Human Traffic Questions

1.  Human Traffic faces the issues of normal people and doesn’t look at the glitz and glamour of life, it puts real people in real situations in the gritty style that social realism represents. It raises issues of family troubles in the form of Jip’s Mother being a prostitute. It looks at the issues of ecstasy when it was popular throughout the 90’s in clubs. When it comes to the issue of his mother being the prostitute the audience empathise with Jip as he talks to the audience in the style of a narrator. Although this doesn’t distract from the comedic side of the film as he uses one of his ‘fantasy scenarios’ to illustrate it for us.
2. Youth Culture is depicted as being lazy and not putting effort into things this is shown through ideas of Nina quitting her job, and Moff not wanting to get a job. Although this is different to public opinion as his reasons for not wanting to get a job are through how unhappy it seems to make the rest of his group of friends not because he is lazy and possibly spoilt. It also resists the stereotypes as it shows not only working class family going to raves and taking drugs but also Moff who is from a middle class family.
3. The film is British through its use of all it’s actors and characters being British, but it also seems more British as not all the characters are purely British some also come from a Welsh background which helps as a truly British group of friends wouldn’t just have English people in it. For instance Koop (Shaun Parkes) is British but may also be of Afro-Caribbean descent. Also all of the locations such as peoples houses, places of work and all the clubs they visit are also British in that respect. 

4. With all of the characters they believe that their true identity is in the clubs when they (As quoted by themselves) “can truly become themselves” and not pretend to be something that they’re not. Most of the group seems to have a sort of “alter-ego” about them which comes out through their jobs or work in general or even their relationships. For instance Lulu believes that all (or most) men are evil and victimise women and treat them like objects whereas her true side comes out when she an Jip become more than friends at the end of the film. In Koop’s first scene he declares himself as paranoid and unable to think about anything other than other men with is girlfriend (Nina). But when he works he is a confident man who is as Jip says “Blagging friendship, getting the kids hooked hustling with style”. Jip’s job as an anonymous shop salesman means he just blends into the rest of society and is unable to express himself due to his “mini ******* Hitler who just gives him stick all day”. In the form of his boss. Lastly Moff is form a middle-class family and his father is a policeman which means he has to act differently all day until he can be himself with his friends in the clubs. This is until he ‘snaps’ at the end and becomes his real self in front of his family.
5. One of the main ways in which verisimilitude is created through the text is the use of real footage of ‘ravers’ and rioters at the beginning of the story. I feel that the beginning of the film starts off with what the general public see as the youth culture at this time and as the story develops we see that it changes dramatically through it to what the real youth culture is. Also with many of the ‘fantasy’ scenes of Jip’s which involve him and the rest of the cast looking into the camera and talking to the audience. Also some of the camera shots, one notable one is where Jip and Koop are at the house party discussing Koop’s father, the table is glass and as they are bent over the table it is almost as if they are talking to us the audience as well as talking between themselves.

 Also as with many of these types of films you just see what the group are like with their friends and not into their private lives. You see Koop’s father in his retirement home, you meet Nina’s cousin and go with him on his first trip, you meet Jip’s mother and learn about her being a prostitute. You also see Lulu’s break-up with her boyfriend at the start. And lastly you see into Moff’s home as he recounts his story of calling an expensive girl-line and his father’s anger about it.

6. Jip’s anxiety comes from his case of erectile dysfunction and not only him not being able to perform but also how will the other party feel after he fails to perform. This could also stem from his mother being a prostitute as her voice is once mentioned in a scene with Lulu. Koop’s problems and anxieties stem from him worrying constantly and being paranoid about his girlfriend being with other men, he could have had bad relationships in the past but it is also from the fact that Nina (his girlfriend) is a very friendly person who knows a lot of people. Lulu believes that most men are out to objectify her when really the ones who aren’t are in fact her friends who could be seen as more than that. When really she may have just had a string of bad relationships. Moff’s anxieties mainly come towards the end of the film when he has taken a large amount of drugs and becomes paranoid of all his friends. His anxiety may also stem from him not believing that he will be able to become a normal functioning member of society. Because he will forever want to stay in the state of mind he is in.

7. Human Traffic is a heavily drugs related film. But there is no instance in which is promotes drug use. There are several of Jip’s narrations that talk about how it can make you feel better and make all of the bad parts of your life dissolve. But it also talks about all of the bad parts, for instance when Nina’s brother first takes it there is a scene where he is with Jip and a scientist where he discusses the prolonged use of Ecstasy’s side effects. So overall this film neither condones or put’s down drugs, but it is a film that lets you make your own choices in the decisions you make with it.