If the system were on trial, the travesty would be the fact that major dealers are best poised to commute their penalties, whereas small-timers get stuck doing time because they have less to offer. He said, doesn't just stop on the street. , James Settembrino tried to assist prosecutors by providing information about other drug dealers. J. This one is different: the sentiment is not gross, just thick. Matthews turns to one of his employees, Daniel James, an ex-con trying to go straight. prosecuted Joey Settembrino. When an 18-year-old boy is busted with 2000 ecstasy pills, his desperate father goes into the drug world to find a bigger fish. DON FOSTER, U.S. Attorney: As far as snitches go, if theyre helping to solve this terrible drug problem we have in this country, then we will continue to use them, as long as theyre truthful. before explaining how he got involved: "The government contacted me and said, 'There's other ways that can help your son.' All stars require that to some degree, even the ones with more chops. Jason Collins Rafi Gavron The film doesnt appear to have the confidence or conviction to follow through on its "true story" and instead goes for action movie heroics and a Hollywood ending. As much as it is a gigantic clich to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. 846. Despite being more dramatic than explosive, Snitch should land in the $25 million-$30 million range a typical non-franchise haul for the Rock. Soundtracks. In an attempt to obtain a lower sentence for his son, James Settembrino tried to assist prosecutors by providing information about other drug dealers. John beseeches prosecutor Joanne Keeghan (Susan Sarandon) for help. This service doesnt provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as described by the FCRA. Nor is Johnsons brawn the focus of the camera lens in this movie that questions the fairness of minimum drug sentences. The junkyards, crack houses and mean nocturnal streets lend the story a vaguely fatalistic air recalling B-movie noirs of the late 1940s and '50s. In a high-volume drug possession case such as his (where quantities suggest an intent to sell), virtually the only way to reduce a stiff mandatory sentence is for the suspect to rat out a fellow dealer. Analisa Nadine Velazquez I love Dwayne Johnson he has the charisma of Schwarzenegger combined with a touch of genuine acting talent but his role here isnt right for the former wrestling star. Elizabeth of York b orn 1466 d ied 1503. So hes now doing life without. Waughs pacing aims for procedural drama, but it collides uncomfortably with the movies Hollywoodization. In an attempt to obtain a lower sentence for his son, James Settembrino tried to assist prosecutors by providing information about other drug dealers. 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Preposterous as it sounds, such arrangements are not unheard of; the "Frontline" segment detailed how real-life father James Settembrino worked with law enforcement to entrap drug dealers so . He begs desperately and even offers to help track down a drug dealer (Michael K. Williams) himself. A better look into the topic can be found in Eugene Jareckis documentary "The House I Live In.". Crazy Credits In the true story, James Settembrino helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son. He was the Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida who James Settembrino The reason it's interesting is that it is true. Related To Linda Settembrino, Etal Settembrino, Bongiorno Settembrino, Rosemarie Settembrino, James Settembrino. If anything, his story is more powerful and troubling than the one we see here. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Characters don't appear, they loom. Its a silly shift from serious realistic drama to dumb overblown blow-em-up that fits as smoothly as a musical number at the end of "Zero Dark Thirty." The film is based on the real-life story of James Settembrino, whose tale was told in a PBS Frontline documentary. Waugh's task is to make him look good: heroic, caring, credible. And Snitch, co-written and directed by Ric Roman Waugh, was a solid performer at the box office last winter (taking in $43 million domestically). Worst of all, the action sequences feel entirely out of place with the rest of the film. Inspired by a 1999 episode of PBS Frontline, writer-director Ric Roman Waugh spins a realistic situation into a crazy vigilante story, stretching the newsmags hypothetical questions What would you do if the government came knocking on your door telling you that you will get 30 years in prison unless you inform on somebody? Its nice to have actors of Sarandon and Peppers caliber onboard for the office-bound wheeler-dealer scenes, but mostly, its the prospect of witnessing Johnson at the helm of an 18-wheeler as he rams his way through machine-gun fire that excites. He must snitch on someone higher up to save his son from 30 years in an American prison. The seriousness of its intent and the calibre of its supporting cast make it watchable, and Johnson benefits from the higher goals. A 23 year-old college student, Clarence received three life sentences in a On January 25, 2007, James Settembrino was charged by federal criminal information with 1 count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Johnson holds the reins here. If you can do this, find people that have drugs and purchase drugs from them, we'll act favorably in giving your son a 5K1 reduction.' And I said, 'Well, why would you do that?' Snitch is a 2013 American action thriller film [4] directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Dwayne Johnson, based on the experiences of DEA informant James Settembrino. The key players are all family men (including Matthews connection to the underworld, played by The Walking Deads Jon Bernthal), making it hard not to feel that the whole thing has been rigged for maximum indignation. I give Waugh and his co-writer Justin Haythe credit for attempting to give some weight to what appears to be a generic thriller, but the film is more noble than successful. Screenplay, Justin Haythe, Waugh, inspired by the Frontline documentary Snitch., John Matthews Dwayne Johnson Waugh is a believer in shaky cam, which makes the end freeway chase a typical mess of edits. James Settembrino is Joey Settembrino's father. