---
title: "Traffic"
year: 2000
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/traffic"
fi1m_id: "traffic"
imdb_id: "tt0181865"
tmdb_id: 1900
wikidata_id: "Q142292"
fi1m_score: 82
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:54.774597+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Traffic (2000)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh · 2h 27m · MPA R · Thriller, Drama, Crime

## Identity

Traffic

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/traffic
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** traffic
- **IMDb ID:** tt0181865
- **TMDB ID:** 1900
- **Wikidata ID:** Q142292
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181865/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1900, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q142292

**Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 75 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* Three countries, three colour filters, one honest man, and he is not the one in Washington

> Soderbergh shoots it himself, in three palettes, and cuts the drug trade into a thriller that never stops moving. Benicio del Toro’s Tijuana policeman is the best thing in it by some distance. The Washington strand is where the film stops to make speeches.

## Synopsis

Steven Soderbergh follows the cocaine trade across three strands that touch without quite meeting. In Tijuana, state policeman Javier Rodriguez (Benicio del Toro) and his partner Manolo (Jacob Vargas) are recruited by General Salazar (Tomas Milian) to go after one of the cartels. In Ohio, judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) is appointed to run the American government’s war on drugs, while his teenage daughter Caroline (Erika Christensen) is using them with her schoolfriend Seth (Topher Grace). In San Diego, Helena Ayala (Catherine Zeta-Jones) discovers what her husband does for a living when he is arrested, and two agents, Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Castro (Luis Guzmán), watch her house and guard the witness (Miguel Ferrer) who put him there.

## Review

Steven Soderbergh’s *Traffic* is adapted from a British television series, and it keeps the original’s idea: follow the drug trade from the fields to the nose, through people who never meet. Stephen Gaghan’s script runs three stories side by side. A Tijuana policeman, Javier Rodriguez, is hired by a general to take down a cartel. An Ohio judge, Robert Wakefield, is made the American government’s man in charge of the war on drugs, while his daughter Caroline gets high in her friend’s bedroom. And in San Diego a rich wife, Helena Ayala, finds out where the money came from when federal agents take her husband away. It is a very good film, 147 minutes long and never slack, and it has one weak leg out of three.

Soderbergh is credited as his own cinematographer, and the look is the film’s argument. Mexico is bleached yellow and grainy, as if the negative had been left in the sun; the Wakefield house in Ohio is cold and blue, the shadows almost black; San Diego is shot in ordinary warm daylight, the way a life looks when you have not yet noticed anything is wrong. The camera is handheld nearly throughout, and it follows rather than leads, so scenes feel found rather than staged. Stephen Mirrione cuts between the three so that each answers the last: a speech in Washington about winning, then a body in the desert.

Del Toro is the reason to watch. Javier is a decent man working for people who are not, and del Toro plays him almost entirely from the neck up, in Spanish, with a slow blink and a face that gives away nothing to the men he is talking to and everything to us. There is a scene in a Tijuana car park, early on, where he works out how much trouble he is in while somebody else is still explaining the job, and we felt our stomach drop for him. Nothing happens in the shot. He simply understands, and we understood with him. Jacob Vargas, as Manolo, is looser and hungrier and very good at making his friend nervous.

The San Diego strand is the thriller. Zeta-Jones starts Helena as a woman who orders lunch and ends the first act as something else, and she makes the change in plain sight without announcing it. Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán, in the car outside her house, are the film’s comedy and its conscience at once, two men who like each other and know their job is largely pointless. Miguel Ferrer, as the witness Eduardo Ruiz, gets one long, contemptuous monologue about how the trade actually works, and delivers it as if he is bored of being right.

The Wakefield strand is the problem. Erika Christensen is fine as Caroline, watchful and privately furious, and Topher Grace gives Seth the exact smugness of a clever boy who has read two books. But Michael Douglas has been handed a man who exists to learn a lesson, and Gaghan writes the lesson out in full, more than once, in rooms full of people nodding. Amy Irving, as his wife Barbara, has to stand nearby while he does it. Every time the film cuts back to Ohio it slows down, and we caught ourselves waiting for Mexico.

Cliff Martinez’s score is a low electronic hum that rarely rises above the dialogue and never tells you when to be frightened, which is correct. Philip Messina’s production design keeps each city plausible and unglamorous: cartel money looks like a nice house, not a palace, and Louise Frogley dresses the agents in the polo shirts of men who have given up on promotion. Some critics have complained that Mexico gets the corruption and America gets the hand-wringing, and there is something in that. The Mexican officials are crooks; the American ones are merely tired. The film is more honest about the country it is not from.

