The Yards

Directed by James Gray and written by Gray and Matt Reeves, The Yards is the story of a convict who has been released from parole as he finds himself being part in a crime scheme with a friend for a subway rail yard leads to trouble. The film is a crime drama set in New York City where a man who went to jail for his friend deals with being drawn into a world that might put him back in prison as he also copes with loyalty and doing what is right. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, Faye Dunaway, Ellen Burstyn, and James Caan. The Yards is an evocative and mesmerizing film from James Gray.

The film follows a young man who has returned from prison for a crime he didn’t commit as he is eager to lead a straight-and-narrow life only to be coerced by his best friend to be involved in the world of corruption relating to the subway train yards only for things to go wrong. It’s a film that is a bit about redemption but also about the fallacy of loyalties in the streets as this young man is just trying to find work and not get in trouble but he is lured into a world he doesn’t want to go back to. The film’s screenplay by James Gray and Matt Reeves explore the motivations of its characters such as the protagonist Leo Handler (Mark Wahlberg) who returns home as he learns that his mother Val (Ellen Burstyn) is dealing with a heart condition and wants to set things right for her. At his homecoming party that is attended by his mother, his aunt Kitty (Faye Dunaway), his cousin Erica (Charlize Theron), and best friend Willie Gutierrez (Joaquin Phoenix), Leo learns that Kitty’s new husband Frank Olchin (James Caan) could get him a job working at the railway car repair company.

Yet, Frank is unable to give Leo a job immediately though he offers to fund his studies for a two-year machinist program as Leo chooses to work closely with Willie, who also works for Frank, where he does bribes and such to get contracts against competing companies. It may give Leo some money in his pocket but he becomes uneasy as he also learns what Willie and his friends do in ruining other companies in order to get contracts where one night in an attempt to sabotage another company’s trains would lead to chaos as Leo gets into a scuffle with a police officer (David Zayas) and knocks him unconscious. Yet, that is nothing compared to what was happening at the same time where a yard master is killed as Leo becomes a suspect where he goes into hiding with a few people to trust. Among them is Erica whom Leo is close to, despite the fact that she’s engaged to Willie, as she would look after her aunt for Leo as she becomes aware of what had happened as she turns to her stepfather for help.

Gray’s direction does have elements of style in terms of the compositions that he creates as it play into the suspense and drama. Shot on location in New York City with much of it set in the boroughs of Queens, the film does play into this world that is away from the usual aspects of the city which is often set in Manhattan. Instead, Gray plays into this world that is a mixture of upper-class suburbia as it relates to the home that Frank and his family live in as well as the apartment that Leo shares with his mother. Gray’s approach to the compositions does having him using some wide shots not just in establishing the location but also this world where there is so much at stake in the world of the subways where companies are trying to compete to get contracts where it eventually becomes deadly.

Gray’s approach to the drama is more straightforward in the compositions where he uses some medium shots and close-ups as it relate to what the characters are reacting as well as what they’re dealing with. One noted scene is where Leo is being asked to kill the cop he knocked unconscious as a way to solve all of his problems where Gray uses the space of the room and everything in it to play into the suspense. It says a lot of who Leo is as well as the conflict he has in his loyalty to his friends but he’s also thinking about the fact that he might return to prison. It’s an effective scene as would the third act where it is about family as it relate to Leo’s relationship with his mother and Erica where he really cares about them with the latter as someone he can really trust. Even as he would make a bargain to ensure that he and the family would be safe despite the fact that he could still be public enemy number one against those he would rat out. Overall, Gray crafts a gripping yet compelling film about a former convict being lured into a deadly scheme where his loyalty towards friends is being tested.

Cinematographer Harris Savides does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key yet grimy lighting for the scenes set at night including scenes during black-outs and low-light situations while maintaining something natural for the daytime exterior scenes. Editor Jeffrey Ford does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward to play into the drama and suspense which includes a scene of Leo dealing with a hood wanting to kill him. Production designer Kevin Thompson, with set decorator Ford Wheeler and art director Judy Rhee, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Frank lives in with the family as well as the apartment that Leo lives with his mother.

Costume designer Michael Clancy does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with some of the stylish clothes that Erica wears. Sound editor Phil Benson, along with sound designers Kyrsten Mate and Gary Rydstrom, does superb work with the sound in creating that atmosphere of how trains are repaired as well as the atmosphere of the streets including the hospital room scene which is very low-key yet also chilling. The film’s music by Howard Shore is brilliant for its orchestral-driven score that play into the suspense and drama while music supervisor Dana Sano provide a mixture of music from acts and artists like Macy Gray, Brand New Heavies, KRS-One, Peggy Lee, George Benson, and Petula Clark.

