Traffic (2000)

Wow, what a movie. Where do I even begin when discussing Steven Soderbergh's Traffic, a film that so intelligently portrays the moral and logistical complexities of the war on drugs in the United States? This film manages to be both hopeless and hopeful, maybe because it tells several different stories. And it asks questions. Is our drug policy making the problem worse? Is the war on drugs a futile one?

This is one of the very best films of the past decade, which is why I wanted to re-watch it, since I'm making that impossible list. Soderbergh seamlessly cuts between different color-coded stories. One concerns an Ohio judge (Michael Douglas), appointed as the Unites States' drug czar, and his daughter, who becomes addicted to crack because it is so readily available to her. Another concerns two Mexican police officers (Benicio Del Toro and Jacob Vargas) who get caught in the scheming of a Mexican general (Tomas Milian). Another tells the story of the wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) of one of the most powerful drug dealers in America. Yet another concerns two American federal agents (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman) who are trying to bring down a major drug operation.

Traffic leaves a lot of openings for discussion on the drug problem, and it doesn't really come to any strong conclusions, leaving the audience to determine their own thoughts about the problem. I can't really discuss much without giving away what happens, but I can say that this is one of the most thoughtful films I have ever seen. Most movies dealing with such topics have a preconceived point of view, hoping to win the audience to their side. I think Soderbergh just wanted to open up the discussion.

If you've seen the film, take a moment to consider its ending. After nearly every measure taken to combat the drug problem fails, we should be left with a completely hopeless feeling. Now consider the way the stories of the Douglas and Cheadle characters end. I don't want to give it away, but I think maybe these stories indicate that we shouldn't give up completely, or maybe that there are more effective ways to battle drugs than what is happening in our government now. Maybe that doesn't make any sense; I don't know.

Every performance is pitch-perfect and the cinematography is breathtaking. See Traffic immediately.