Movie review: Snitch

In Snitch, that likeable lunk Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson puts on his serious acting hat.

SNITCH

MOVIE REVIEW: In Snitch, that likeable lunk Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson puts on his serious acting hat.

Just like you, I never knew he owned one. What's more, it doesn't seem to fit so well.

While this gap in The Rock's skill set won't have you liking the lunk any less, it does take the edge off a crime thriller that was never all that sharp to begin with.

To its credit, this knuckle-headed affair is up-front about its shifty origins.

Snitch is "inspired by real events". Which is Hollywood-speak for "it's a true story, with all the true bits taken out." Which is not necessarily a bad thing.

The plot? Get this. The Rock's nerdy teenage son has been framed - via Skype! - by a fair-weather friend as a drugs kingpin. The kid is facing 10 years in the slammer unless his dad does something, and does it fast.

Cut to The Rock cutting a weird deal with a pointedly anti-drugs-campaigning DA (Susan Sarandon) and a pointy-bearded narcotics agent (Barry Pepper).

If The Rock can bluff his way deep inside a major Mexican cocaine cartel and bring those bad hombres down, then The Little Rock can go free.

Did I mention The Rock is playing a suburban building contractor with no experience in the illicit-substance sector whatsoever? Probably best I don't. There's a few enjoyable scenes of trucks being driven in anger, and machine-guns being fired spectacularly inaccurately.

There's also a lot of scenes where The Rock gives the drama thing a try. And gives the bare basics a big miss.

The Rock has a habit of ending tumultuous sequences with a frowny stare that is more about the suppression of his famous smile than the suggestion of turmoil.

And when The Rock is talking on the phone, you never, ever forget he's yakking with a dial tone. Might be time The Rock traded that serious acting hat for the number of a serious acting coach.

> Snitch [M]
Director: Ric Roman Waugh (Felon)
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper, Jon Bernthal.
Rating: 2/5

"Sometimes The Rock just takes it all for granite"