In March, director Steven Soderbergh presented the surprisingly excellent drama comedy
Erin Brockovich, which has
high hopes for Oscar gold in the Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress categories. Who knew that in the same year Soderbergh would release a second drama that has even better chances for earning awards.
The movie is Traffic, a brilliantly directed and well crafted film starring an ensemble cast, namely Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid, and Don Cheadle.
From minute one you know that this is going to be a different kind of movie. The picture is yellow and grainy, just like an old home video. We are introduced to Benicio Del Toro''s character, a Mexican State Policeman, who is waiting in the middle of nowhere. A short time later a plane passes overhead, obviously landed. Another minute passes and a truck comes along; there are drugs in the back. But before Del Toro can take the men back to the city, the military comes along and confiscates the drugs, and the men.