Trafficked

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, Trafficked is available in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 96 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Elisabeth Röhm's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

There is a reason Trafficked keeps coming up in conversation. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — Trafficked earns every emotional beat it goes for. In this story inspired by real characters, three girls from America, Nigeria and India are trafficked through an elaborate global network and enslaved in a Texas brothel, and must together attempt a daring escape to reclaim their freedom. Elisabeth Röhm and Ashley Judd lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2017. The performances in Trafficked do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in Trafficked. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Elisabeth Röhm is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.