Steven Soderbergh Essay Example

of her own child becomes evident when they are threatened. She even goes to the extent of distributing cocaine-filled dolls that may be targeted towards children in other countries. Throughout the movie, there is a recurring focus on children, with characters constantly mentioning them and background scenes featuring kids at play. Soderbergh appears to be conveying a powerful message about the dangers that drugs pose to children.

The film seems to target an adult audience with the aim of creating empathy towards Robert Wakefield. As a parent, his unfortunate experience is relatable to every parent's worst nightmare. Despite having a high-paying job that involves fighting against drugs, he abruptly feels incapable of carrying on when he discovers that his own daughter, Caroline Wakefield, is involved in drugs. Caroline's involvement begins with free-basing together with Seth, a classmate who the movie doesn't provide further details about. Her decision to continue using drugs even after her father sent her to a private school away from drugs aligns with the movie's slogan "nobody gets away clean."

The main message is that once someone starts using drugs, it can be challenging to break free from the lifestyle. Caroline's experience exemplifies this as she becomes so desperate for drugs that she resorts to sleeping with a drug dealer of a different race and background. She eventually turns to injecting drugs and prostitution before being discovered by Bob. This implies that trying substances like free-base can lead to a downward spiral towards desperation similar to Caroline's situation; however, this may not be entirely substantiated.

The conclusion of this film follows the typical pattern of other movies, in which all loose ends are

neatly tied up. Salazar is killed, Javier obtains the lights for the children's baseball park, Ruiz is killed, and Carlos is set free. Helena is content, while Caroline successfully completes her rehabilitation and Bob is pleased. However, a few plot points remain unresolved, such as the bug Monty secretly planted under Carlos and Helena's table. Monty seeks revenge for his partner's death by exposing Carlos' guilt. Additionally, viewers speculate about whether Caroline will maintain her sobriety post-rehabilitation or revert to drug use. Notably, this movie diverges significantly from the standard framing of Hollywood blockbusters.

The camera work in the movie has a rough and unprofessional style, giving it a documentary appearance uncommon in blockbusters. Each story is filmed with a distinct color wash, such as a bright and uncomfortable yellow for Mexico and a cold blue for America. The scene where Javier and Manolo pull over to take boxes of drugs from the back of the van is shot with the cameraman concealing his presence and filming secretly. The actors are not filmed differently based on their celebrity status, but are instead shown under the same lighting depending on the scene's country. This approach adds to the documentary style and prevents the well-known actors from being elevated above the lesser-known ones.

I believe this movie appeals to both teenagers who can relate to Caroline and adults who understand Bob and his wife's emotions. However, various individuals will react differently to the film. For instance, a Mexican person may not appreciate how the film portrays Mexico and its inhabitants. Similarly, a black man may not appreciate the representation of a black drug dealer who exploits and brandishes a

firearm. The film features familiar characters such as cops and drug dealers, 'good-guys' and 'bad-guys'.

The average American household is represented by Bob, his wife, and their daughter. However, tension arises as a result of the daughter's rebellious behavior. The plot follows a common movie trope where the husband is arrested for drug-related activities, leaving his wife and child with a debt that threatens their safety. Traffic's editing style is marked by choppiness, with up to three cuts within ten seconds of footage. This contributes to a documentary-like atmosphere and creates unease among viewers. Soderbergh intentionally excludes important information from the plot in order to challenge audiences to engage more deeply with the film.

The film's unsettling tone is amplified by the absence of diegetic sound in several important scenes. Additionally, a notable symbol present in the movie is the cocaine doll given to the cartel leader by Helena. This object's importance lies in its resemblance to a toy that could potentially introduce children to cocaine if it ends up in their possession.

As long as her own child is safe, Helena is willing to vendo drugs to other children.