The casting by Douglas Aibel is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Chad Aaron as Erica’s little brother Bernard, David Zayas as Officer Jerry Rifkin whom Leo would knock unconscious, Joseph Ragno as Leo’s parole officer, Robert Montano as a railway yard contractor in Hector Gallardo whom Willie doesn’t like, Steve Lawrence as a boroughs president who wants to keep the murder quiet until after the election, and Tomas Milian as a rival contractor who feels cheated by Frank’s company and the politicians over contracts. Faye Dunaway is fantastic as Erica’s mother Kitty as a woman that doesn’t approve of the engagement between Erica and Willie as she is also concerned with what Frank is doing with his business. Ellen Burstyn is superb as Leo’s mother Val as a woman who is happy to see her son as she also copes with what is happening to him as it is affecting her health but knows that he hasn’t done anything wrong. James Caan is excellent as Frank Olchin as a railway repair contractor who wants to help Leo out in finding a good job as he later copes with the murder of yard securities officer where he tries to do some cover-up as well as make decisions that would later be troubling.

Charlize Theron is brilliant as Erica as Leo’s cousin/Willie’s girlfriend who is happy to see Leo back as she becomes concerned with what’s happening to him after being accused of murder while taking care of her aunt where she would learn about what happened which disturbs her. Joaquin Phoenix is remarkable as Willie Gutierrez as Leo’s best friend who is part of a crew that helps sabotage rival subway trains as well as bribe officials where he goes too far into his work to the point that he thinks about getting rid of his best friend. Finally, there’s Mark Wahlberg in a marvelous performance as Leo Handler as convict who is on parole that is trying not to get into trouble as it’s a very restrained performance from Wahlberg as someone that is quiet as well as knowing what he had to do to save himself and those he cares about.

The Yards is a phenomenal film from James Gray. Featuring a great cast, top-notch cinematography, a chilling score, and captivating themes on loyalty and corruption. It’s a film that explores a world that is very competitive with those being caught in the middle of a dark and violent game where a man is forced to live by the code of the streets or do what is right. In the end, The Yards is a sensational film from James Gray.

James Gray Films: Little Odessa - We Own the Night – Two Lovers – The Immigrant (2013 film) - The Lost City of Z – Ad Astra - The Auteurs #67: James Gray

© thevoid99 2017

Identification of a Woman

Directed and edited by Michelangelo Antonioni and screenplay by Antonioni and Gerard Brach with contributions by Tonino Guerra from a story by Antonioni, Identificazione di una donna (Identification of a Woman) is the story of a filmmaker trying to find the right actress for his next film as he embarks on having affairs with different women during the course of his search. The film is an exploration of a man trying to deal with the recent dissolution of his marriage while turning aspects of his life into film. Starring Tomas Milian, Daniela Silvero, and Christine Boisson. Identificazione di una donna is an evocative yet haunting film from Michelangelo Antonioni.

The film follows a filmmaker who is trying to get started on a new film but has a hard time finding the right woman to play the lead as he copes with the dissolution of his marriage and creative issues where he would embark on two different affairs with two different women who would make an impact in his life. It’s a film that revolves around a man trying to understand his own faults with women as he would try to find the idea of the ideal women during the course of his own existential journey of sorts. The film’s screenplay by Michelangelo Antonioni and Gerard Brach has this very odd structure in the way it follows the character of Niccolo (Tomas Milian) who is working to create a new film as he would meet a socialite in Mavi (Daniela Silvero) in which he would have a relationship with. Much of the first act is about Niccolo’s relationship with Mavi where he is fascinated by her beauty but has a hard time dealing with the cliques she’s in.

The second act is about the relationship coming apart but also Niccolo’s search for Mavi once she leaves him as he would meet an actress named Ida (Christine Boisson) early in the film’s third act. She presents a completely different idea and personality in comparison to Mavi as she is more earthly and humble as opposed to the more bourgeoisie Mavi. Still, he is obsessed with finding more about her as he would also cope with the fact that his idea of the ideal woman for his film is really just a fantasy.

