Traffic (2000)

a brilliant multi-leveled film by Steven Soderbergh, director of "Sex, Lies, And Videotape"

Director: Steven Soderbergh

 

Winner of the Oscar for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Supporting Actor (Benicio del Toro)

 

It was adapted from a miniseries that aired on BBC 4. The story was transplanted to the United States and Mexico. Various storylines unfold simultaneously. Mexican police officers Javier Rodriguez (del Toro) and his partner Manolo Sanchez arrest some drug traffickers in the desert.  They are interrupted by General Salazar who decides to hire them to do undercover work to apprehend a notorious hitman, Francisco Flores.  At the same time, Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) is a judge in Ohio, who becomes the new US drug czar. Unfortunately, his daughter Caroline (Erika Christensen) who is a top honors student at a private school, becomes locked into a world of freebasing. This fact causes him problems.

 

A third story line evolves in San Diego where DEA agents Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Castro (Luis Guzman) are trying to unravel the world of Carlos Ayala (Stephen Bauer) who is indicted by a tough prosecutor at the behest of Wakefield. His pregnant wife Helena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) only learns of his true profession during his trial.

 

It is a complex film, featuring many legendary actors such as Albert Finney, Jim Brolin, Amy Irving, Dennis Quaid and many others (including real U.S senators).

 

The film has a different look when the story is in Mexico as opposed to the U.S.  Photgraphy was done by Soderbergh, under the name of Peter Andrews.  Music by Cliff Martinez is atmospheric and hypnotic. The usage at the end of the film of An Ending (Ascent) by Brian Eno is very effective.