Rating: R
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 12/27/2000(USA
Release Date: 03/03/2009
Flags: Violence, Brief Nudity, Not For Children, Profanity, Substance Abuse, Sexual Situations, Drug Content, Watch With Your Teen, Youth Substance Use
Distributor/Studio: Alliance Canada
Described by director
Steven Soderbergh as "
Nashville meets
The French Connection," this multi-character drama explores the effects of international drug trafficking on all fronts: from their source, to the U.S. border, to the federal government, to the private lives of users. Based upon a miniseries originally aired on Britain's Channel 4,
Traffic divides its time among three main storylines and almost a dozen locales. The first and primary plot thread, set in Ohio and Washington, D.C., concerns freshly-appointed drug czar Robert Wakefield (
Michael Douglas), whose enthusiasm for his new prestige position is quickly offset when he realizes his 16-year-old daughter Caroline (
Erika Christensen) is graduating from recreational drug use to habitual abuse -- a secret that his wife, Barbara (
Amy Irving), has kept from him. South of the border, Mexican cop Javier Rodriguez (
Benicio Del Toro) attempts to wage his own war on drugs, heading off a cocaine shipment in the middle of the desert with his less-than-virtuous partner Manolo Sanchez (
Jacob Vargas). Surrounded by corruption, Javier approaches the drug war with an attitude of patience and compromise, which opens him up to investigation from General Arturo Salazar (
Tomas Milian), the country's dubious drug-enforcement liaison to the U.S. Meanwhile, San Diego drug kingpin Carlos Alaya (
Steven Bauer) is caught in a sting operation spearheaded by DEA agents Montel Gordon (
Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (
Luis Guzman), leaving behind his very pregnant and very oblivious wife, Helena (
Catharine Zeta-Jones). At the behest of Carlos' lawyer and shady confidante, Arnie Metzger (
Dennis Quaid), Helena decides to carry on the family business -- with tragic consequences. Adapted by
Rules of Engagement scribe
Stephen Gaghan,
Traffic marked Soderbergh's second major release in 2000 after the critical and box-office success of
Erin Brockovich, as well as his second feature as cinematographer (credited under the pseudonym Peter Andrews). A favorite with various guild and critics' awards,
Traffic won four Academy Awards in 2001, including statues for Best Supporting Actor (
Del Toro) and Best Adapted Screenplay (
Gaghan), and surprise wins for
Steven Mirrone's editing and
Soderbergh's direction.
~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
;)
