"Cold Case" Cargo (2007)

Director:

Andy Garcia

Writers:

Meredith Stiehm (creator)
Tom Pettit (writer)

TV Series:

"Cold Case" (2003)

Original Air Date:

15 April 2007 (Season 4, Episode 22)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Foot Torture | Philadelphia | Detective | Cold Case | Homicide

Cast

Kathryn Morris	...	Lilly Rush
Danny Pino	...	Scotty Valens
John Finn	...	John Stillman
Jeremy Ratchford	...	Nick Vera
Thom Barry	...	Will Jeffries
Tracie Thoms	...	Kat Miller
Brad William Henke	...	Mike Chulaski
Michael Massee	...	Kiril
Helena Mattsson	...	Kateryna Yechenko
Bonnie Root	...	A.D.A. Alexandra Thomas
Vyto Ruginis	...	Roy Gardocki
Ksenia Solo	...	Lena
Brenda Wehle	...	Linda Boyka
Meredith Baxter	...	Ellen Rush
Mike Grief	...	Longshoreman #1-2005

Company:

CBS Paramount Network Television

Goofs:

Continuity: Stillman and Lena suddenly switch sides while looking out at the ocean. (It's possible they moved while the camera was off them, but why would they?)

Soundtrack:

Fix You

Human traffic

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The death of a longshoreman, Mike Chulaski, comes into the limelight as the Cold Case begin investigating the organized Russian mafia in connection with the smuggling of young women that are brought for prostitution. The main suspect is someone whose name translates to "Boss", but who has proved elusive to the people that after him.

In flashbacks we are taken to three friends getting off work. They want to stop for a drink, but Mike Chulaski decides he wants to go home. As he is passing by one of the containers that was unloaded earlier, he hears moans coming from inside. He breaks the seals and discovers about two dozen frightened women. One of them, whose name is Lena, is burning with fever. Mike takes her away to his place so he can tend to her.

The detectives interview one man, Kiril, in connection with the case. He pretends not to know anything. He was the one responsible from picking up the women from the docks and then took them to the places where they would engage in prostitution. They also talk to the woman in charge of assistance to young Russian women. This lady, Boyco, seems to know much more than what she pretends.

Parallel to the investigation, Lilly Rush gets a call from the super of her mother's apartment. She has not been seen in days. Lilly is not prepared for what she finds. The mother is laying unconsciously on the floor. At the emergency room, Lilly has a talk with her mother. Ellen Rush has cirrhosis of the liver. She can't drink ever again, something that Lilly has to impress on her sick mother.

This episode was directed by Andy Garcia, the actor, who seems to have a talent for directing. Not having seen any of his full length features, he did well in this short format. The installment was written by Tom Petit.

Meredith Baxter shows up as Ellen Rush in a short, but effective sequence that also involves Kathryn Morris. Brad William Henke has some good moments. Same goes for Helena Mattson, Brenda Wehle, and Ksenia Solo, two of the abused Russian girls, and the person that holds the key to unraveling the mystery.