The second half takes turns in all three strands that we will not describe, and the last twenty minutes let the sermon back in. Watch it for del Toro, for the three lights, and for Cheadle and Guzmán in a car. Skip the speeches; the film very nearly does.

*Fi1m score 82, published 9 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is Traffic worth watching?**

*Traffic* is worth watching for anyone who likes a crime thriller with three stories running at once, and we scored it 82. Benicio del Toro's Tijuana policeman and the Cheadle and Guzmán double act are the reasons to see it. The Washington strand, where Michael Douglas learns his lesson out loud, is the part to sit through rather than enjoy.

**How long is Traffic, and what is it rated?**

*Traffic* runs 2h 27m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a thriller and drama film.

**Where can I watch Traffic in the US?**

*Traffic* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Traffic, and is it suitable for children?**

*Traffic* carries an 18 certificate in the UK and is not for children. It follows the cocaine trade across Mexico and the United States, with bodies in the desert, a teenage girl using drugs in a friend's bedroom, and a general steady menace rather than jump scares. Older teenagers who can take an adult crime drama will manage it; the squeamish should expect the violence to land hard when it comes.

**How does Traffic compare to Sicario?**

*Traffic* is the broader film, following the drug trade through three countries and three colour palettes, while [*Sicario*](https://film.one/film/sicario) narrows the same border war to one uninformed agent and plays it as horror. Del Toro's silences do much of the work in both. We rate *Traffic* the better film for its range and its Tijuana strand; *Sicario* is the tenser of the two and the one to pick if you want a single, unnerving thriller.

**What should I watch after Traffic?**

After *Traffic*, try [*Sicario*](https://film.one/film/sicario) (2015, Fi1m 80): The border war as a horror film, with del Toro’s silences again doing the work. Then [*Gomorrah*](https://film.one/film/gomorrah) (2008, Fi1m 84): Naples instead of Tijuana, and nobody is honest for very long; and [*Z*](https://film.one/film/z) (1969, Fi1m 84): Costa-Gavras cuts a political murder into a thriller and never stops moving.

