I am not going to take the time to tell you what this was about. Basically because I have no clue myself. This movie was so freaking hard to follow. It was SO long. I guess I understand. The guy finally realized his family was more important than his job and drugs can have an effect on even the most unsuspecting families and pepole. But holy man make it like and hour and a half amd save me the time. Perhaps if I watch this again it will make more sense to me. This was a good movie I think. They just made it hard to follow. Going from one story to another. Over and over. Give it a try I guess.

Scripted by Stephen Gaghan from an acclaimed BBC miniseries, Steven Soderbergh's Oscar-winning "Traffic" is a hard-hitting, superbly stylized exposé of the war on drugs. Visually slick and masterfully directed, the film works beautifully as an ensemble drama of interconnected vignettes, and as a wake-up call to parents, educators, and clueless officials, highlighting the insidious ways illegal narcotics infiltrate the culture--and the mostly ineffective means we have of rooting them out. An exhilarating reality check that'll keep you hooked.

This story is very interesting and takes a look at the drug trade, and the drugs effect on people in all walks of life. It starts out with grainy, yellowish haze to help enhance a scene in the Mexico desert. Michael Douglas plays Bob Wakefield, a political figure whose position is led to stressful circumstances when his own daughter falls to deep in the very substances he is supposed to be fighting on a National level. Outstanding cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta Jones and Don Cheadle. This is one of those stories that could be considered art on the big screen when it comes to telling an interesting drama that touches on a major issue within our world.

TRAFFIC is the film for lovers of the seamless screenplay brought to the screen with thought, care and professionalism of direction and acting.Three stories all separate and disconnected, but all beautifully bound together in the drug trafficking war.You will not know from one minute to the next where
this is going to wind up.Highly recommended.

CRASH is an excellent companion film as well as THE FRENCH CONNECTION.

Thought provoking, suspenseful, illuminating and candid. Actors love working for Steven Soderbergh and it shows. Each role was well developed and fully realized on screen. This movie is powerful!

I still don't understand the love for Crash, the recent film centering on the racism issue. It seemed like a film that had a couple good ideas but they were featured in a bad movie which makes its win for Best Picture all the more confusing. That film for some reason reminded me of Traffic which centers on another important issue; this one being about the drug war and its effects on addicts and non-addicts. While you can obviously tell Traffic is an important film and it is indeed a good one, it's also slightly marred by erratic pacing and a bit of uninteresting characters.

The film, unlike let's say, Magnolia or Short Cuts, is 3 separate storylines with one thing in common: the drug trade. In one story set in Ohio, Robert Wakefield is the newly-appointed "drug czar" crusading against decreasing the amount of drugs in the country. However, he has a daughter that's quickly starting to get addicted. In San Diego, Helena sees her husband arrested while she's unaware he's a key player in the drug trade with another captured by DEA agents who is going to testify. And finally in Mexico, a highway patrol cop gets involved in the corruption between drug cartels and the want for control of the drugs going in and out of Mexico and the US.

To help the audience differentiate the different places, a color code has been given to each segment. The Wakefield story looks so unbelievably blue that you wouldn't be surprised if character blood looked blue too. San Diego looks more traditional but a bit overexposed making it more brighter while Mexico looks like an indie movie with a very gritty and raw feel and a jittery looking camera. It helps keep track of where you are but like I said, you've never seen skin tones look so blue before; they really overdid it in some cases.

The best storyline is most likely Mexico since it's anchored by Benicio Del Toro who certainly deserved his Oscar. It's also got a more interesting story and a better look to it despite its intentional amateurishness. The one that isn't that great is probably the Wakefield story since it never gripped me all that much. San Diego was alright but nothing to special. Ultimately the problem with the film was that the film just felt slow. Ever watch one of those movies where it feels like you've been watching for longer than the movie is? Not to mention that sometimes one storyline is starting to get interesting then whoosh! off to somewhere else. A similar problem plagued Babel since the Chieko story was ultimately more emotional and gripping than the others. Some will probably disagree and say all stories in Traffic were good but I always groaned slightly when we moved away from Mexico.

It's certainly an ambitious film so not going to argue there and it's a great film at times but I wouldn't say it was my favorite film of 2000.

Traffic is difficult for me to review since I really enjoyed the film but before you purchase be aware that the intent of the Director is to deliver a grainy, washed-out picture throughout the film. In the places where Traffic is intended to deliver an oustanding picture without washed-out images it certainly does.

Images of the early bust, courtroom and 'life at home' are rich and detailed - via projector in 1080i.

If you appreciate the story and have a nice system, Traffic in HD is a good investment; it is NOT the movie to show-off your new High Definition home Theater system; for that I would recommend The Searchers, Seabiscuit, King Kong or Casino in HD-DVD.

