Traffic

R

Released Jan 5, 2001

2 hr. 27 min.

Crime

Drama

List

93%

222 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A contemporary thriller set in the world of drug trafficking. Traffic evokes the high stakes and high risks of the drug trade, as seen through a series of interrelated stories, some of which are highly personal and some of which are filled with intrigue and danger.

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Critics Consensus

Soderbergh successfully pulls off the highly ambitious Traffic, a movie with three different stories and a very large cast. The issues of ethics are gray rather than black-and-white, with no clear-cut good guys. Terrific acting all around.

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Andrea C

"Traffic" è uno dei primi film a trattare esclusivamente il problema della droga in vari e numerosi modi. Le storie dei personaggi si incrociano e si allontanano dando vita a dei racconti che toccano il tema in diversi punti; dal trasporto al consumatore finale, dal trafficante al poliziotto di frontiera. Duro e crudo, a tratti anche pesante per il cuore questo film ha l'ulteriore merito, grazie al suo regista e ad una splendida sceneggiatura, di avere dei personaggi che si evolvono in maniera inaspettata e sempre interessante col passare dei minuti e che sono tra l'altro interpretati da un cast di attori di grandissimo talento che ne aumentano ancora le sfaccettature e la profondità. Film che probabilmente ha dato il via ad un genere, quello dell'action thriller sul tema della droga, che negli anni successivi ha prodotto tanto e ha raggiunto numerosi successi.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/26/24

Full Review

Yash B

While I don't think "Traffic" is necessarily the best movie about some of its subject matter, I think it is a very skillfully made one. This movie explores a variety of drug-related topics through its three different storylines. I found all of the storylines somewhat interesting but I don't think any of them stood out to me, except for one of them near the end of the film. There are important issues brought to light in this film and the use of different perspectives makes it feel unbiased and realistic. I also really liked how the movie used color and think it was an interesting creative choice when it comes to mood and setting for a lot of sequences. Overall, this is a well-acted and uniquely made film that is pretty good and worth watching.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Ari V

Not bad, but way too naive. Especially on the Washington end.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/08/24

Full Review

The Great John A

Don't do drugs kids. Traffic is a melodramatic drug film about three stories relating to the drug war explaining that these bad occurrences happened similarly during this hard time. Let's start with the worst story, Benico Del Toro's Spanish subtitled one is a replica of a typical drug thriller except for Spanish subtitles! I don't think that the premise it carried wasn't very unique and different compared to similar plots done better. But I do like subtitles so it wasn't all bad and the pool scene is probably the best out of that story. Next would be Don Cheadle's, it did start with a well built conversation with the villain but of course it's squeezed out of any substance holding it in place with a oblivious chase in a ball pit that I didn't care about. But it did get better with the Catherine Zeta-Jones introduction, however, I think this one is slightly above average. Finally the Michael Douglas one, the judge trying to end the drug war while having a daughter that is effected by such is really realistic and impactful that I wish this was the whole film. Unfortunately even this one has a pitfall, it doesn't go anywhere!! it's sad because you have the Michael Douglas and you can't get it perfect?? Overall, instituting a layout of instructions with a mess-up during building, Traffic delivers awareness in the right way even though it doesn't quite hit the mark. But while doing so creating a path where film's like 21 grams and Sicario could walk. Grade: B+

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/24

Full Review

Alec C

The war on drugs is fought on all fronts, especially when it gets closer to home! Through three different stories concerning the effect of the drug trade, a judge, a cartel leaders wife, two DEA agents and a city cop take on the affect of narcotics and its damaging aftermath on the community. Soderbergh shows us that this is a battle that is ongoing and you can either sink into it or you can swim!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/24

Full Review

Gigs V

Watched this because of all the rave reviews and big-talk re: Benicio. Sadly, one of the worst films I've seen. Disparate stories told together makes it difficult for you to get attached to any character or care about their struggle (there's no 1 x protagonist). The colour-filter to signify another storyline is jarring. The storylines are very soap opera. The tone is drab. Lots of boring conversation about boring subject matter. Very pretentious. The message of the film is "drugs are bad." Generic and uninteresting. Decent performances from the actors, but the characters are uninteresting. Awful structure. Just plodded along.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/19/24

Full Review

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Steven Soderbergh

Director

Michael Douglas

Robert Wakefield

Don Cheadle

Montel Gordon

Benicio del Toro

Javier Rodriguez

Luis Guzmán

Ray Castro

Dennis Quaid

Arnie Metzger

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Traffic: Official Clip - A Drug Bust Shootout

2:56

Traffic: Official Clip - Your Whole Life Is Pointless

2:53

Traffic: Official Clip - Hi, Daddy

1:48

Traffic: Official Clip - Assassination Attempt

2:58

Traffic: Official Clip - Drug Economics

1:53

Traffic: Official Clip - A Desert Killing

2:30

Traffic: Official Clip - Conspiring to Conspire

2:13

Traffic: Official Clip - Planting a Bug

2:59

Traffic: Official Clip - General Salazar Pulls Rank

2:42

Traffic: Official Clip - Addicts Don't Vote

1:30

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Soderbergh's film uses a level-headed approach. It watches, it observes, it does not do much editorializing. The hopelessness of anti-drug measures is brought home through practical scenarios, not speeches and messages -- except for a few.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

Stephen Holden

New York Times

Steven Soderbergh's great, despairing squall of a film, Traffic, may be the first Hollywood movie since Robert Altman's Nashville to infuse epic cinematic form with jittery new rhythms and a fresh, acid-washed palette.

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann

The New Republic

Benicio Del Toro... has the film actor's state of grace: he charms while he acts, not by trying to charm.

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

It is a legitimately epic film. [Full review in Spanish]

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

Eleanor O'Sullivan

Asbury Park Press (NJ)

Soderbergh's movie is so full of action and event, it's not easy to signal out the most brilliant moments.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

Leah Rozen

People Magazine

[It's] a complex, compelling ensemble drama about the morass that is the drug problem in this country today. Working at the top of his game and with a superior cast, director Steven Soderbergh vividly presents several distinct but interconnected stories.

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

A contemporary thriller set in the world of drug trafficking. Traffic evokes the high stakes and high risks of the drug trade, as seen through a series of interrelated stories, some of which are highly personal and some of which are filled with intrigue and danger.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Executive Producer: Cameron Jones, Graham King, Andreas Klein, Mike Newell, Richard Solomon
Screenwriter: Simon Moore, Stephen Gaghan
Distributor: Criterion Collection, USA Films
Production Co: Compulsion Inc., Bedford Falls Productions, USA Films, Initial Entertainment Group
Rating: R (Some Sexuality|Pervasive Drug Content|Strong Language|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 5, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $124.1M
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, SDDS, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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