Antonioni’s direction is definitely ravishing for the way he explores a man’s own sense of isolation and sense of not knowing as he wanders around Rome and nearby locations including Venice as it play into Niccolo’s own journey into finding his muse. Antonioni’s approach to compositions and imagery is key to its approach in Niccolo’s view of the world though it starts off sort of comical where he gets into his home only for the alarm to be turned on. It’s among the few instances of humor that Antonioni would put in throughout out the film yet he prefers to understate the drama as it’s more about Niccolo in these different environments whether it’s at this very posh yet dull party where everyone is full of themselves or at an aquatic center watching a swimmer he thinks he might cast for his next film. Also serving as the film’s editor, Antonioni would create some rhythmic cuts for the film but mostly prefers to let the shots linger for a minute as it’s all about Niccolo reacting toward his surroundings which includes this chilling yet gorgeous scene set entirely in a fog.

The fog sequence is one of several moments in the film that play into the sense of the unknown where it’s frightening for the fact that Niccolo and Mavi are both trying to hide from a stalker that is after Niccolo for some unknown reason as it is a bit of a metaphor for their relationship which is often unpredictable. By the time the film’s third act emerges, Antonioni would go into some carefully-precise compositions that include some unique crane shots and shots looking up as it play into Niccolo’s own search for Mavi but also his own revelations about his obsession towards her and how he’s becoming attached towards Ida. Yet, there is still a melancholia in Niccolo as he reacts to the world around him and wonders if he does have something to offer to women in an emotional and romantic level. Overall, Antonioni creates a provocative yet intoxicating film about a man’s search for the ideal woman for both his film and in life.

Cinematographer Carlo di Palma does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on colors for some of the interior scenes at night including the usage of exterior lights for scenes at night as well as the approach to low-key lighting for the fog sequence. Production designer Andrea Crisanti and set decorator Massimo Tavazzi do excellent work with the look of Niccolo’s apartment as well as the country home he would take Mavi to as well the parties hosted by some of Mavi’s friends. Costume designer Paola Comencini does fantastic work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with the women wearing mainly some stylish clothing.

The sound work of Mario Bramonti is amazing for its intricate sound design to capture some of the atmosphere of the locations including the fog scene as well as a few social gatherings and quieter moments in the film. The film’s music by John Foxx is superb for its electronic-based score that is a mixture of ambient, jazz, and new age music that is often played on location while music supervisors Dante Majorana and Lia Scarpa would maintain that mixture of electronic music, Italian pop, and classical with contributions from the former as well as acts such as XTC, Tangerine Dream, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Steve Hillage, Japan, Gianna Nannini, Mercenaries, Fausto Cigliano, and Edvard Grieg.

The film’s incredible cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Itaco Nardulli as Niccolo’s nephew Lucio, Sandra Monteleoni as Mavi’s sister, Dado Ruspoli as a lover of Mavi’s mother, Veronica Lazar as Niccolo’s sister Carla, Marcel Bozzuffi as the mysterious stalker, Enrica Fico-Antonioni as a friend of Mavi in Nadia, and Lara Wendel as a young woman at the swimming pool facility who reveals something to Niccolo about Mavi. Christine Boisson is amazing as Ida as a young stage actress who would provide a sense of grounding and optimism in Niccolo as well as be someone who is quite lively as well as have a sense of compassion. Daniela Silvera is brilliant as Mavi as a socialite who becomes Niccolo’s new lover as someone who is quite ambiguous in her activities as well as be someone that is vain at times but also carry secrets of her own. Finally, there’s Tomas Milian in a marvelous performance as Niccolo as a filmmaker who is dealing with the aftermath of his divorce as he tries to find the ideal woman for his film while coping with his own flaws as well as the uncertainty over what story to tell for his next film.

The 2011 Region 1/Region A DVD/Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a new high-definition digital restoration in its original 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in Dolby Digital mono in Italian with new and improved English subtitles. Though the DVD/Blu-Ray’s lone special feature is the theatrical trailer, it does come with a booklet that features an essay and an interview with Antonioni by film critic Gideon Bachmann. The essay entitled The Women in the Window by film critic John Powers doesn’t just talk about the film and its themes but also Antonioni’s own comments on how women are depicted in the era of post-women’s liberation movement. Powers also talks about Niccolo’s own existential journey and the alienation he is dealing with towards the new Italy with its sense of modernism and what he wants in a woman. Powers definitely does a compare/contrast toward both Mavi and Ida in how they present themselves as well as showcase scenes that show their true selves in front of Niccolo as he ponders his own faults as well as wondering if everything he’s looking for is just a fantasy.