I just watched this movie and was very moved by the story. The story is very close to real life of the "drug cartel" as well as the user and drug enforcerment. What I really liked about this movie is the honesty that is protrayed in all aspects of drugs itself. What the drug does for a person, how it comes in to this country and other countries, also how it is acquired by the user. The honesty includes those that are from the underprivilaged comunities to the "silver spoon" communities as well. Bravo to the writer and the director of this movie!!! I recommend this movie HIGHLY!!!

Disc Picture:
As intended by the filmmakers, the stylized VC-1-encoded 1.85:1 HD DVD picture features differing color schemes depending on the location. The entire presentation is void of highly resolved fine details.
Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital Plus 5.1-channel soundtrack is not overly exciting, although bass is delivered well through each of the channels, although the noise floor is low, dialogue and effects are generally well recorded, and the sound matches the storytelling nicely.

This movie was shot in a way to intentionally to appear grainy in a lot of frames. Now the irony is obvious, what is the point to have a HD version of this movie? I loved the movie. Since I don't own the SD version, it's just a really pricy movie in my collection. Catherine Zeta Jones looked stunning in a few frames, but I am not sure if she would look any differene in 480p. It's a great movie, but you probably can buy it for a 1/4 of the price in regular DVD and you probably won't be able to tell the difference.

This is a raw and powerful movie on the drug trade and its corresponding law enforcement response. It is a series of riveting, interlocking vignettes that tell the story on all fronts of the war on drugs. It paints a picture that will stay with the viewer for some time, so powerful is the imagery employed and so compelling are the actors in their performances.

Michael Douglas plays the part of Robert Wakefield, a newly appointed drug czar, who tries to mount an all points attack on the drug trade. Naive and well meaning, he is, unbeknownst to him, being manipulated by the powers that be in Mexico, who are fighting a turf war over the profitable drug trade. He is so clueless that when the drug war actually lands on his door step, as when his teenage daughter, wonderfully portrayed by Erika Christiansen, succumbs to peer pressure and becomes addicted to drugs, he is initially in heavy denial. He ignores all the standard warning signs, until it is nearly too late.

Benicio Del Toro, in the star making role of Javier, an intelligent, decent, and honest Mexican law enforcement officer, who has his own war on drugs going on, is riveting with his quietly powerful performance. He, too, is being manipulated by the powers that be in Mexico. Nearly too late he realizes that the Mexican general, who is ostensibly battling the war on drugs and to whom Javier had given his full support and cooperation, is engaged in some drug action on the side from which he hopes to profit. The only drug war that the general is really involved in is the one that one drug cartel has with its rival.

Meanwhile, back in the states, a wealthy and respected San Diego businessman, played by hunky Steven Bauer, is arrested, as it seems that his businesses are really just a front for the drug trade. His assets frozen, this leaves his beautiful and greedy wife, played by the lovely and talented Catherine Zeta-Jones, picking up the pieces of her husband's empire while he is in jail, awaiting trial. As regent to the kingdom, she cold bloodedly negotiates with the drug cartel to restore her and her husband financially. No shrinking violet is she!

There are several other subplots that are also of note and move the story along. All of these vignettes interlock with one another in some fashion, serving to bring the story full circle. To find out how they do so, watch this well directed and powerful film. It is certainly well worth watching and a welcome addition to one's personal film collection.

I have finally seen this film in it's entirety and I like to say that `Traffic' is a richly entertaining epic that recalls the great works of the 1970s, when directors like Robert Altman and Francis Ford Coppola engaged mass audiences with works of genuine substance. Soderbergh works on a larger canvass than he's ever done before, bouncing several characters and plot-lines against and off each other, so that images and themes rhyme and echo. Although the subject matter is drug trafficking, this is not an "issues" movie per se. Instead, it's a profoundly affecting dramatic thriller where the destructive forces of drugs cut across different sections of society.

Some will say that it takes too long, or that some of the scenes are a bit slow. But does everything go fast paced in real life? It just tries to sketch a realistic view of handling with drugs. And maybe there isn't a lot of action going on, but that's not the goal of the movie.

This film has an amazing ensemble cast where everybody is working at the top of their game. However, Benicio Del Toro definitely stands out with the breakthrough performance. I don't think it's accidental that the movie begins and ends with shots of him. He plays Javier Rodriguez, a Mexican police officer caught in a futile and corrupt system, and it's as compelling of a character as Michael Corleone. Del Toro is exceptionally relaxed and subtle, keeping his thoughts and feelings private from the other characters in the films, but sharing it with the camera. Del Toro navigates the audience through a world of impossible choices and moral corruption, quietly simmering with intense conflict just beneath the surface. Benicio's been an indie stalwart for years and this film shot his stock through the roof.

