Traffic

If this year's surprisingly commercial "Erin Brockovich" was filmmaker Steven Soderbergh at his most "Hollywood," then "Traffic" is the return of the decidedly "Un-Hollywood" Soderbergh.

In fact, despite the fact that it has some big names in its cast, this ensemble thriller is more akin to the edgier films Soderbergh made early in his career, such as the acclaimed "sex, lies and videotape."

What makes that perhaps a bit surprising is that it's a film that would seem to fall into more mainstream moviemaking. However, in Soderbergh's capable hands, it becomes a thought-provoking, fascinating piece that examines America's War on Drugs in a most thought-provoking manner (though its final message is certainly up to interpretation).

And even though the film is meant to provoke, and to prove a point, "Traffic" never really drags, and it holds up remarkably well . . . at least until the end, when some disappointing — and stereotypically "Hollywood" — plot developments get in the way, prompting a conclusion that rings somewhat false.

However, it's so well-crafted and well-acted that it doesn't even come close to feeling as long as its two-hour-plus running time. And the only reason it's that long is because there are so many subplots and characters running through it.

If the film has a main character, it's Ohio Supreme Court Justice Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas), a staunch supporter of drug crackdowns who has just been nominated as the country's new drug czar. That's a somewhat ironic development, since, unbeknownst to Wakefield, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is an addict. Consequently, he soon becomes more involved in trying to save his daughter than plan anti-drug strategies.

At the same time, the film also looks at law-enforcement efforts on the continent. In Mexico, local police officer Javier Rodriguez (Benicio Del Toro) and his partner are trying to stop the spread of drugs by two different cartels when they are approached by Mexican Army General Salazar (Tomas Milian) to join up with his forces.

Meanwhile, here in the States, undercover DEA agents Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) have been able to bust a mid-level supplier (Miguel Ferrer), and they hope he will testify against his boss — a wealthy businessman whose pregnant wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is unaware of his extracurricular activities.

Screenwriter Stephen Gaghan's script, which is based on the BBC series of the same name, manages to weave these seemingly separate story threads together, though, surprisingly, it's the over-the-border scenes that may be the film's most compelling.

That's because of Del Toro, who's already getting some early Oscar talk for his searing performance as a lawman torn between his duty and a series of temptations.

Of course, that's not meant to reflect negatively on the rest of the cast, which is very good — especially Douglas, who replaced Harrison Ford (a last-minute dropout), and the always dependable Cheadle. (Sen. Orrin Hatch and other national lawmakers have a series of quick cameos that add "authenticity" to the film.)

"Traffic" is rated R for scenes depicting drug use (including marijuana, crack cocaine and heroin), violence (mostly gunfire), frequent strong profanity (such as the "R-rated" curse word), simulated sex, male nudity, a scene of torture and use of crude sexual slang and a vulgar joke. Running time: 147 minutes.

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