape, Full Frontal) does a fantastic job of keeping everything on track. The film runs almost two and a half hours long but the pace is always perfect, and Traffic keeps you enthralled all the way (quite an achievemtent). Even though the story line involving Michael Douglas is a bit ludicrous (what a coincidence that his daughter is strung out as he takes the drug zar post, right?), the Javier Rodriguez storyline and the storyline involving Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Crash) and Luis Guzman as two DEA agents trying to make in a difference work marvelously.

My biggest complaint about Traffic is it's obvious "made for tv" look and feel. Often the colors seem shaded to give it a grainy tv docudrama look, and that must be what they were aiming for, since this is based on a successful mini-series. This style also might be a play on how the drug war is being fought as much in the media as it is on the streets these days. But it lacked the dynamic punch that I was looking for visually.

Traffic has some great performances (especially by Del Toro, who won a best supporting Oscar) and an interesting message. Its an excellent rental, and for fans of Del Toro, Catherine Zeta Jones (The Legend of Zorro, Chicago) or Michael Douglas (I guess there has to be some still out there somewhere) this movie is even worth owning.

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