Michael Douglas is also terrific, adding another strong performance to his gallery of flawed men in power. He shows genuine fear and vulnerability in a harrowing scene in which he searches for his daughter in a drug dealer's den. I've never seen Erika Christensen before, but she makes an impressive debut. Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman are as loose, limber and spontaneous as ever, providing plenty of comic relief as well as keeping it real. Catherine Zeta-Jones takes a complete 180 from her past roles and admirably plays against her looks, appearing very pregnant while thrown into gritty surroundings. Dennis Quaid is appropriately slimy as a corrupt lawyer.

Anybody who is starved for a genuine piece of film making should breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy Soderbergh's engaging film.

Steven Soderbergh's Traffic is, in my opinion, a well put-together masterpiece. It is a film that truly shows off the talent of its director and its stars in a completely interesting way. The acting is top-notch (be sure to look for Don Cheadle and Louis Guzman as two DEA agents and Steven Bauer as a California drug lord) and the cinematography is excellent. I would easily recommend Traffic to anyone interested in learning how to make a movie. 5 Stars

This is a raw and powerful movie on the drug trade and its corresponding law enforcement response. It is a series of riveting, interlocking vignettes that tell the story on all fronts of the war on drugs. It paints a picture that will stay with the viewer for some time, so powerful is the imagery employed and so compelling are the actors in their performances.

Michael Douglas plays the part of Robert Wakefield, a newly appointed drug czar, who tries to mount an all points attack on the drug trade. Naive and well meaning, he is, unbeknownst to him, being manipulated by the powers that be in Mexico, who are fighting a turf war over the profitable drug trade. He is so clueless that when the drug war actually lands on his door step, as when his teenage daughter, wonderfully portrayed by Erika Christiansen, succumbs to peer pressure and becomes addicted to drugs, he is initially in heavy denial. He ignores all the standard warning signs, until it is nearly too late.

Benicio Del Toro, in the star making role of Javier, an intelligent, decent, and honest Mexican law enforcement officer, who has his own war on drugs going on, is riveting with his quietly powerful performance. He, too, is being manipulated by the powers that be in Mexico. Nearly too late he realizes that the Mexican general, who is ostensibly battling the war on drugs and to whom Javier had given his full support and cooperation, is engaged in some drug action on the side from which he hopes to profit. The only drug war that the general is really involved in is the one that one drug cartel has with its rival.

Meanwhile, back in the states, a wealthy and respected San Diego businessman, played by hunky Steven Bauer, is arrested, as it seems that his businesses are really just a front for the drug trade. His assets frozen, this leaves his beautiful and greedy wife, played by the lovely and talented Catherine Zeta-Jones, picking up the pieces of her husband's empire while he is in jail, awaiting trial. As regent to the kingdom, she cold bloodedly negotiates with the drug cartel to restore her and her husband financially. No shrinking violet is she!

There are several other subplots that are also of note and move the story along. All of these vignettes interlock with one another in some fashion, serving to bring the story full circle. To find out how they do so, watch this well directed and powerful film. It is certainly well worth watching and a welcome addition to one's personal film collection.

This movie is gritty, realistic and pulls no punches as a hard hitting look at the drug trade. This movie is like a semi documentary with a stellar ensemble cast. Miguel Ferrer gives a powerful performance as a jaded, cynical drug runner and I have liked him as an actor since I saw him in "The Stand". Catherine Zeta Jones' character evolves from a happy everyday pregnant suburban housewife to cold blooded drug dealer with a very believable performance. Also the young actres who plays Michael Douglas' daughter in this fim gives a very solid performance as well.This movie exposes the underbelly of the illicit drug trade and was most deserving of the Academy Awards that it received. Watch this movie and you will never think of drugs in a so called "harmless , recreational " way again.

This is a raw and powerful movie on the drug trade and its corresponding law enforcement response. It is a series of riveting, interlocking vignettes that tell the story on all fronts of the war on drugs. It paints a picture that will stay with the viewer for some time, so powerful is the imagery employed and so compelling are the actors in their performances.

Michael Douglas plays the part of Robert Wakefield, a newly appointed drug czar, who tries to mount an all points attack on the drug trade. Naive and well meaning, he is, unbeknownst to him, being manipulated by the powers that be in Mexico, who are fighting a turf war over the profitable drug trade. He is so clueless that when the drug war actually lands on his door step, as when his teenage daughter, wonderfully portayed by Erika Christiansen, succumbs to peer pressure and becomes addicted to drugs, he is initially in heavy denial and ignores all the standard warning circles, until it is nearly too late

Benicio Del Toro, in the star making role of Javier, an intelligent, decent, and honest Mexican law enforcement officer, who has his own war on drugs going on, is riveting with his quietly powerful performance . He, too, is being manipulated by the powers that be in Mexico. Nearly too late he realizes that the Mexican gweneral, who is ostensibly battling the war on drugs and to whom Javier had given his full support and cooperation, is engaged in some drug action on the side from which he hopes to profit. The only drug war that the general is really involved in is the one that one drug cartel has with its rival.

