Review of Heavy Traffic

I will start this review saying that this was my first Ralph Bakshi film, so beyond his newer paints, i´m not really used to his style so you won't read a full on praise of the film and all the other elements that most fans of Bakshi talk about. Heavy Traffic is an animated R film, that talks about Michael and his life as the son of a struggling Thug, an old nagging Jewish mother and his Black Girlfriend that is a bartender. Though the film doesnt really sound that exciting if you talk about them like this, when you analize it after seeing it, you have the story of a Young Man that could be doomed to make the same mistakes his father was doing. The film has really strong and recognizable visuals and characters, though my knowledge of Bakshi as a film director is really limited, i do know that his characters are visually recognizable and interesting and Heavy Traffic is a really amazing film, the animation (Though in some parts a bit too laggy) really supports some of the surreal characters, all the characters have a different way lf moving, jumping, talking and such, you can understand much of them about their designs. One of the problems i have are some of the more Problematic elements like some of the more misogynistic views and the uses of certain slurs, but to be honest, the film was made in a way more different time that kinda needed something strange, sexual and even racist in the animation industry, there is a reason why this film will be celebrated in the community, because it dared to do break the image of "Cartoons are for kids" even more then Fritz the cat for all that i know. Even the problematic elements like the slurs and some of the domestic violence aren't really embraced, they are actually portrayed as twisted and as darkly comedic in some elements, thankfully most of the elements done are to the more unlikable characters. Though, some of the elements like the violence feel kinda unneeded and useless in some scenes, the animation sometimes is really crappy, the ending though it works in the idea that life is like a Pinball game is really...weird, even with the analogy, some of the characters take some stupid decisions and sadly Michael goes from just a normal but kinda tired guy to a thug in a quick scene, it kinda feels unnatural, specially for the character we had met during the whole movie. But the film is still good, not really the thing for me, but i can't deny that the film has earned it's rightful place in the Animation stotytexts, i think that one of the taglines for the film describes it best. It's animated, but it's not a cartoon, It's funny but it isn't a comedy, it's heavy, it's heavy traffic. It's not for everyone, maybe not for me, but that doesn't mean that it isnt important.