But, after showing us one situation, they make us think about many others. Perhaps a better example, Dead Man Walking wasn't just about capital punishment. It was the story of a relationship, about how people from different sides of the tracks can learn to understand each other and bring abouthealing. It was about redemption and faith. It became a work of accomplished art.
Traffic wants to be an important movie and a work of art.
It might be an important movie in what it shows us. No movie about drugs has dared to venture a condemnation of the U.S. war on drugs, and this film comes pretty darn close. But Traffic is not by any means a great work of art. It's too busy telling us the facts, too busy showing off its superstars, and thus it fails to develop enough believable and engaging characters. Soderbergh might have been better off making a documentary.