Meanwhile, back in the states, a wealthy and respected San Diego business man, played by hunky Steven Bauer, is arrested, as it seems that his businesses are really just a front for the drug trade. His assets frozen, this leaves his beautiful and greedy wife, played by the lovely and talented Catherine Zeta-Jones, picking up the pieces of her husband's empire while he is in jail, awaiting trial. As regent to the kingdom, she cold boodedly negotiates with the drug cartel to restore her and her husband financially. No shrinking violet is she!

There are several other subplots that are also of note and move the story along. All of these vignettes interlock with one another in some fashion, serving to bring the story full circle. To find out how they do so, watch this well directed and powerful film. It is certainly well worth watching and a welcome addition to one's personal film collection.

This is a great film, all comparisons to other projects aside. Luis Guzman is a god!!! Drugs are bad, mmkay? Don't do drugs, cause they're bad.

Sure, the brits may have done a fine job on there show, but Traffic is one of the better films to come out since 2000. The film has a haunting quality that is starting to resonate more and more in today's society.

Compared to the British series of the same title this is a very bad rip off. The acting is of poor quality as well as the dialogue. I would not waste my dime on this, instead I would get the original.

Bold and transcendent movie that literally broke the walls of a delicate, awful and overlooked issue, that day after day corrodes the entrails of the modern societies all over the world.

Tense drama that will shock you from the first shot. The trilogy conformed by this picture, Requiem for a dream, and more recently, Mary full of grace are not a mere product of casualty.

Powerful, merciless, cruel and struggling script that will beat in the family of a devoted ferocious prosecutor who combats this awful lash.

Filmed in sepia tonality to accent still more the dramatis personae. Special mention to Benicio del Toro for this celebrated performance.

It's hard for me to see things in life in anything other than a red state vs. blue state way (also of course, pro vs. anti-Israel). Because of this, I may be hypersensitive to the films of people whom I may personally and passionately disagree with (paging Steven Seagal and your anti-American/CIA conspiracy theories). Mr. Soderbergh is someone whose politics I certainly don't agree with, but he has done an incredible job with this powerful film.
Inevitably, when I watch this movie (today, 4.23.06, was at least the fourth time), I sob. Maybe it's the overall message regarding our "war on drugs." Probably though, it is the scene of this powerful judge trawling the projects looking for his strung out daughter, desperate and powerless. When he finally saves her under the weight of a "john", she just looks up at her father and smiles--comfortable and at peace, if only momentarily.
Perhaps the other factor affecting me so much is the point I believe Mr. Soderbergh makes so well: that we may all be a little guilty in the war on drugs. This includes the enablers, the family members who turn a blind eye, and all of us who could do more to help others. Michael Douglas makes this point so well when he strays from his prepared remarks while being introduced as the President's new point man to lead the fight against drugs.
As a film, the cinematogrpahy in this movie is without match, in my view. Mr. Soderbergh does not seem obsessed with a "West Wing" like agenda of "it takes a village" socialism/leftism/Hillary/Bubba/Michael Moore/Howard Dean/Kerry & Edwards to solve the world's problems in this film. Some of the MoveOn.org/Kedwards/Michael Moore/MSM/Daily Kos voters may be disappointed in this aspect of it, but smart people will remember that everyone from enviromental whack job Al Gore to GWB, have battled in the struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism.
A wonderful and though-provoking film.

I had first watched this movie back when it was released on DVD at about 3 in the morning at a friends house and quickly fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning my friend said I didn't miss much and said that the movie was boring and sucked so I shouldn't bother watching it again. So I never did. Then last week my wife rented it and said she wanted me to watch it with her, so I did. I was blown away by the power this film carries and by the fact that my friend thought it sucked. This was one of the best films I have ever seen. Brilliantly pasted together by Soderberg (who won the oscar fair and square) and wonderfully casted Traffic tells a story that dares to be told. Told on vignettes we see multiple facits of the drug wars raging in the US of A as well as Mexico. First we have Ohio Supreme Court judge Robert Wakefield (Douglas) who has just been appointed the nations new Drug Czar. His postition is very important but jeapordizes his relationship with his wife and teeage daughter Caroline (Christensen in a breathtaking role) who has took up with Seth (Grace) and is now forming quite the heroin addiction. Next we have Helena Ayala (Zeta-Jones) who is married to drug kingpin Carlos who has just been inprisioned. Helena has been unaware of her husbands extracaricular activities until now and Helena has to deal with DEA agents Montel Gordon (Cheadle in yet another commanding performance) and Ray Castro as they try and get to the bottom of her husbands cartel as well as her husbands family friend and business associate (Quaid) trying to put the moves on her himself. Thirdly we have Javier Rodriguez (Del Toro), a cop south of the border as he battles an ethical war between his own morals and the way of the land as the USA and Mexico battle over the drug trade crossing the border. This film is perfect in almost everyway and is one that should be mandaroty. It helps lay out a story that has much meaning in the world we live in today. Theres a scene where Helena is walking down the street and she passes Javier and in that moment it all makes sense. As different as these situations are, they are all the same, they are all interconected somehow...and that makes it all the more pertinant for the viewer.

