Cranston Brings a Riveting Performance with THE INFILTRATOR on Bluray

This week on Bluray/DVD/VOD and Digital HD from director Brad Furman and Broad Green Pictures is the true story of what it takes to be THE INFILTRATOR.

Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston) is a Federal Agent during the 1980’s when drugs were becoming more and more prevalent in the United States. Determined to stop those responsible, Bob goes deep undercover with the help of Agent Emir Abrue (John Leguizamo). Watching him go is wife Evelyn (Juliet Aubrey) who knows not to ask too much.

Creating another life and identity, they go after the Escobar cartel and meet top lieutenant Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt) and wife Gloria (Elena Anaya). Veering suspicion away from his own family, Bob is assigned first time assignment Agent Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger) to be his fiancé.

Trying to win over Alcaino, he invites him to New York and even introduces him to his Aunt Vicky (Olympia Dukakis) who helps her nephew seal the deal. Posing as a man who can move and make money for his clients, Bob’s connections are becoming international as he builds a case.

Building a case against 85 drug lords and corrupt bankers who are part of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International has potential for going wrong. For everyone involved it means the slightest wrong move and it all comes crashing down with dire consequences.

Cranston as done it again in this role as Robert Mazur. Not only does he jump right into going undercover, but the believability factor is huge here! I was hooked into the story immediately and it was seriously due to his portrayal. From the intensity of living this double life to the very end, Cranston gave Mazur everything! His clothing was an added bonus to the effect but I couldn’t be more impressed. I thought his work in All The Way this year as President Johnson was amazing as well.

Kruger as Kathy is a first assignment agent who is learning as she goes. I have to tell you that her character made me totally nervous! With Mazur being clever enough to use his own wife’s story to keep things straight, Kruger’s character had to learn it all and keep is straight. Well done Kruger!

Leguizamo as Abrue has the frightening task of getting down and dirty to get the information Mazur needs. There are moments where Leguizamo’s character is just as obsessed with cracking open this case as Mazur is. It’s an obsession that brings them both close to the edge.

Bratt as Alcaino is suave, sophisticated and unapologetic for how he makes his money. It is a duality of being hard and driven on one hand and family oriented on the other. That would be excellent if for the fact that he was a dangerous drug dealer! Anaya as Gloria is the loving wife who accepts Mazur and his ‘wife’ seeing a wonderful friendship with them.

I have to mention Olympia Dukakis because she was hilarious as Aunt Vicky. It was as if she was born to work with her nephew on a case like this. This character is charming, smart and extremely funny. Her role isn’t a big one but it’s certainly memorable.

Other cast include: Tim Dutton as Ian Howard, Said Taghmaoui as Amjad Awan, Art Malik as Akbar Bilgrami, Joseph Gilgun as Dominic, Daniel Mays as Frankie, Amy Ryan as Bonni Tischler, Jason Isaacs as Mark Jackowski and a cameo with my favorite cruzer Michael Pare as Barry Seal.

Broad Green Pictures is a fully-integrated movie studio that provides filmmakers with unparalleled development support, production and brings that vision from script to screen. Through collaborative partnerships, Broad Green shares incredible stories with the widest possible audience. For more information about film s and what they have to offer please visit www.broadgreen.com.

THE INFILTRATOR is an intense movie from start to finish! This is definitely a history lesson for those who are unaware of how bad the drug scene was in the 1980’s. It is the cast that brings performances front and center keeping me not only interested but with that kind of intensity I want to know more.

I also love that it is a period piece because I am huge fan of era driven stories. It’s an opportunity for a filmmaker to use everything from clothing to cars and even down to a sofa; all of it truly lends itself to being part of the story being told.

The Bluray includes the Special Features Audio Commentary with Director Brad Furman and Bryan Cranston, Deleted Scenes, The Three Bobs and How to Infiltrate.

In the end – it is the true story of one man against the biggest drug cartel in history!