Director/co-writer Ric Roman Waugh (Felon, 2008) brings us this Hollywood version of a film “inspired by true events.” His efforts basically shine a light on a tactic, put in the arsenal of the War on Drugs where authorities encourage snitching on accomplices, presumably so the Feds can daisy-chain their way from small potatoes to big-time dealers. This method apparently was all the brain-child of Mrs. Nancy Reagan, in a by-gone era, when her husband declared war on the drug epidemic. Whether it’s ethical, relevant in today’s society or not, can be interpreted in different ways and in viewing this flick, I would say that there are more questions than answers.
I think one of the most surprising things about this flick is how Waugh, having started his career as a stuntman from a family of stuntmen, was able to show that “Snitch” is, for the most part, a drama and not the action movie that the poster and the trailers would want to make one believe it is. It is certainly a very touching story with an undertow of character analysis and a “docu-drama” air to it. Maybe, the ability to make a purely a typical Hollywood blockbuster, would have taken away from the essence of the story, hence, I would imagine that the hybrid feel to it was purposeful and well thought out.
Tags: SNITCH