I was very impressed with Traffic. I love this Criterion release, because it is stocked with so many extra feaures. One of my favorite is the countless number of Police Dogs that you can flip through, with their history (like their "biggest bust") and their pictures and info of them. Also, about the actual movie, the transfer is great. It looks great. It sounds great. Yes, like most Criterion movies, the sticker tag is above $25, but don't let that stop you. This is a Must Have.

O.K., this movie went over different aspects of the drug world. You have a drug czar who is all politics when it comes to fighting the drug trade but has his own daughter becoming a crack whore, a couple of Mexican police officers caught in a corrupt government where they fight off one drug cartel only so that another can gain a monopoly and you have two detectives working a case against a distributor whose own wife doesn't know what he really does for a living but in the end fights for him. The movie captures your attention and is interesting and you want to know how it turns out. It doesn't make anything pretty in the end, like the good guys always win. The ending is both good and bad because really the war on drugs has no victory until people stop wanting to take them.

It's pretty simple. What pisses me off is all the morons here subtracting stars because they're too stupid. This DMC guy gives it 1 star because of a delivery problem. What the f**k? How does that have anything to do with the movie? This andrea chick can't even speak English and she says the movie was very confusing. What a surprise. It helps when you understand the language the movie is in. And then this Ashlee M says there were too many plotlines, even though each one was distinct and you can figure it all out in no more than two watchings (of the movie), and then even says there are good aspects to the drug war. Huh? IT'S ALL BAD. THERE ARE NO GOOD ASPECTS.

I'm also tired of people b**ching about how this movie was somehow racist because it featured a black guy as a drug dealer. I've got news for you people: there are many black people in Cincinnati and some of them deal drugs. Sorry it wasn't politcally correct enough for you but what do you expect? A Chinese guy? Give me a break.

Anyway, just watch the movie and take it for what it is. There is no message here other than the war on drugs is bull. There is no chance of victory because the demand is always there and the demand is strong. The plotlines are made pretty clear if you have half a brain. I mean, the director even went so far as to give each plotline a different hue. Think that might clue you in? Like I said, it is interesting and it holds your attention. The acting is also very good with some excellent actors in it, one of my favorite being Don Cheadle. This isn't the most "disturbing" or maybe not even the most "in-your-face" drug movie but it is still good and worthy of 5 stars, or at least 4 as long as you don't give some dumbs**t reason for it like, "It confused me too much because my brain isn't big enough," or, "It had a black drug dealer in it and that's racist."

Just watch the movie and if you have trouble understanding it, then you should check to see if you are qualified for mental handicap disability.

Get ready for a much more serious film on drug addiction (if your goin for the not-so-serious movie check out Spun or Trainspotting). The message delivered in this film is quite powerful...to say so the least. The War on Drugs is such a controversial topic- and this movie explored many sides of it. In one scenario it ruins a family; only to bring them all together in the end. In another scenario another family is destroyed- and in the end their family is muddled with lies and even more destruction. And in similar two other scenarios one friend looses another due to the nastiness of the drug business- where you are subject to everything, especially murder.

Why four stars instead of five? Too many plots thrown together- for one thing. You have to see this movie a good 2-3 times to fully understand and get what is going on with everyone and their own separate scenarios. Another thing I find confusing is the overall general message this film is trying to say...what is it? Or is there no general message- just that the war on drugs is quite complex and quite intricate... therefore there are both good and bad aspects? If so, I already knew that.

I do believe everyone should see this movie however, it gives interesting thought to a very complex issue- that I am sure everyone has an opinion on.

