There is some excellent acting here, especially from John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger, but I found myself hoping I could "fast forward". Not only is the pace problematic, the film fails to exact the kinds of suspense that you expect from a film like this. As such, my involvement in what happens to the character s was minimal. It didn't help that the period (the 1980s) is rarely invoked, so we are kept at arms' length from the location as well as the characters. And the plethora of dialogue, and the many characters who come and go, helped seal the film's fate.
There are so many films about the drug problem in the U.S. (e.g., "Traffic", "Scarface", "Sicario", "Clear and Present Danger", "Savages", "Miami Vice", "Bad Boys") that this film doesn't stand out at all. The unique perspective of looking at an undercover operation that focuses on the money laundering situation is indeed refreshing, and the best part of the film. From that POV it is certainly worth watching. Had the direction, music, and photography been at the same quality as the acting, this would have been a truly memorable film.
There are so many films about the drug problem in the U.S. (e.g., "Traffic", "Scarface", "Sicario", "Clear and Present Danger", "Savages", "Miami Vice", "Bad Boys") that this film doesn't stand out at all. The unique perspective of looking at an undercover operation that focuses on the money laundering situation is indeed refreshing, and the best part of the film. From that POV it is certainly worth watching. Had the direction, music, and photography been at the same quality as the acting, this would have been a truly memorable film.