Today in southern Rhode Island, yielded a rather cool, damp, gray day. With nothing to do, I decided, why not pop some popcorn, grab a blanket and tuck into a good movie. Browsing the options of movies, I grabbed Traffic a 2000 movie directed by Steven Soderbergh. The movie is a crime drama that follows the drug trade between Mexico and the United States. Benicio del Toro, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid and the ever-elusive Don Cheadle make up the movie's cast.
The movie won four Oscars: best director, best supporting actor, best film editing and best adapted screenplay. With these credentials and a slew of talented actors and actresses ( Salema Hayek, has a small part also in the film), this movie is almost too good to watch. The movie offers four different perspectives of the drug trade: the perspectives are from the user, the politician, the enforcer and the trafficker. Each perspective is interesting and deep in emotion. It is easy to feel for all the parties. There are the two Mexican police officers who juggle between good and evil, the mother and wife who is engulfed with financial issues, the trafficker who was caught and it trying to uncover other's involvements in the business, as well as the mother and father desperately trying to save their daughter from the dark, lonely, dangerous dungeons of drug abuse.
What I also took away from the movie is that not only does the film offer an insight into the drug trade from many angles, but the movie is also a love story. Twisted at time, there is love in the movie. Love for the drug, the power, the danger, the law, for family, for security and love for the future. I like the movie because it is realistic. I also liked the movie because it was heavy in emotions in that the drugs help expose the many types of love in the movie. The love story is what drew me in. Love can be dangerous and love can be kind, as this movie demonstrates.
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