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The Infiltrator

A true-life antidote to Miami Vice

This is the ripped-from- the-headlines, seriously tense, and quite true story of Bob Mazur (Bryan Cranston, calling upon the same ambivalence that made Breaking Bad so mesmerizing), the federal agent who in 1968 went deep undercover, posing as a smooth, money-laundering businessman to infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s drug-trafficking empire. To great success. Yes, it’s a bit familiar, but it conveys unforgettably the intense risks such moles must take with even the slightest, everyday deceptions of an assumed identity. The terrific ensemble cast includes Amy Ryan, who jolts the film with each brief appearance as Mazur’s trash-talking boss, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt and Diane Kruger. (127 min)