The Infiltrator, 2016.
Directed by Brad Furman.
Starring Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Diane Kruger and Benjamin Bratt.
SYNOPSIS:
Based on the true story of Robert Mazur; the US Customs official who uncovered the money trails of Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel.
The Infiltrator drops us straight into 1985 Tampa, feeling like a combination between the original Miami Vice and every undercover cop film we’ve seen over the last 15 years. Fortunately this feeling of familiarity and seeming lack of originality is more than counteracted by the fantastic performances throughout with just enough tension sprinkled in to make this a more than worthwhile thriller.
Based upon the memoirs of Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston) – the real life customs officer – we follow him and his partner Emir (John Leguizamo) as they impersonate a mob money launderer Bob Musella and his associate working their way into Pablo Escabar’s Medellin Cartel. Mazur is cautious and constantly aware of how fraught with danger their situation is, any slip in character could get them killed. One such slip up to protect his real marriage introduces fake fiancée Agent Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger) who, despite being on her first undercover mission, becomes a boon to Mazur as he moves up the ranks and befriends the family of Escobar’s lieutenant in Tampa, Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt). Mazur’s fake relationship with Ertz enables a close connection with Alcaino and his wife that allows him to get all the information he needs for their case.
The Infiltrator is all too often linear and lacking in depth to its story, never truly exploring the psyche of Mazur and the emotional toll playing such a different man to himself must take on him, although we do get the sense that he does enjoy moments of being the dirty businessman of Bob Musella. It also doesn’t have the twists and turns that make a great thriller with the tension never quite as knife edge as it could be despite the definite danger of the situation Mazur and Emir are in.
In spite of this, Cranston’s performance is one of his best. Breaking Bad fans will enjoy the irony of Walter White playing an undercover agent hunting the world’s most famous drug lord, switching between the roles of family man and hardened criminal once again. The characters duality is best displayed in the film’s most memorable scene where Mazur out for dinner with his wife I spotted by a cartel member and has to quickly switch to the Musella persona. Suddenly a regular, nice evening with turns to him terrorising a waiter to keep up his cover – Cranston handles the whole sequence incredibly. There is also great chemistry between Cranston and Leguizamo’s Emir, although this never gets much screen time after Diane Kruger’s fake fiancée enters with the shift going to the equally good chemistry her and Cranston share.
It is unfortunate that the story and the somewhat shaky pace of the film never fully make the most out of the various actor’s excellent performances. However it still a rather rare film in today’s market in that it is of much more serious tone without too many moments of light heartedness that would take away from the tension and a story that is still interesting despite the shallowness of its script. It is fortunate that such are the performances and the high quality of some of the moments in the film that I did not leave disappointed, only wishing for slightly more.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Matt Spencer-Skeen
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