### Reviews we read (15)

- **Empire**, Colin Kennedy (90/100, inferred): Soderbergh delivers an electrifying, economical multi-storyline drama on the drug trade that feels more real than real, with a breathless pace and distinctive visual style for each thread. The uniformly strong ensemble shines, especially Benicio del Toro as an honest Tijuana cop in an impossible situation. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/traffic-review/)
- **Screen Daily** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it an expertly made, utterly engrossing film reminiscent of 70s adult cinema, thrilling and a major achievement despite minor flaws like the ending. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/traffic/404518.article)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (90/100, inferred): The critic hails Traffic as the most exciting and complexly imagined American movie of the year, praising its vivid view of the drug war, ambiguous encounters, and Soderbergh's energetic handheld camerawork. The script's multiple story lines and performances, especially Benicio Del Toro's, are highlighted as strengths. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/12/25/fast-track)
- **The New York Times**, Stephen Holden (Critic’s Pick): The critic calls the film a great, despairing squall that infuses epic form with jittery rhythms and a fresh palette, comparing it favorably to Altman's Nashville. The ensemble performances and sprawling overview of the drug trade are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/27/movies/film-review-teeming-mural-of-a-war-fought-and-lost.html)
- **Time Out**, GA (90/100, inferred): The review highlights the top-notch performances, Soderbergh's masterful direction and camerawork, the film's wisdom on addiction and the futility of the drug war, and its gripping narrative. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/traffic)
- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (90/100, inferred): Enormously ambitious and masterfully made, Traffic represents docudrama-style storytelling at a very high level with a powerful overview of the contemporary drug culture that is both panoramic and specific. Soderbergh has had the most impressive year for an American director since Spielberg in 1993, with outstanding performances especially from Del Toro. [Read](https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/traffic-4-1200465858/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (70/100, inferred): Complex and ambitious, Traffic examines how pervasive drugs are and how wide a swath they cut in society, though not always completely successfully. It is an indication of how accomplished a filmmaker Steven Soderbergh has become, with the Mexican section the most effective thanks to Benicio Del Toro's best performance. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-dec-27-ca-4972-story.html)
- **The AV Club**, Scott Tobias (70/100, inferred): Soderbergh's film articulates the war on drugs with clarity and breadth across interconnected storylines, distinguished by its honesty, compassion, and ambivalent perspective that notes both myths and minor victories. It succeeds as tense, efficient storytelling with inventive visuals and editing, despite minor flaws in plotting and character arcs. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/traffic-1798192572)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film an ambitious, watchable multi-storyline exploration of the drug trade adapted from a British series but criticizes it for adding pro-American schmaltz and presenting a loaded view that depicts Mexican corruption while portraying the US establishment more favorably. He singles out Benicio Del Toro's riveting, understated performance as the standout. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/jan/26/1)
- **Sight and Sound**, Andrew O'Hehir (30/100, inferred): The critic finds Traffic an exciting visual experience but ultimately a conventional, moralistic melodrama that lacks human depth except for Benicio Del Toro's performance. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/2195)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jaime N. Christley (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film naïve in its treatment of the drug trade and criticizes Stephen Gaghan’s scripting as callous and overly schematic, with Soderbergh’s neutral direction failing to salvage weak subplots and caricatured characters. Soderbergh is praised for his respect for actors’ space, long takes, and skillful parallel editing that avoids simplistic mirroring. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/traffic/)
- **Collider**, Liam Gaughan (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Traffic a sprawling, ambitious crime epic and Soderbergh's most impressive undertaking, praising its interlocking stories, strong ensemble cast with no weak links, and cynical yet nuanced critique of systemic failures in the war on drugs without targeting individuals. It highlights the film's emotional depth, technical skill, and enduring relevance as one of the director's greatest achievements. [Read](https://collider.com/traffic-steven-soderbergh-oscar-benicio-del-toro/)
- **The Ringer**, Rob Harvilla (85/100, inferred): The critic describes Traffic as Soderbergh's hardest-nosed, clear-eyed war-on-drugs epic that won him the Best Director Oscar and came closest to bringing The Wire-like scope to a multiplex. It praises the prestige performances and how the film delivers seriousness without losing the director's caper-flick irreverence, resulting in a heavy but satisfying work with no easy answers. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2019/02/08/movies/steven-soderbergh-movies-ranked)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Soderbergh's ensemble drama for its brutal honesty in depicting the war on drugs across multiple interconnected stories. He singles out the strong performances and the director's unsentimental vision that delivers a powerful, ironic punch. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/traffic-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
- **/Film**, Gino Orlandini (75/100, inferred): The critic views Traffic as a revolutionary 2000 ensemble drama that effectively weaves multiple storylines to expose the drug war and hypocrisy sustaining it, sweeping Oscars for direction, screenplay, and editing. It remains relevant and effective overall but is somewhat marred by dated color-grading gimmicks that have become clichés. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/742499/every-steven-soderbergh-movie-ranked-worst-to-best/)

## Details

- **Director:** Steven Soderbergh
- **Director:** Steven Soderbergh
- **Screenplay:** Stephen Gaghan
- **Cinematography:** Steven Soderbergh
- **Editor:** Stephen Mirrione
- **Music:** Cliff Martinez
- **Production design:** Philip Messina
- **Costume design:** Louise Frogley
- **Producer:** Laura Bickford, Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick
- **Cast:** Michael Douglas as Robert Wakefield; Benicio del Toro as Javier Rodriguez; Catherine Zeta-Jones as Helena Ayala; Erika Christensen as Caroline Wakefield; Don Cheadle as Montel Gordon; Jacob Vargas as Manolo Sanchez; Miguel Ferrer as Eduardo Ruiz; Luis Guzmán as Ray Castro
- **Runtime:** 2h 27m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 5 January 2001
- **Genres:** Thriller, Drama, Crime
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2000); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 2000)
- **Budget:** $48 million
- **Box office:** $208 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZnOWu68Vw4

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AE, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, KR, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, TH, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2001: Best Picture (nominated); Best Director (won); Best Film Editing (won); Best Supporting Actor (won); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won)
- Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film 2000: Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *Traffik* (1989): The British original, slower and angrier, with room to let its people breathe
- *Sicario* (2015), Fi1m 80: The border war as a horror film, with del Toro’s silences again doing the work — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/sicario.md)
- *Gomorrah* (2008), Fi1m 84: Naples instead of Tijuana, and nobody is honest for very long — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/gomorrah.md)
- *Z* (1969), Fi1m 84: Costa-Gavras cuts a political murder into a thriller and never stops moving — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/z.md)
- *Amores Perros* (2000), Fi1m 85: Three Mexico City stories colliding at one crash, shot rough and fast — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/amores-perros.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/traffic