What happened in this movie is that they are people who travel drugs from Mexico to U.S.A. The government of the United States have hired people that sale drugs so they can have the information to know where they can find the main person that is saleing drugs and stop this situation.
The setting is in Cinncinati,Ohio in the Suburb of Indian Hill,Washington,D.C in the office of the Chief of Staff, Columbus,Ohio in the Satate Supreme Court where the government were discussing about drugs. San Diego,CA is the place where the police catch one of the drugs saler. La Jolla, California that is just outside of San Diego. El Paso Intelligence Center El Paso,Texas.
In addition the tone of the movie is negative because it all relates with drugs ad that makes the people feel like fustrade and make them upset. This also show how some people try to acquire power from others. For example when in the movie the police put mens that are polices and make them to act like they are those drug salers. This is one way how these goverment or anyone can acquire power by tell them a lie or pretend something that is not true but they due it.
At the end the message of the movie was that it don't matter if you are rich or poor but there is always a time when anyone can lade down.Also it depends on you or on people that wants to help you they can get out of a situation like this one.However this movie was a little it confusing at the end but it really has big messages to the audience.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman, Thomas Milian, Topher Grace, Erika Christensen, James Brolin.
Running Time: 147 minutes
Rated R for pervasive drug content, strong language, violence and some sexuality.

Like an abstract expressionist master, Steven Soderbergh stands in the center of a canvas that stretches from Cincinnati to Tijuana. He mixes materials and splashes colors with the dash and power of a Jackson Pollock. His materials are skillful acting, lively editing, a dynamic music score, and an unflinching camera. (He did his own lensing, under a pseudonym). The artist's aim? To paint a picture of our country's drug problem. Scripted by Stephen Gaghan, "Traffic" has its roots in a 1989 British television mini-series, "Traffik," which followed the drug trade from Pakistan to Britain. There are three loosely related stories, each with its own color coding--and as with Pollock, there is nothing random about where the paint splashes upon the canvas.

Blue hues bathe blue bloods in Cincinnati where an Ohio Supreme Court Justice (Michael Douglas) is flattered into taking a job as national drug czar, just as his bright young daughter (Erika Christensen) is seduced into addiction by her prep-school friends. A rich golden-yellow surrounds San Diego where a comely couple (Catherine Zeta-Jones and Steven Bauer) occupy the upper links of the drug chain and spend ill-gotten cash on clothes, cars and country clubs. They are pursued by two undercover cops (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman) who spend most of their screen time cooped up in a surveillance van. In Mexico, a washed-out, burnished brown bespatters a desert of desperation as two Baja policemen (Benicio Del Toro and Jacob Vargas) pull off a major drug bust only to be themselves busted, by a sinister general (Tomas Milian) who notifies them that 'I will take over from here.' Each color signifies its own impenetrable culture, and when Douglas crosses into Mexico to meet his counterpart, we know (but he doesn't) that his fellow drug czar is really a drug lord.

The performances were exceptional, especially considering that no one was given star treatment. Much of the film was shot with existing light and Soderbergh kept the composition wide, letting the actors create their own space. Douglas was surprisingly believable as the would-be czar and bookends an Oscar-worthy year with his scruffy professor in the earlier "Wonder Boys." His real-life wife, Zeta-Jones (carrying their child), gave a quite credible performance as a society snob who turns ruthless when her status is threatened. Other stand-outs include Christensen's drugged-out daughter, Del Toro's street smart Mexican cop and Cheadle's dedicated drug buster. In fact, there was not a weak performance in the bunch, including crucial cameos by veterans Peter Riegert and Albert Finney. Real people even play roles: Douglas's fictional drug czar confers with real-life senator Orrin Hatch, while actual customs officials relate their day-to-day drug enforcement dilemmas. Each of the three stories ends with a glimmer of hope. But despite small battles being won, the film's verdict is that the larger war is plainly being lost.

Like Pollock, Soderbergh continues to stretch the boundaries of his art, as he did a dozen years ago with "sex, lies, and videotape," and more recently with the undervalued "The Limey." The film is virtually filmed entirely with hand-held camera, giving each and every scene an up-close-and-personal feel. There's also a distinct lack of background music, which lets the viewer feel like they're eavesdropping on real-life scenes, and not just watching a film, making for a very personal, intense experience similar in some of his other films ("Out of Sight", "Erin Brockovich"). Certain scenes in "Traffic" are filtered a specific color, to heighten a mood or a sense of awareness of what's about to happen. The scenes in Mexico featuring the Mexican detective Javier, for example, are all filmed in a very bright, almost disorienting yellow. It's a technique that can be irritating at times, but for the most part, it serves a bold purpose that truly adds to the film. "Traffic" is certainly a film that will not be embraced by all, but is a stunning addition to the industry and is highly considered as one of the most spellbinding, yet honest painting of the evils of the drug world. Film making at its best.

would love to review this movie. When delivered the movie dvd was missing. the box was not tampered with in any way. Sure would be nice when you spend $40.00 on a crtiterion collection dvd that the dvd is in the case. zero stars

O.K., I may have missed some things here, but I think it's sad that this film, which actually had a message, has a lower average review rating than "Miss Congeniality". I mean, come on! Yeah, they're not in the same genre but I would much rather watch this film that "Miss Congeniality". That film was formulaic and clichéd.

