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Traffic

Play trailer Poster for Traffic R 2001 2h 27m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 225 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
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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Traffic

Traffic

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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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Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 09/08/2023
4/4
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. Go to Full Review Stephen Holden New York Times 09/08/2023
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. Go to Full Review Stanley Kauffmann The New Republic 09/08/2023
Benicio Del Toro... has the film actor's state of grace: he charms while he acts, not by trying to charm. Go to Full Review Matt Soergel Florida Times-Union Feb 18
4/4
Shot almost completely with handheld cameras, with Soderbergh himself at the controls most of the time, Traffic has some of the visceral pop that's largely been missing from movies since Pulp Fiction. Go to Full Review Ed Bradley Flint Journal Feb 18
4/4
The answers aren't obvious, but it is clear that Soderbergh, who began 2000 with the much-praised Erin Brockovich, has ended it with a better film that is one of the year's finest. Go to Full Review Noah Berlatsky Splice Today Feb 12
for all its technical virtuosity and noble intentions, the film is predictable, preachy, and tedious. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 Mar 1 Success in 2 hours and 27 minutes. The winner of 2001 Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro) and Best Director (Steven Soderbergh). See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Dec 1 Screenplay was well written by Stephen Gaghan, which won the Oscar. However, the directing by Soderbergh was mediocre at best. Cinematography is non-existence (also done by Soderbergh). The movie has the look of a 90's cell phone video. It is still highly questionable on how this movie won Best Director at the Oscars (against Ridley Scott and Ang Lee). Soderbergh's skill as a visual storyteller is debatable. The movie has the look and feel of a TV movie. Some of the performances have a comedic tone and do not blend well with the overall theme. The ending is unsatisfying and seems forced. See more Jack F @MovieFan111 Nov 19 Great cast, and a great movie. I don't know what else to say. See more kevenquinlan T @RT75276071 06/24/2025 Great Movie. Great cast. When Soderberg hits= he hits. Compelling stories and a great testament to the frivolity of the drug war. Even in 2025= still is relevant. Special shout's out to Cheadle and Benny. Why isn't Benny doing whiskey ads? Clothing ads? He's a debonair Mofo, hahaha. See more Max W @RT65350549 06/16/2025 Very nice watch. This seems a little like a predecessor to Sicario which was not afraid to give the audience what it wanted. Of course, not all stories can end with the good guys winning but this was somewhat disheartening. See more Manuel P @RT29331666 06/15/2025 The birth of the "latin american lens filter" See more Read all reviews
Traffic

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Cast & Crew

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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

Movie Clips

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Traffic

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Traffic

Traffic (2000) Traffic (2000) Traffic (2000) Traffic (2000) Michael Douglas (left) and Erika Christensen (right). Luis Guzman (left), Miguel Ferrer (center) and Don Cheadle (right). Mexican policeman Javier Rodriguez (Benicio Del Toro) makes an arrest. DEA Agent Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle). Helena Ayala (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Mexican policemen Manolo Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) and Javier Rodriguez (Benicio Del Toro) face an ugly end. View more photos

Movie Info

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
Producer
Laura Bickford, Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick
Screenwriter
Simon Moore, Stephen Gaghan
Distributor
Criterion Collection, USA Films
Production Co
Initial Entertainment Group, USA Films, Bedford Falls Productions, Compulsion Inc.
Rating
R (Some Sexuality|Pervasive Drug Content|Strong Language|Violence)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 5, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$124.1M
Runtime
2h 27m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, SDDS, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)