The Infiltrator review by Lisa Johnson Mandell

I love a film that is so intense I have to remind myself throughout, “it’s only a movie, it’s only a movie–these are actors, and their lives are not really at stake.” I also found it necessary to remember that the movie is based on a published memoir, so at least one of the main characters lived through these harrowing situations. Such is the case with The Infiltrator, starring Bryan Cranston, in his best work yet. And I thought he was unequaled in Breaking Bad and Trumbo!

Cranston stars as Robert Mazur, a Federal agent in the 1980’s who came up with a brilliant undercover scheme that would hopefully bring down Pablo Escobar’s seemingly invincible Colombian drug cartel. Mazur’s idea was to follow the money, so he would go undercover as a flashy money launderer, with fellow agent Kathy Ertz posing as his fiancé, played exquisitely by Diane Kruger. Along the way they are helped by fiery agent Emir Abreau (John Leguizamo) and fall in with king pin Roberto Alcaino, played by Benjamin Bratt, giving a performance so refined you feel sympathy and compassion for a savage drug lord.

Director Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer, The Take) masterfully directs from a script written by his mother, Ellen Brown Furman. I can’t say enough about how I love that detail. Their talents along with stellar performances that are sure to be recognized come awards season, combine to make a movie that will not only ruin the best manicure, but leave you pondering for days. I generally despise films that end in a wedding–too lazy a finish for dippy rom coms. But this wedding’s pathos and suspense are unlike anything we’ve seen since The Godfather. The Infiltrator is a cinematic offer you can’t refuse.

Rated R

2 Hours 7 Minutes

Get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

https://youtu.be/_-Gt-mV1iDY

THE INFILTRATOR Review — Best of the Year So Far

by Lisa Johnson Mandell