Snitch (2013)

When it's over, where's the action? Dwayne Johnson is John Matthews, a father who makes a deal with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in order to free his son (Rafi Gavron) from prison. Snitch was completely opposite from what I was expecting. Here are some of the pros and cons.

Thumbs up -

(1) Johnson has been successful in action and comedy, and I could see this film was an attempt to try his hand at drama. But, unfortunately, the gamble doesn't pay off. I admired Johnson's desire to stretch his wings, and this film served to be a terrific stepping stone for just that. 

(2) The character of Daniel James (Jon Bernthal from The Walking Dead), a convict who wants a fresh start, was the most engaging character; Bernthal brings to the surface a mixture of greed and love, where the blending of the two can make for one very desperate man.

(3) I liked the storyline about fathers and sons, and the things we do to protect our family; this was something that most viewers can relate to.

Thumbs down - 

(1)  The film ran slow with little physical and dramatic action.  The last 20 minutes served to be the film's only real physical action. 

(2) The casting was all wrong; the son was the key to making me feel connected with all the characters, because it was his action that set the story into play; and Gavron failed to make me feel anything; plus, I didn't like Johnson as Matthews. He didn't look the part of a suburban father, nor was he believable getting beat up by some street punks. Have you looked at Johnson lately? He is a hulk, towering over his cast mates.

(3) Lastly, the idea of the DEA making such a deal with a civilian would be unlikely, making the film's premise quite unbelievable. 

What I think would have worked in this film would be giving Matthews a past (maybe an ex-con, or bodyguard) that connected him to the Mexican cartel, making his deal with the DEA more convincing and credible. His size and bulk would also work in the character's favor.

My rating: 2.5 out of 5