Parents' Guide to

The Infiltrator

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Great performances in very violent true-crime story.

Movie R 2016 127 minutes
The Infiltrator Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In the mid-1980s, at the height of the cocaine craze, federal agent Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston) has the option to retire, but instead he goes undercover as a slick money launderer -- THE INFILTRATOR -- in hopes of getting close to infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. At his side is the unpredictable Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo) and the rookie Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger), who poses as Robert's fiancee. After much planning and hard work, Robert gets close to Escobar's high-ranking lieutenant, Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt). It looks as if Robert and his team could be close to shutting down a huge illegal operation, but anything, at any time, could go dangerously wrong.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

The acting is good, and the story is well-told, but this film is more serviceable than extraordinary. Director Brad Furman sometimes copies better films, but he also fumbles many scenes via poor choices. Certain moments -- long tracking shots accompanied by cool pop songs -- recall Martin Scorsese or Brian De Palma at their most stylish, but at other times, Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer, Runner, Runner) tends to fall back on clumsy, shaky, poorly staged shots.

Directorial flaws aside, Furman is at least blessed with a good story and an interesting character in Mazur, which gives the talented Cranston (Breaking Bad) some powerful moments. The supporting cast isn't forgotten, either, and The Infiltrator satisfyingly fleshes out several other characters, making the entire 1980s criminal canvas that much richer. Of course, The Infiltrator never questions whether all this activity actually did any good, but perhaps that's a subject for another movie.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Infiltrator's violence. How does it make you feel? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Does Mazur seem like a role model? What are his admirable qualities? His iffy ones?

  • Does the movie have any strong female characters? How do the women in major roles compare to the women in minor roles?

  • How does the movie portray drinking and smoking? How does it compare with the movie's treatment of illegal drugs? Are they glamorized?

  • This movie is based on a true story: How accurate do you think it is? Why might filmmakers change the way things happened in a fact-based movie?

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