The second piece of text entitled A Love of Today for the summer 1983 issue of Film Quarterly is an interview with Antonioni by Gerard Bachmann conducted on July 22, 1982 just a few months after the film’s premiere at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival where it won the festival’s 35th Anniversary prize. The interview has Antonioni talk about his methods into storytelling as well as his ideas of making film where he prefers to document something that he had seen rather than make something up. He also talks about audiences’ interpretation of the characters and situations which he is glad that people are willing to make interpretations as he also share his own views on the characters in the film. Antonioni also discusses about the ideas he’s made and what he was supposed to do next which was supposed to be set on the sea near America as a way to explore human emotion and such. Unfortunately, that film would never be made due to a stroke Antonioni would have in 1985. Yet, the interview is a fascinating read to gather the thoughts of a filmmaker late in his career as he still had something to say.

Identificazione di una donna is a phenomenal film from Michelangelo Antonioni. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, hypnotic sequences, a mesmerizing music score and soundtrack, and a rapturous story about identity and alienation. It’s a film that bear a lot of the hallmarks expected from Antonioni but it is also very intimate film in its exploration of a filmmaker trying to find the ideal woman in both life and in film as he wanders around a world that is ever-changing. In the end, Identificazione di una donna is a sensational film from Michelangelo Antonioni.

Michelangelo Antonioni Films: (Story of a Love Affair) – (I Vinti) – (The Lady Without Camelia) – Le Amiche – (Il Grido) – L'Avventura - La Notte - L'Eclisse - Red Desert - Blow-Up - Zabriskie Point - (Chung Kuo, Cina) – The Passenger - (The Mystery of the Oberwald) – (Beyond the Clouds) – Eros-The Dangerous Thread of Things

© thevoid99 2017

Traffic

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/23/09 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

The war on drugs has been a costly battle with the government spending loads of money fighting against drug dealers and crime lords. Yet, the drug wars have shown that not much progress had happened once it arrived into the 21st Century. Films about drugs and drug wars were often glamorized and over the top until a 1989 British TV show called Traffik brought a realistic view of the drug wars and its effects on people. The show caught the attention of renowned independent film director Steven Soderbergh who had just gained a comeback with 1998's Out of Sight and 1999's The Limey. For a film adaptation of the show, Soderbergh took the film's multiple storyline study on drugs for a huge, dramatic feature about the drug trade and drugs on the home front entitled Traffic.

Directed and shot by Steven Soderbergh with a script written by Stephen Gaghan, Traffic tells three different stories about the war on drugs. The first involves a Mexican police officer fighting drugs in his native country only to deal with corruption from the police force he's working for. The second story involves a drug czar fighting a war on drugs for the government while dealing with his daughter's drug addiction. The third and final story involves a wife learning that her husband is a big-time drug lord as she decides to fight for his freedom while battling a couple of DEA agents. Three storylines moving back and forth and intercut with each other as they all connect, the film is a harrowing yet provocative feature about the drug war and its effects on the individuals involved.

Starring Michael Douglas, Benicio del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle, Steven Bauer, Dennis Quaid, Luis Guzman, Jacob Vargas, Tomas Milian, Amy Irving, Miguel Ferrer, Erika Christensen, Topher Grace, Clifton Collins Jr., Peter Riegert, and cameo appearances from Salma Hayek and Albert Finney. Traffic is an eerie yet profound masterpiece from Steven Soderbergh.

Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez (Benicio del Toro) and Manolo Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) are police officers that just got attention over a drug bust in Tijuana, Mexico. General Salazar (Tomas Milian) wants Rodriguez's help to stop the power of the Obregon family as he and Manolo captured the family's top assassin Frankie Flowers (Clifton Collins Jr.). Despite the success, Rodriguez believes that something isn't right as he gets into deep over what he finds. In Ohio, Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) is a judge that just been given a new job to be the new Drug Czar for the President after his predecessor (James Brolin) steps down as he gives Wakefield a warning. With his assistant Jeff Sheridan (D.W. Moffett) helping Wakefield to fight against drugs, his daughter Caroline (Erika Christensen) has become a drug addict where her boyfriend Seth (Topher Grace) introduces her to freebased cocaine.

