Operación escobar

There are many reasons to like The Infiltrator. It takes place in the '80s, it's suspenseful, and it gives us a really gritty inside look at what life is like for a good guy who goes undercover to work with the Colombian drug cartel.

Which is what Bryan Cranston's character does. He's a guy on the verge of retirement and could easily leave to spend time with his wife and kids, but takes this one last job. And it proves to be the toughest one yet as he poses as a money launderer to try and take down Pablo Escobar's entire drug trafficking network.

It takes place in the Reagan-'80s and so there's this whole overt camera filter over the whole film. It's not too distracting, but it's also not terribly necessary. But it's minor.

The whole thing plays out as one giant sting operation. And the filmmakers understand that in a 2 hour movie, you don't need to run through all the details in one quick dialogue-filled scene. However, it would've been nice if they had given us a little more along the way.

It starts unraveling a little over an hour in. There's about a 30 minute stretch where you're looking at the person sitting next to you saying, "What's happening?" There's a lot left unexplained, but I guess there was more concern about the movie not becoming any longer.

The film is long at 127 minutes, but it's never really an issue. We need the time to process what's happening and for Cranston's character to evolve over the course of the film.

It tightens back up in the home stretch, culminating in an emotionally impressive final scene.

The always-under-appreciated John Leguizamo plays Cranston's partner and does a very good and believable job.

There seems to be this slightly neglected theme intermittently placed throughout the film about the American economy collapsing without laundered money. It's an interesting idea and one that should have been touched upon way more.

Twizard Rating: 80

I watched this last night and it was a very enticing movie, but lacked something that could have turned a very good movie into something to be remembered.

Brian Cranston and John Leguizamo are both great in their lead and supporting roles. The supporting cast all do very well, the story from what l have read is a good enactment from real life into a movie, but somehow this film always pushes you towards wanting something more, something a little more gripping. Whilst l like the pace of the movie, the character development needed more, the backstory was very quickly done and felt far too pushed through. The directors didn't seem to want to develop the underlying tension between Cranston and Ryan or allow the audience to grow with any of the characters, where you feel the pain, anxiety, pressure.

The ending like so many films in Hollywood these days is rushed and feels like an anti-climax. It's not often l say this but the film could have used another 20 minutes or so to add other dimensions that would likely have left you feeling slightly more fulfilled. 7/10

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.

"The Infiltrator" brings the story of undercover agent Robert Mazur. As the movie opens (with Rush's "Tom Sawyer" blasting away), we are reminded that it is "Tampa, Florida 1985", and we see Mazur at work, in what turns out the be the last phase of an undercover job. Due to his length of service, Maruz is offered the possibility to retire with full benefits. Instead, to the dismay of his wife Ev, he decides to take on one more job, far more complicated and dangerous than he ever imagined. As this point we're not even 15 minutes into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie is directed by Brad Furman, who previously brought us the Matthew McConaughey-fronted thriller "The Lincoln Lawyer". Screenplay is by Ellen Brown Furman (I imagine related to the director, but don't know for a fact). This is a narco crime drama that is essentially "The Sting" on steroids: can Maruz (in his undercover role as Bob Musella) and his rookie partner Kathy Ertz pull off a sting of gigantic proportions, right under the noses of the feared Colombia drug cartel of Pablo Escobar? As you have probably noted, the connection with Pablo Escobar is played up in the movie's marketing materials. The reality is that Escobar is perhaps hovering over the movie in spirit, but the movie in fact is a lot more about what happened with BCCI (the UK's Bank of Credit and Commerce International), the 7th largest private bank at that time. (And if you are looking for a true Escobar crime drama, check out "Escobar: Paradise Lost", starring Benicio Del Toro and Josh Hutcherson.) "The Infiltrator" has many great moments, and is tense almost from the get-go. Bryan Cranston, on the heels of the excellent "Trumbo" last year (but still best known for his work on TV's "Breaking Bad"), delivers yet another winning performance. But the big surprise for me was the outstanding work from Diane Kruger as the rookie undercover partner. She is superb (aside from being superbly beautiful). Lots of great songs throughout the movie, including The Who's "Eminence Front", which plays not once but twice in the movie!

"The Infiltrator" opened this weekend and I couldn't wait to see it. The Friday evening screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended very nicely, somewhat to my (pleasant) surprise. I found "The Infiltrator" to be a riveting narco crime-drama, the likes of which we don't get to see enough, and would encourage you to check it out, be it in theaters, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "The Infiltrator" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

LJ'S QUICK MOVIE REVIEW

"I think we've been doing this backward. We've been following the drugs to get to the bad guys. What if we chased the money?"

"The Infiltrator", starring Bryan Cranston, follows the fascinating tale of Robert Mazur, a U.S. Customs Agent who goes undercover in a drug cartel.

The stakes are extremely high. If Mazur's disguise isn't convincing, he will be brutally tortured and murdered. He, along with his two partners, have to deal with intelligent drug-lords, ruthless thugs, and shrewd businessmen. Watch as the trio concoct risky plans and false identities while avoiding the suspicion of their targets.

The severe tension is truly felt through the amazing performances. Cranston steals the show, while Diane Kruger, Benjamin Bratt, and Emir Areu are all top-notch. There are nerve-wracking moments where viewers sincerely fear for the characters' safety.

Overall, "The Infiltrator" is a riveting and complex movie with great direction and superb acting. If crime-dramas are your cup of tea, I highly recommend watching it.

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