"TRAFFIC"
{2000}

I hereby issue an apology to Catherine Zeta~Jones. Any negatives I have expressed regarding her acting chops are retracted. As wealthy Californian wife and mother "Helena Ayala", who believes her husband to be a legitimate businessman, her world is upended when her husband is arrested and charged with drug trafficking. Determined to maintain the lifestyle her son has known all his life she does what she must to assure his future. This woman has balls. The character is believable and perfectly written. A 21st Century 'Scarlett O' Hara' and Ms Zeta~Jones' execution is flawless.

"Traffic" shows the cause and effect drugs have on society. Simon Moore and Stephen Gaghan's screenplay is neither preachy or pollyannic, it simply tells the truth.

Academy Award winner {2001 Best Supporting Actor} Benicio Del Toro's "Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez" is a good cop albeit a corrupt one. In Mexico this is not a contradiction. Watching his performance is like watching a skilled tightrope walker. Every step is precise, never predictable, always entertaining. When he speaks it's like honey being slowly drizzled, and every drop is savored. A Latino James Dean {remember you heard that here first :-)}.

Topher Grace of tv's "That 70's Show" gives an engaging, and strong performance. Salma Hayek {que Linda!} also shows she's got skills. Always happy to see Don Cheadle {Boogie Nights, and Bulworth are 2 others where you can see his work} and pathological scene-stealer Luiz Guzman is up to his ususal theivery. Erika Christensen gives a realistic portrayal of what it is to be a teen who has too many choices and not enough guidance. After running away from re-hab, the scene where she is found by her distraught dad {Michael Douglas} who as irony would have it has been appointed the nation's official "Drug Czar", personifies the film's tagline "no one gets away clean".

Everyone's work here is notable. Steven Soderbergh's {2001 Best Director} Stephen Mirrione's {2001 Best Editing}, and Steven Gaghan's {2001 Best Screenplay Adaptation} Academy Awards are clearly well deserved.

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