Traffic

2004
7.1| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

Going beyond the Academy Award-winning movie, Traffic: The Miniseries takes an inside look at the highly lucrative world of illegal trafficking, a world in which supply and demand isn't just for drugs: it's also for goods, weapons, and even human beings.

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Reviews

Steineded How sad is this?
Lumsdal Good , But It Is Overrated By Some
Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
Gustavo I can say, without exaggerating, that this is the best miniseries I have ever seen.And I was really surprised. Traffic, has the one ingredient I have found to be common to all excellent movies: it starts quite simple, and then, gradually, gets better and better and better and better.Third part has such a suspense and thrill, that I might not be able to recall five other films that even it.Resuming:A must see. It's the first time I comment on a miniseries, and this one has the height of great films.
Fred M. Hung A drug bust goes bad in US occupied Afghanistan, a merchant marine boat is scuttled while smuggling illegal immigrants, and the bank forecloses on a Wharton MBA's insolvent real estate deal -- the first 50 pages of a new Clancy novel? No, these 3 completely nonsequitur events happen in the first half hour of Traffic: The Miniseries.Aside from the common theme of drugs, Traffic bears very little resemblance to Michael Douglas movie of the same name. That said, I was surprised by how engrossed I became in the plot. The miniseris is purely plot driven, with skin-deep characters provided to push the plot along. With 3 separate plot threads running concurrently, Traffic adeptly navigates the viewer through the labryinthine story with little confusion and much suspense.Noteworthy performances are Elias Koteas and Martin Donovan as 2 DEA agents charged with the sisyphean task of de-stabilizing the same Taliban drug operation they helped organize in the 80s. Koteas displays the same subdued heroism here as he did in Thin Red Line opposite Nick Nolte. Mary McCormack also shines as Koteas wife, not your typical damsel in distress.In the end, Traffic: the Miniseries is just a cool story, weaving narco-terrorism with Homeland Security. I would have enjoyed seeing this writ large a la HBO, bigger budget, better locales (Vancouver, BC doubles for everything from Seattle to Afghanistan), and stark dialogue. On HBO, Traffic would have been a true epic. On USA, it's a just a long stanza (Damn you, Barry Diller, spend some $$$!)
dglink This three-night mini-series, which is derivative of the Steven Soderbergh movie Traffic, which in turn was adapted from a British mini-series Traffik, is entertaining, although it left a lot of loose ends fluttering in the wind, unless there is a Part II in production. While not a remake, the mini-series does use the same multi-character multi-plot structure as the Oscar winning film, but it lacks the star wattage of the theatrical movie. However, the less familiar faces actually work for the film and add to its gritty realistic quality. Also, while the theatrical film focused on drugs and Mexico, the mini-series is focused on drugs, illegals, terrorism, and Afghanistan. The first part sets up a series of seemingly unconnected story lines that grab the interest and carry the viewer into part two. The core of the plot emerges in part two and carries the multiple stories to resolution in part three, although several characters and their plot-lines seemed to fade away or drift off without a clear idea of their fates. Time should not have been a problem since there appeared to be some padding here and there as scenes were repeated unnecessarily to remind the viewer of what they had already seen. Tighter editing would have provided some additional running time to wrap up the plot and provide a more satisfying conclusion without cutting into advertising revenues. But, basically, Traffic: the Mini-Series is a good entertaining film, with some nice vistas of Canada standing in for Afghanistan, and some decent performances, although ultimately it will not result in a parade to the podium at the Emmys.
mike-320 I don't know why everyone doesn't like this miniseries so much. I have never seen the movie or any other story about this topic and I am enjoying it immensely. Since it is only 2/3 over I can't say much more but so far the story is progressing nicely and I am always entertained.