As I was watching this film, I suddenly realized that this was a movie style I've never seen before. The four plot lines outlining four of the areas of drug traffic and the dealing with it, in four different locations, using different filming techniques were new to me.
The director, Soderbergh, has done good work in the past but this is his "Citizen Kane". The performances were uniformly good but this is Benicio Del Toro's movie. He owns it and controls it. Not since I saw De Niro in "Mean Streets" has a performance by a relatively unknown actor blown me away.
In addition to all this, the film gives a message to all of us who think that drug use is under control. The message is so strong that several politicians participated in the cocktail party scene, telling new drug czar Wakefield (Douglas), their opinions on the status of the drug war.
You come away from this movie excited because after all these years, there are still new ways to tell a story. This film will win the Oscar for best movie. Of that there is no doubt. Del Toro will win for best supporting and the young actress, Erika Christensen, who plays Douglas' daughter, has a great future as well.
Thank you Mr. Soderbergh.
The director, Soderbergh, has done good work in the past but this is his "Citizen Kane". The performances were uniformly good but this is Benicio Del Toro's movie. He owns it and controls it. Not since I saw De Niro in "Mean Streets" has a performance by a relatively unknown actor blown me away.
In addition to all this, the film gives a message to all of us who think that drug use is under control. The message is so strong that several politicians participated in the cocktail party scene, telling new drug czar Wakefield (Douglas), their opinions on the status of the drug war.
You come away from this movie excited because after all these years, there are still new ways to tell a story. This film will win the Oscar for best movie. Of that there is no doubt. Del Toro will win for best supporting and the young actress, Erika Christensen, who plays Douglas' daughter, has a great future as well.
Thank you Mr. Soderbergh.