Rating: R
Genres: Comedy Drama Action Adventure
Release Date: 09/05/2000
SubTitles: English/French/Espanol
Dubbed: English
Sound: 1
Run Time: 76 min
Flags: Violence, Graphic Violence, Nudity, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Adult Language, Profanity, Gore
Distributor/Studio: MGM

Heavy Traffic represents a follow-up to animator Ralph Bakshi's first feature film, Fritz the Cat (1972). The central character is Michael, the ingenuous son of an Italian father and Jewish mother. An aspiring cartoonist, Michael leaves home in a huff and outrages his family by conducting an affair with an African-American woman. Heavy Traffic was originally intended to be a cartoon adaptation of Hubert Selby's notorious novel Last Exit to Brooklyn, but negotiations fell through, and Bakshi was obliged to cook up a similar but not identical "mean streets" plotline. (Last Exit to Brooklyn was made as a live-action film in 1989.)

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Animator Ralph Bakshi's films tend to be somewhat frustrating. He is undeniably talented and his best work conveys a personal and idiosyncratic world view, but most of the screenplays (usually self-penned) are less than satisfying foundations upon which to base the films. Heavy Traffic is entertaining and a great time capsule back to 1973, but the story itself is no great shakes and the dialogue is at times painful. Were it a live-action rather than animated film, the screenplay would do it in, but fortunately Bakshi's bag of visual tricks serves to distract from the script's failings. There's also a genuine sense of urgency to the film, which gives it great energy and life; the scenes often come one on top of another, in a quick succession that doesn't give the viewer time to breathe. Bakshi's animation is as loose and sloppy as ever, which is a great part of its appeal. The milieu is especially sleazy and decadent, and he captures that atmosphere precisely. And even with the screenplay's drawbacks, there's an appeal to the main character that transcends his annoying qualities. Definitely not for young children, Heavy Traffic is odd and quirky and at times fascinating.

~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

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Cast:
Beverly Hope Atkinson|Candy Candido|Charles Gordone|Frank de Kova|Helene Winston|Jamie Farr|Jay Lawrence|Jim Bates|John Bleifer|Joseph Kaufmann|Kim Hamilton|Lee Weaver|Lillian Adams|Michael Brandon|Morton M. Lewis|Peter Hobbs|Robert Easton