Following a bust, Robert's wife Barbara (Amy Irving) reveals to Robert that she knows about Caroline's addiction prompting him to send his daughter to rehab. With Robert's new job taking much of his time as he meets General Salazar, a DEA bust in San Diego by Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) leads to the capture of Eduard Ruiz (Miguel Ferrer) who rats out his boss Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer). With Ayala revealed to be the Obregon's top distributor as he gets arrested, Ayala's pregnant wife Helena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) turns to Carlos's friend Arnie Metzger (Dennis Quaid) for help. Arnie brings in attorney Michael Adler (Peter Riegert) to deal with the case while Helena learns about her husband's true job as she goes to Frankie Flowers to get Ruiz killed while later meeting Juan Obregon (Benjamin Bratt) to continue business.

After learning that Caroline has escaped rehab, Robert tries to find her with Seth's help prompting him to deal with the demand of his new job. Rodriguez's suspicions have him and Manolo turning to the DEA as trouble occurs as Rodriguez goes to Manolo's wife (Marisa Padilla Sanchez) for help. In turn, Rodriguez would create moves that would change everything for him, Robert Wakefield, and Helena Ayala.

The film can be described as a message film of sorts about the war on drugs, its lack of progress, and how it's troubled certain individuals. Yet, Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan create a film that goes into the world of the drug culture and its effects on government, lifestyles, and the people fighting against. What Soderbergh and Gaghan creates is a political film with some human drama with Gaghan creating a story that isn't conventional. Instead, Gaghan's approach in the script is to move from one storyline to another and to another in a rhythmic, intercutting style of writing to connect one situation to another. Gaghan's screenplay is truly brilliant in its political and social commentary on drugs, its effects on the economy, and how one tries to either fight corruption or use it to maintain a certain lifestyle.

The three storylines created for the film are truly genius due to Gaghan's approach in telling the story. For the story of Javier Rodriguez and his discovery of corruption within the police force he's working for is about a man trying to do the right thing. Even if he has to risk his life and maybe his own moral judgment where his only gain is his conscience and something he wants that isn't for him. In the Robert Wakefield storyline, it's about a conservative judge taking on a role to fight drugs for the President while having to deal with drugs in his home as his daughter spirals down into a world of drugs. The third storyline about Helena Ayala discovering what her husband really does and Montel Gordon's fight to keep Carlos Ayala in jail provides an interesting, dramatic sense of conflict of two people trying to fight for what they each think is right.

Then there's Steven Soderbergh's direction which is truly mesmerizing in his approach to tell the story. Also serving as the film's cinematographer under the Peter Andrews alias, Soderbergh goes for various styles in telling the story for the three different storylines. For all the scenes shot in Mexico, Soderbergh goes for this cinema verite style of handheld cameras, grainy footage awash in sepia-like colors to play up to the country's desert-like climate. The camera work is shaky and loose with interior shots in some places very low in order to create an atmosphere as there's very few moments where the camera is still. In some of the scenes involving Robert Wakefield and his situation, a lot of the daytime scenes are shot in this blue, cold style to represent the chilling feel of addiction in Caroline. The camera work and direction is more steady and dramatic in order to discover the troubles of addiction from a young teenager.

In the scenes shot in California, Texas, the border from the U.S. perspective, and nighttime U.S. scenes, are more traditional though the daytime, exterior and interior shots are more sunny, dream-like, and wondrous for the California feel of the film. The camera work is also more steady and dramatic like the Wakefield sequence as Soderbergh does make it clear in how he wanted each storyline and location to be presented. He creates a film that doesn't play up to convention while creating different worlds in each location and setting while maintaining the film's theme on the war on drugs. The result is truly a film that is unique in its varied visual styles and themes as it's done with such brilliance by Steven Soderbergh.

Editor Stephen Mirrione does spectacular work with the editing in the use of jump-cuts, dissolves, and rhythmic transitions to create a feel to the film that doesn't get boring but also doesn't go way too fast. Mirrone's cutting style is truly fascinating in the way he shifts from one sequence to another with a nice cutting transition as if he plays to a certain rhythm while knowing when not to cut or move to another sequence. Mirrone's work is overall superb in the art of editing. Production designer Phillip Messina along with set decorator Kristen Toscano Messina and art director Keith P. Cunningham do excellent work with the homes of the various characters from the gritty, urban look of Rodriguez to the posh worlds of the Wakefield and Ayalas. Costume designer Louise Frogley does fine work with the look of Helena's dresses along with the suits that Robert Wakefield wears as well as the urban clothing and street clothes that most of the characters wear.

