traffic (2000)

steven soderbergh's "traffic" is possibly the last of a kind. its one of the final films that focussed on the US government's "war on drugs" prior to the events of the ninth of september 2001, whereby terrorism officially became the states' first port of call when it came to protecting its citizens. a concept explored deeply in television show "the wire", the idea that the the national drug problem hasnt been much of a priority since the towers came down rings true in hollywood at least, where sprawling epics based on the subject are now fairly uncommon. the likes of the abysmal "crash" (the haggis deadweight, not cronenberg's masterpiece) now take its place, pushing the emphasis on human nature as opposed to high crime. which is a shame, as "traffic" is pretty much the best thing both the director and cast of the film have ever done.

the strongest section of the film takes place in mexico, at the source of both the drugs that move the story along as well as the bookends for the film. benecio del toro leads the mexico sections, draped in drawn out yellows, part of the concept that dictates each section of the film is exhibited in a different colour (with michael douglas' scenes as the government minister shot in cold blue hues), wherein the gritty reality of the drugs trade is revealed, through a combination of torture, corruption and political clarity. catherine zeta jones leads the california sections of the film, as the wife of a local businessman who is found to be a key player in the importation of drugs, who's own downward spiral correlates with the narrative flow. and while im not generally a fan, michael douglas is genuinely great in the aforementioned role, as the government representitive on drugs, who's own daughter is a drug user herself. coincidence or what? the supporting cast, filled by class acts such as don cheadle and luis guzman are great, and while there's many a famous face in the supporting cast its never particularly distracting.

"traffic" has aged amazingly well, much in the same vain as the political conspiracy films of the seventies such as "all the presidents men", in the respect that they both represent an area of society widely ignored.