The Infiltrator (2016)

A U.S. Customs official uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Director:

Brad Furman

Writers:

Ellen Furman (screenplay) (as Ellen Brown Furman), Robert Mazur (based on the book on)

Stars:

Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Diane Kruger

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bryan Cranston	...	Robert Mazur
Leanne Best	...	Bowling Alley Waitress
Daniel Mays	...	Frankie
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor	...	Steve Cook
Niall Hayes	...	Scott Mazur
Lara Decaro	...	Andrea Mazur
Juliet Aubrey	...	Evelyn Mazur
Olympia Dukakis	...	Aunt Vicky
Amy Ryan	...	Bonni Tischler
John Leguizamo	...	Emir Abreu
Joseph Gilgun	...	Dominic
Jason Isaacs	...	Mark Jackowski
Richard Katz	...	Attorney
Fred Furman	...	Federal Court Judge
Juan Cely	...	The Informant

Storyline

During the 1980s, U.S. Customs Service special agent Robert Mazur uses his undercover alias "Bob Musella" to become a pivotal player for drug lords cleaning their dirty cash. Later, he infiltrates the world's largest cartel, and helps expose the money-laundering organization of drug lord Pablo Escobar and take down the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, which had secretly taken illegal ownership of First American Bank shares in Washington, D.C. He survives the deception and has a long and productive career.

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Plot Keywords:

undercover agent | money laundering | corruption | drug cartel | based on true story | 

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Taglines:

The true story of one man against the biggest drug cartel in history

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language throughout, some sexual content and drug material

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actor Bryan Cranston explained about signing on to this film: "The thing that really got to me and made me want to do The Infiltrator (2016) is that Bob's job is to befriend these criminals to the point where they completely trust him. He knows their children, he knows a lot about Roberto and Gloria; it's true, deeply rooted friendship. And then Bob arrests them. So to me The Infiltrator (2016) is a story of friendship and betrayal."

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Goofs

The film is set in 1985, there's a shot outside a Florida liquor store that has a "Lotto" sign. The Florida lottery didn't begin operations until 1988.

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Quotes

Robert Mazur: Roberto, I am glad you are here. But there is a part of me that wishes you hadn't taken that risk.
Roberto Alcaino: Without family or friends what kinda world it is be. There will be no reason to be alive. Hmm? It's a good day.

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Connections

Featured in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Bryan Cranston/Kate McKinnon/The Julie Ruin/Thomas Lang (2016)

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Soundtracks

Tom Sawyer
Written by Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart & Pye Dubois
Performed by Rush
Courtesy of Anthem Records/Ole & Island Def Jam Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd, Anthem Records/Ole & Ole Core Music Publishing
(c) 1981 Ole Core Music Publishing (SESAC/SOCAN)
All rights reserved, used by permission
Administered by Ole

User Reviews

Breaking Good

Bryan Cranston is not your typical movie star, although he seems like it. Underneath the cool-high-school-dad exterior, there's an actor of great depth and unexpected power. You'll know it when you see a scene involving his character, said character's wife, and a restaurant on their anniversary dinner. Cranston seems to have benefited during his years as Walter 'Heisenberg' White on TV's Breaking Bad. And it has contributed greatly in this biographical crime thriller, about as straightforward and predictable as a stab in the gut.

Yes, Brad Furman's (The Lincoln Lawyer, Runner Runner) directorial efforts here will not be known for their signature riffs, as there is none to speak of. It's standard thriller fare, the kind that would do well had it been released between the late 1980s and early 1990s; pure genre fare that caters to mostly adult film-goers that aren't interested in seeing computer-generated superpowers or rubble. In other words, unoriginal yet mature, grown-up stuff.

The Infiltrator, however, is textbook example of how great casting can elevate shopworn genre material into solid entertainment, as the always-reliable Cranston has proved here. Sure, he is strongly supported by a bevy of intriguing cast members including Benjamin Bratt, John Leguizamo and the lovely Diane Kruger; but in portraying real-life undercover agent Robert Mazur shimmying his way up through Pablo Escobar's criminal empire, Cranston's understated but strong everyman presence confidently carries the movie solely. That quality alone replaces the tediousness often found in similar true-crime movies with an intense amount of uneasy suspense and grounded credibility, providing lots of fun for Cranston fans as long as they do not expect anything groundbreaking.

Breaking Good, indeed.

Details

Official Sites:

Mongrel Media Official Facebook

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

13 July 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Infiltrator

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,303,775, 17 July 2016

Gross USA:

$15,436,808

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$21,011,110

Company Credits

Production Co:

George Films, Good Films Collective, Lipsync Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Color:

Color Black and White Color (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1