Directed by:
Wojciech SmarzowskiScreenplay:
Wojciech SmarzowskiCinematography:
Piotr Sobociński Jr.Composer:
Mikolaj TrzaskaCast:
Bartlomiej Topa, Arkadiusz Jakubik, Eryk Lubos, Jacek Braciak, Marcin Dorocinski, Marian Dziedziel, Agata Kulesza, Maciej Stuhr, Adam Woronowicz (more)Plots(1)
This gritty, gripping, intelligently-made crime thriller, takes place on the mean streets of contemporary Warsaw and exposes the corruption endemic to the police – and society at large. Helmer-scribe Smarzowski focuses on seven police officers, members of the eponymous division, who are friends as well as colleagues, and whose lives change after one of their number dies in mysterious circumstances. As much a social critique as a genre piece, the pic has already passed the million admissions mark in Poland. As in Smarzowski’s earlier features, the multi-layered narrative takes place in a nihilistic world where human venality and immorality are the order of the day. One can even see each of the policemen as representing one of the seven deadly sins, although the script never overplays this aspect. Personifying pride is chief protagonist Sgt. Krol (Bartłomiej Topa), a cocky, independent-minded cop who is having an affair with his partner. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
(more)Reviews (2)
As soon as this flops over into a type of Hitchcock, it loses its seal of originality. Because it begins to strum on well-known genre strings, but nobody knows for sure how they will sound. Not that it all goes to pot at that moment, but it does become rather more ordinary, while still remaining sufficiently unusual, uncompromising and dirty mirror holding to stop it becoming just another run-of-the-mill genre movie, immediately forgettable as the closing credits come up.
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Wojciech Smarzowski is another excellent Polish director (Volhynia, Clergy) and Traffic Department is another solid notch in his career. The story focuses in detail on the work of traffic cops and it's clear that it's a thankless job (gangsters, hookers, politicians, blackmail, bribes). When a member of the force dies and another is charged, a rather gripping and suspenseful ride starts and it doesn't let up until the end. It’s suspenseful, well acted and brutal in places (the scene with the bitten off penis where blood spurts all over the car is one I won't soon forget), and the finale is shocking enough. Great film. 8/10.
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