Also, just as a disclaimer, I only saw the edited TV version so I am missing some scenes and dialogue, especially the obscene ones. But until then I had only heard of this film and didn't really go out of my way to watch it. After watching just the TV-edited version though I now want to see the whole thing.

Let's get one thing straight here: this isn't some after-school special with an anti-drug message. Actually, I didn't even get an anti-drug message at all. All I got was the showing of the effects of drugs and the drug war, JUST like the song "Master Of Puppets" by Metallica. Now, yes, those things were bad but aren't they also true?

Anyway, I thought the film was entertaining and a good eye-opener to how the DEA is always criminalizing these drug dealers while at the same time regular people whom they might know are the ones supporting these drug dealers by being their consumers. The acting is good, the characters and script are good (I especially like Don Cheadle, who's a very underrated actor) and the whole thing VERY gritty and maybe even a little disturbing. The one thing I didn't like was the cinematography, or more specifically, the lightning. I hate that "always dark" effect. Can't they use some normal lighting? I know the different colors were used to designate the different plotlines but I still didn't like them. The ending was good too, although my two questions are why was Don Cheadle's character so confident that they were going to get the drug lord this second time around with the bug plant, and how could a person like Catherine Zeta Jones' character (I don't know the names as I only saw it once on TV) could support her husband after what he put her and her child through. Yeah, she wanted to get him out of jail and everything but how could she totally convert to a supporter of his career? Well, maybe that's just the way they wanted the story to be but I didn't really get what changed her like that.

Some people here are saying this movie is biased, racist and I think even unrealistic. How? This movie wasn't trying to explore the "averge" when it comes to drugs so much as it was trying to show the key elements of the drug world. One guy complained that there was a black drug dealer "corrupting" the rich white girl. O.K., why is this a race thing? There are black drug dealers and Cincinnati (which is the city I thought it took place in) has black people, including black drug dealers. The girl was white because that's what her parents were and they were trying to portray the good, blonde, straight A's girl becoming a junkie. So what? The whole remark about catching the "white guys" was because the white guys are the ones IN THE COUNTRY that run the show. All the drug cartels are in Mexico and other Latin countries and they obviously can't go and arrest people from other countries, so, duh, they go after the "white guys", which they did. The whole Mexico thing was shown that way because it was showing the top level of the corruption amongst the officials and the trickle effects to the police officer. Yes, not every situation is like this but it was just making the point that these situations exist and this is what they're like. This movie wasn't about a few people buying a little pot, some detectives busting a small-time dealer and an average girl with parents that have average jobs, developing a slight drug addiction. God, look at it for what it is.

Anyway, this movie's good. I mean, come on, at least give it a 4-star review! Maybe it has some flaws but name one movie that didn't. Even if you do I'm sure there'll be a hundred people to argue otherwise. Just watch this movie and stop trying to make it like some cornball anti-drug program. This does not deserve a 3 1/2-star average rating.

But has anyone noticed she has put on a lot of weight lately, if look at her pictures on IMDB she looks porked out unfortunately.

Anyway, this movie is good but unrealistic. I've been to Cincinnati. IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE 1970s SOUTH BRONX PEOPLE. Jeez. Why are movie slums so unrealistic? Haven't movie makers heard of a little thing called URBAN RENEWAL that has cleaned up the slums since the early 1990s? Anyway, there is no neighborhood in Cincinnati that looks ANYWHERE near as bad as they show in the movie. You notice they do that a lot in cop shows too, they show neighborhoods that looked like war zones that haven't existed since 1992. Get with the times already people.

This fascinating, all-star look at the world of illegal drugs loosely weaves several stories together, showing drug dealers, buyers, and those who work to stop the drugs. Michael Douglas plays the new American drug czar who discovers, too late, that his own daughter is an addict. Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro is a Mexican double agent who is caught up in the cruel drug trade in Tijuana. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a society matron who finds out her husband's fortune comes from selling drugs. And Don Cheadle is an undercover DEA agent who is trying to stop the flow of drugs from Mexico to the US. All of the actors are wonderful.

I didn't expect to like this movie, but I did. The script emphasizes character development and I really got caught up in the stories. Each vignette is compelling and memorable, and the script wisely leaves each story unresolved. "Traffic" won four Academy Awards, including Best Director for Steven Soderbergh. This is a serious, thought-provoking film.

Kona

There's tons of reviews of this movie, so I'll just give a short impression. I watched it again recently, thus the review.

The war on drugs is ill thought out and will never work. This film is art that makes that point.

I'd say this movie should be watched and digressed by politios and pundits and really mulled over. How many innocent lives need to be destroyed before we realize that peoples behavior cannot be changed by legislation?

I don't know all the answers, but this movie provides some food for thought.

