Plenty of movies have dealt with the subject of drug trafficking. Consider the 2000 film “Traffic” starring Michael Douglas and Benicio Del Toro, or Johnny Depp’s foray into the subject matter with the 2001 movie “Blow.” However, few movies explore the effect drugs, and drug laws have on the individuals who traffic them, often with less than desirable results. Given Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s previous body of work, including hit or miss efforts as “Tooth Fairy” or the disappointing “Scorpion King,” “Snitch” is a surprising foray into this realm, if for no other reason than its unexpected success given the film’s decision to cast Johnson in the lead role as John Matthews, an ordinary man consumed by extraordinary circumstances. However, contrary to expectation, “Snitch” delivers, spinning both an enthralling yarn and a not-so-subtle cautionary tale on America’s strict minimum sentencing drug laws.
The beginning of “Snitch” moves at a breakneck pace. In rapid succession, Matthew’s 18-year-old son Jason (Rafi Gavron) is talked into ‘holding’ a bag of ecstasy for his friend Craig, but upon receiving the package in the mail, Jason discovers a tracking device in the envelope and is quickly pursued and arrested by DEA officers, led by Agent Cooper (Barry Pepper of “The Green Mile” fame). Jason’s estranged dad John Matthews (Dwayne Johnson) and his mother (Melina Kanakaredes) are quickly informed that Craig gave up Jason in an attempt to lower his sentence. ‘Mandatory Minimum’ sentencing laws require that Jason either give up a connection to a drug dealer to lower his sentence or face serving the next 10-30 years in prison. The only problem is that Jason is a good kid and doesn’t know any.
The first half of “Snitch” is brushed with a fair amount of realism, especially on the part of Johnson who portrays a hard working businessman and estranged family man, building a new life with his partner Analisa (Nadia Valazquez) while still trying to stay connected to his son Jason. Matthews spends a majority of the first act begging his son to give up someone who might sell drugs, and, when this doesn’t work, spends the rest of the time begging Missouri’s hard-nosed prosecutor Joanne Keeghan (Susan Sarandon) to give Jason another chance. While not promising anything, she makes him a deal: find someone to arrest that is conspiring to transport half a kilo or more, and Jason will have his sentence reduced to six months.
Realistic scenes and a good amount of back-story are what make early parts of “Snitch” effective. There’s Matthews, who must look at his son behind bars, suffering at the hands of fellow prisoners, who can do nothing about it. Then there’s Matthews getting beat up by a group of drug dealers when he attempts to buy cocaine off the street (which is probably what would happen if a well-to-do businessman in a shiny SUV attempted such a feat in real life). However, Matthews soon connects with a new employee and former con, Daniel (John Bernthal), who, in need of money to move his wife and son out of a drug infested neighborhood, agrees to introduce Matthews into the life that will help set his son free.
The acting in “Snitch” is astonishingly good, with Johnson and Bernthal establishing a good rapport and putting forth believable performances. It was encouraging to see that when given a decent script, Johnson was able to rise to the occasion. It’s hard to blame him for throw-a-ways like “Doom,” as he was never given a chance to work with material that had a chance. However, in “Snitch” Johnson somehow manages to bring decent acting to the table. Most of the time his delivery comes off as appropriate, and even when it doesn’t come off as well, we still don’t suffer through the pain of knowing we are watching a man act. Matthews is a likable, if understandable character, and Johnson brings him to life and makes him someone we want to root for.
Other players do a competent job as well, most notably Bernthal as Matthews’ reluctant accomplice and Rafi Gavron as his son. Surprisingly, one of the most heartfelt and likable performances in the film comes from Barry Pepper, who presents a Federal officer who, though he wants remove drug traffickers from the street, has a great deal of compassion for Matthews and knows when he is in over his head. Two scenes, one between he and Keeghan and another between he and Matthews in a solitary parking garage shows this extremely well, leaving us with the impression of a dedicated and moral character that garners our immediate respect. As the film comes to a head, further players such as small time drug trafficker Malik (Michael Kenneth Williams) and Cartel player ‘El Topo’ (“Law & Order’s” Benjamin Bratt) show the seriousness and urgency of the dangerous world Matthews has unwittingly entered.
“Snitch” isn’t perfect. It has its plot holes, its overacting, and, at times (particularly during its rushed ending) unbelievable scenes, where more of a push toward realism, instead of going for blockbuster/action type drama, would have served it better. However, the film is entertaining, and somehow manages to make the audience ask hard questions about ‘Mandatory Minimum’ sentencing along the way. Its performances are decent, its action and suspense effective, and, when you reach a movie’s end and are never bored, it certainly says something about both its subject material and its direction. If you’re after an action film that provides more than just your usual fare, or are looking for a reason to see Dwayne Johnson in a different light, you really couldn’t do a lot better than “Snitch.”
– by Mark Ziobro