Sound editor Larry Blake does fantastic work with the sound to help with the film's varied locations with actual location sounds for the film's Mexico sequences that are raw and crisp to capture the Mexican deserts. The U.S. sequences are more layered and mixed with some polish but also to make them atmospheric for the dramatic tension of Gordon-Ayala sequence and haunting in the Wakefield sequence. Blake's work is truly superb in its sense of action and drama. Music composer Cliff Martinez creates a truly haunting, atmospheric score filled with ambient-style textures for it sense of mood and drama with light, percussive pieces in the background, piano performances from noted jazz musician Herbie Hancock, and soft bass melodies from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, whom Martinez used to play drums for. The soundtrack includes electronic pieces from Morcheeba and Fat Boy Slim plus an ambient piece from Brian Eno.

The casting by Debra Zane is truly phenomenal with appearances from John Slattery as an ADA official, Viola Davis as a social worker, real-life politicians Orrin Hatch, Barbara Boxer, and Charles Grassley. Salma Hayek makes a very memorable cameo as the mistress of a drug lord while Albert Finney is good in a small role as Chief of Staff. Other small roles like Alec Roberts as Helena's son David, Corey Spears as a friend of Seth and Caroline who overdoses, Rena Sofer and Stacey Travis as a couple of Helena's friends, and Eddie Velez as a FBI agent Javier Rodriguez turns to. Steven Bauer is good in his small role as Carlos Ayala, a distributor who is jailed as he gives his wife information on how to get him out. Marisa Padilla Sanchez is also good as Manolo's wife who suspects something is wrong as she turns to Javier while Peter Riegert is very good as Carlos' attorney. In another small performance, Benjamin Bratt is excellent as Juan Obregon, the cartel leader who makes a deal with Helena.

Jacob Vargas is excellent as Manolo, Javier's partner who finds himself hanging out with Salazar's men only to get into trouble when he tries to reveal information to the DEA. D.W. Moffett is very good as Robert Wakefield's assistant while James Brolin is really good as Wakefield's predecessor who gives him a warning about the new role Wakefield is taking on. Amy Irving gives a fine performance as Barbara Wakefield, Robert's wife who knows about her daughter's secret but has no ways to stop Caroline's increasing addiction. Clifton Collins Jr. is great as Frankie Flowers, an assassin who provides information to Salazar under torture while helping out Helena in an assassination attempt on Eduardo Ruiz. Spaghetti Western legend Tomas Milian is great as the shady General Salazar as he provides charm and wit into his role. Topher Grace of That 70's Show is great as Seth, Caroline's boyfriend who provides commentary on drugs and its affects on the social standings.

Erika Christensen delivers a brilliant, haunting performance as Caroline Wakefield, a teenage girl who becomes a drug addict as Christensen brings all of the realism and angst to a troubled character. Dennis Quaid is excellent in a small role as Arnie, Carlos' lawyer and partner, who tries to handle things only to not have Elena involved. Miguel Ferrer is very good as Eduardo Ruiz, Carlos' associate who gets caught and demands immunity as he gives commentary about the DEA and their real role. Luis Guzman is great as Ray Castro, the DEA agent who tells jokes while providing some funny lines as he has wonderful scenes with Don Cheadle. Don Cheadle is superb as Montel Gordon, a DEA agent determined to get Carlos Ayala arrested as part of his job while being Eduardo Ruiz's protector. Catherine Zeta-Jones is wonderful as Helena Ayala, a woman who discovers her husband's true job as she steps up to take over and make moves that truly proved how loyal she is to her husband.

Michael Douglas is brilliant as Robert Wakefield, a man who becomes a drug czar who takes on a huge important role for the government unaware of the damage that his daughter is taking towards drugs. It's a brilliant role from Douglas as he plays a man in deep conflict while dealing with trouble at home. Finally, there's Benicio del Toro as Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez, a good cop facing corruption while trying to stop drugs and corruption around him. It's a fantastic role from del Toro as he brings a lot of restraint and wonderment to his character as man trying to do good, even if he has to question his own moral judgement.

Traffic is a haunting, gritty, and provocative film from Steven Soderbergh and company. Thanks to an all-star cast led by Michael Douglas, Benicio del Toro, Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzman. This is truly a film that is original, fascinating, and with a message that isn't overbearing. Fans of Soderbergh definitely considers this as one of his finest films to date while it's also a great introduction to his filmography. In the end, Traffic isn't just one of the best films of the decade but also a haunting film that will surely be seen by audiences in the years to come.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray's Anatomy - Schizpolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-Equilibrium - Ocean's Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean's Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011