The Infiltrator is a feature film in the crime genre. It's the true story of US Customs Agent Robert Mazur, an uc who helped bring down notorious Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, with an elaborate sting. It's Donnie Brasco meets Miami Vice.
Nothing ruins a film more than bad casting. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Trumbo) plays Mazur, a Jew playing Italians. He was good in Breaking Brad, but this is "Tim Watley" we're talking about. Cranston is one of the most WASPy actors out there. John Leguizamo (Chef, Carlito's Way) would have been a much better choice, but he's relegated to the role of the crazy sidekick. He shines in it. Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone, Central Intelligence) makes a cameo as the tough-talking Commanding Officer. She's a great actress, but it was a bit part.
The plot was predictable and derivative. Deep cover, Mazur assumes an identity and lives it, all the while growing attached to his his new "friends" he is using to make the case. It's warmed over leftovers. Nor did I buy Cranston as a criminal. He worked as Walter White, because the character was supposed to be stiff and nerdy. Bryan Cranston comes off that way in everything he does.
Pablo Escobar is a name in criminology. They seemed to use that more as an attention grabber, as he is not really a character in the story. Diane Kruger plays Mazur's fake fiancé, but she looks like an actress. Her character talks out of turn and lays it on too thick, thereby calling attention to herself and almost blowing their covers. Yet, Mazur takes this surprisingly well for a man with his life on the line.
Customs comes off as heroic, bankers evil, natch. There was cliché odd couple cop-buddy pairing ("by the book" versus "loose cannon"). The "where are they now" segment indicated a lasting friendship between the partners, but they never really bond in the picture. You also wonder why with all of their resources, risk, and paranoia the drug dealers don't bother with background checks. I also didn't get why if you're doing some illegal business, you have to meet the top guy--unless you're an infiltrator. The juxtaposition during the climax scene was very Godfather ripoff and it's been done to death. The Infiltrator flopped like Escobar on Entourage. There was nothing original here.
Nothing ruins a film more than bad casting. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Trumbo) plays Mazur, a Jew playing Italians. He was good in Breaking Brad, but this is "Tim Watley" we're talking about. Cranston is one of the most WASPy actors out there. John Leguizamo (Chef, Carlito's Way) would have been a much better choice, but he's relegated to the role of the crazy sidekick. He shines in it. Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone, Central Intelligence) makes a cameo as the tough-talking Commanding Officer. She's a great actress, but it was a bit part.
The plot was predictable and derivative. Deep cover, Mazur assumes an identity and lives it, all the while growing attached to his his new "friends" he is using to make the case. It's warmed over leftovers. Nor did I buy Cranston as a criminal. He worked as Walter White, because the character was supposed to be stiff and nerdy. Bryan Cranston comes off that way in everything he does.
Pablo Escobar is a name in criminology. They seemed to use that more as an attention grabber, as he is not really a character in the story. Diane Kruger plays Mazur's fake fiancé, but she looks like an actress. Her character talks out of turn and lays it on too thick, thereby calling attention to herself and almost blowing their covers. Yet, Mazur takes this surprisingly well for a man with his life on the line.
Customs comes off as heroic, bankers evil, natch. There was cliché odd couple cop-buddy pairing ("by the book" versus "loose cannon"). The "where are they now" segment indicated a lasting friendship between the partners, but they never really bond in the picture. You also wonder why with all of their resources, risk, and paranoia the drug dealers don't bother with background checks. I also didn't get why if you're doing some illegal business, you have to meet the top guy--unless you're an infiltrator. The juxtaposition during the climax scene was very Godfather ripoff and it's been done to death. The Infiltrator flopped like Escobar on Entourage. There was nothing original here.