Legalize it? Maybe it's not a pancea, but, I, with my libertarian bent, seem to think it'd be a better way to deal with the problem, and I think this film, if really thought about, supports my view, at least from the aspect of the fact that the film could be totally nonfiction.

Anyway, I recommend the movie if you haven't seen it yet, and if it's been awhile, it might be worth it again if you wondering about how we might change our drug laws to better society.

This movie should make the top ten all time if for no other reason that it contained a number of great actors who no doubt were weighing in on this subject. The script was very well written and led the viewer from one story to the next connecting them with precision. A really great movie about what no doubt still goes on today.

Soderbergh makes films that respect my intelligence, my attention span, and my appreciation for small details. From the achronic pacing of "The Limey," to the nice, subtle use of colors in "Out of Sight," to... well, I can't say much nice about "Erin" -- 3 out of 4 ain't bad. Ahem. Anyway, each film is a treat. This one borders on overload. Believable characters. Good guys who miss. Bad guys who don't stand at the corner and say "I, Irving Schvarnowitz, Master of Evil, am here to rob you. Muhahahah!" but rather have the same goals we do (or might): Pay the lease on the Benz. Keep junior in private school. Pay the bills. Kill the rat. Well, 3 out of 4. Also, nice, subtle plot movements rather than those that beat you over the head. I must admit when the credits rolled, I said "What the heck? Oh wait... ahh... Nice." And the copter shot over Zocalo... how the heck did he get permission for that?

Thanks, Stephen. "Traffic" has planted you firmly atop the director mountain. I have no idea how you're gonna top this one.

This is an intense and gritty though brief cross-section of the "war on drugs". (Although after watching, you may be tempted to call it the so-called "war on drugs".) Michael Douglas is Wakefield, a judge who thinks that pushing treatment options balances out his heavily pro-prosecution leanings in narcotics cases. Wakefield's beautiful and intelligent daughter (Erika Christensen) herself is slowly falling under the spell of drugs and, by the film's end, proves capable of doing anything for a hit. Pegged to become the next Federal Drug Czar, Wakefield's strategy depends on bringing his brand of justice to Mexico where the lines between the law and the criminals frequently blurs if not disappears altogether. (If you're car is stolen, Mexican police will tell you who has to be paid before they can "find" your car.) The plan's master flaw in law enforcement strategies is that the drug war in Mexico is more complicated than simply cops v. dealers. On the illicit side of the war, the conflict is not seen as one between the law and law breakers, but between different cartels - each jockeying to enlist corrupt police and military leaders in their favor. (Mexican law enforcement, a character observes, is an entrepreneurial pursuit.) A seemingly fearless and moral Tijuana cop, Javier Rodriguez (Del Toro), discovers this when reluctantly co-opted into the larger drug war by the mythic General Salazar. Salazar's methods require a fair amount of psyche-warfare against friend and foe alike (suspected traitors dig their own graves while prisoners with information are swamped with kindness so they'll turn). When Rodriguez suspects Salazar's crackdown to be cover for one supposedly crushed cartel to regroup, he breaches security and runs for the Americans. Linking American narcotics officers and the Mexicans is a south-California businessman Carlos Ayala, (Steve Bauer) whose various corporations amount to a shell game used to conceal a vast drug empire. When one of Ayala's underlings Ruiz, (Miguel Ferrer - the one whose script lines are meant to convey the futility of the drug war) is arrested on the eve of a massive coke bust, Ayala gets arrested as well, and it falls onto his now besieged wife (a very pregnant Catherine Zeta Jones) to save the family. Soon, she learns that this will require her to restore its links to the drug trade, by all means necessary.

Though freely taking shots at the drug-war, "Traffic" doesn't so much push a point as tell a story, leaving us to base our own conclusions (the only difference is that we'll now have to think twice about them). Soderbergh directs his characters well - the performances are actually understated for a film this topical. Each of the story arcs has its own special cinematography highlighting the seeming distance from the drug war's front lines and the after-effects of a hit: the Wakefield story is generally shot in cool blue colors with static shots and high-grain film, implying a clear frame of mind. Zeta-Jone's scenes are filmed in a sunny yellow, using smooth shots but quick cuts - hinting at how the orderliness of her life is on the verge of collapse. Best of all are Mexican scenes, shot in very grainy film using harsh yellow filters - never letting us forget the harsh pressures and ceaseless anxiety that hounds those at the source of the drug economy. Soderbergh further flavors the mix with a low-grade electronic score which seems both from an episode of "In Search Of..." yet perfectly balanced for this film. Even the captions seem to date the film to the 1970s (using typed captions instead of computer characters, as if the film were completed a week after "The Andromed Strain"). This was a powerful film for so many reasons, not the least of which is the way it mirrors its subject - it draws you in and blows your mind.