Movie: Traffic

Release Date: December 27, 2000

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Luis Guzmán, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Tag Lines: “It’s a dirty, dirty war! And no one comes away clean.”

“No One Gets Away Clean.”

Relevance: I didn’t watch ‘Traffic’ until well after it won four of the five Academy Awards in which it was nominated. It was probably sometime in the summer of 2001 after it was available for rental. It was a rarity that I do not get to see the Best Picture nominees before the Oscar telecast, but it does happen some years. This was one of those years.

I was already a fan of Steven Soderbergh thanks to his films ‘Sex, Lies and Videotape’ and ‘Erin Brockovich,’ which was another one of his films released in 2000. My admiration of his skyrocketed after watching ‘Traffic.’ It is a highly ambitious movie with a very large ensemble cast that tells a sometimes (on purpose) disjointed story that would get messy and convoluted if not in the right hands. Thankfully, Mr. Soderbergh had the right hands for the job. The story about the illegal drug trade told through three separate perspectives is an intense, haunting and gripping thriller that takes the viewer on a ride not only because of the story but how it is displayed on film. It’s a movie that I wish I saw on the big screen although it is equally enjoyable at home.

Today’s Thoughts: I probably haven’t watched ‘Traffic’ in its entirety for close to ten years. I have stopped and watched a few scenes when I would catch it on television but definitely not from beginning to end. I do own the DVD so I was ready and willing to watch it today as a viewing was long overdue.

If I didn’t know any better, I would swear that I haven’t seen this movie at all. Like I said it was a long time since I have watched it, so today felt like I was watching it for the very first time. It’s such a great film and because I had forgotten most of what happens, I was on the edge of my seat. I forgot how intense some of the sequences are, enhanced greatly by the hand held camera used throughout. The way the three plots have a different ‘hue’ to them is genius and not only aids the viewer to sort out what story line they are following, but makes it even more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. As mentioned above, this movie had the absolute right director.

The ensemble cast is incredible to watch. Benecio Del Toro won the Academy Award (deservedly so) but any other members of the cast could have been nominated. Don Cheadle is especially one of my favorites in the movie and I love the last scene where he is walking outside the drug lord’s house after leaving a bug inside. The smile on his face, knowing that there is now an opportunity to “catch the bad guy,” is perfectly played.

‘Traffic’ has so many excellent cinematic elements to it I hope some film professors across the globe are using it in their class rooms. Film can entertain, teach audiences and it can also be studied to learn how to make more great art.

Awards: Academy Award for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (winner), Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Benicio Del Toro (winner), Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, Stephen Gaghan (winner), Academy Award for Best Film Editing, Stephen Mirrione (winner), Academy Award for Best Picture (nomination), Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in A Supporting Role, Benicio Del Toro (winner), Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, Stephen Gaghan (nomination), Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama (nomination), Golden Globe for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (nomination), Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Catherine Zeta-Jones (nomination), BAFTA Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Benicio Del Toro (winner), BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay – Adapted, Stephen Gaghan (winner), BAFTA Award for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (nomination), BAFTA Award for Best Editing, Stephen Mirrione (nomination), Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture (winner), Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Benicio Del Toro (winner), Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (winner), Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay, Stephen Gaghan (winner), Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Picture (nomination), Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor, Benicio Del Toro (nomination), Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Steven Soderbergh (nomination), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (winner), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for best Supporting Actor, Benicio Del Toro (nomination), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography, Steven Soderbergh (nomination), National Board of Review Award for Top ten Films (winner), National Board of Review Award for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (winner), National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (winner), National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Benicio Del Toro (winner), National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Film (nomination), National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Screenplay, Stephen Gaghan (nomination), National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Cinematography, Steven Soderbergh (nomination), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film (winner), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director, Steven Soderbergh (winner), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, Benicio Del Toro (winner), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, Benicio Del Toro (nomination), Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, Stephen Gaghan (winner).

Ways to Watch: YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, Hulu, DVD Availability.