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. web site copyright WGBH educational foundationSome Images Copyright © 1999 Photodisc. TONY: I was in drugs, the sale of drugs, for a total of about three years. Ric Roman Waugh (Felon), originally a stuntman, has come through the ranks as an action director, but he struggles with the bits in between the action. Dwayne Johnson is having an identity crisis. relish. The election-minded U.S. Attorney (Susan Sarandon) takes the deal, and Matthews plots to entrap a local dealer (Michael K. Williams, Omar from "The Wire") with the reluctant help of one of his ex-con workers (Joe Bernthal from "The Walking Dead"). Or that your child will get 20 years unless he informs? to almost science-fiction lengths. Johnson softens up as a father stuck between a rock and a hard place. In an attempt to obtain a lower sentence for his son, Matthews has to make terrible choices, risking other people's lives. informant. James Settembrino is on Facebook. Get the recommendations on what's streaming now, games you'll love, TV news and more with our weekly Home Entertainment newsletter! Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Ghost Recon Frontline closed test cancelled after fan complaints. Barry Pepper Plays an Agent Acclaimed. Details have been changed to protect the famous - in this case, producer and star Dwayne Johnson, who plays the father. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) A friend had asked him to buy the pills; when the friend was arrested, he gave them Joey's name, so the police were waiting when he delivered. 3. Join Facebook to connect with James Settembrino and others you may know. Large, in charge and nobody's little Margie: Dwayne Johnson takes on the drug kingpins in "Snitch." Waugh would like to redress that imbalance, but since courtroom dramas arent nearly as fun to watch as action movies, he focuses on a one-of-a-kind plea bargain between the kids concerned dad, John Matthews (Johnson), and hardass federal prosecutor Joanne Keeghan (Susan Sarandon, who makes strict seem sexy), who is seeking re-election, and therefore willing to go easy on Jason in exchange for a high-profile arrest. In real life, James Settembrino was the father of an 18-year-old who received a 10-year sentence for the possession and sale of LSD. 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So I took the plea bargain and Im now doing 10 years. (The script implies that Jason's misjudgment is the result of acting-out over his parents' divorce.). Facing a life sentence, he made a deal with the government and become an informant, a snitch. Technically, the camerawork is crisp but flat, and the locations seem a little too tidy and un-lived-in much like the brand-new big rig Matthews drives from Los Angeles to El Paso to collect half a kilo of cocaine from some very bad dudes. Dwayne Johnson turns in the best performance of his career in a transitional role that very well may lead to more serious movies. | (10 years turns into 30 years, the suburban dad is built like a professional wrestler, etc.) Co-producer, Jillian Longnecker. Designed to make empathetic citizens question the system, this strangely compelling issue pic plays less to auds' hearts than to their craving for testosterone. "Snitch" comes from a story told in a "Frontline" documentary about the post-Reagan-era injustice of mandatory minimum sentencing for first-time, nonviolent offenders. J. James L Settembrino, 53. The true story the movie is based on, is about James Settembrino who in 1992 helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son Joey (who was also sentenced to 10 years due to Manatory Minimum Sentencing). Then again, the writers conviction to the overall true story (originally reported by "Frontline") is pretty weak. The key players are all family men (including Matthews connection to the underworld, played by The Walking Deads Jon Bernthal), making it hard not to feel that the whole thing has been rigged for maximum indignation. He is one of the producers, which shows that he wants to do better movies. In the meantime he'll continue to alternate between actioners (Fast Five, April 29) and family films (Journey 2: The Center of the Earth, September 23). The true story the movie is based on, is about James Settembrino who in 1992 helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son Joey (who was also sentenced to 10 years due to Manatory Minimum Sentencing). Ric Roman Waugh (Felon) will direct and rewrite the script by Justin Haythe, which centers on a suburban dad who goes undercover to convict a drug dealer in order to reduce his teenage son's 30-year prison sentence. John enlists the help of Daniel, one of his employees (Jon Bernthal, TVs The Walking Dead), to get him close to the criminals who are calling the shots. 'You want your son to get reduced, right?' FRONTLINE. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Waugh and co-writer Justin Haythes cardboard script lays things out real simple-like, playing the sympathy card from the start: A naive teen, Jason (Rafi Gavron), is busted by drug-enforcement agents after agreeing to hold his friends Ecstasy stash for a few days. The police offer to shorten Jasons sentence if he helps them set up and arrest another dealer, but since hes not an actual dealer and not even really a user, he has no one to turn in. Ridiculous. While there is indeed some action involved in this show, its not an action movie per se. Even so, there is juice in this situation and these characters. 10 years Bratts drug lord isnt much of a threat when Johnson looks like he could snap him in half without breaking a sweat. The big players don't tend to get caught, and if they do, they have plenty of people below them to snitch. The system rewards the guiltiest parties and incarcerates the minnows, often for a long time. I don't recall that part being in "Frontline." Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved James Settembrino (Palm Coast, Florida), born in Kearny, New Jersey, who passed away on April 4, 2018. what happened to james settembrinothe bottoms mississippi. Even so, Johnson isnt so much a relatable figure as a tougher-than-you action hero (curiously, he sounds like President Obama on steroids). Barry Pepper, wearing a beanie and Fu Manchu beard, is a federal undercover agent. years in jail, but if you come in and you help us, and you cooperate with us by guidelines. What are the side effects of Thiazolidnedions? The kid claims he was set up by a government informant; James Settembrino cooperated with prosecutors by attempting to ferret out information on other drug dealers, in exchange for a lighter sentence for his son. Daniel James Jon Bernthal Although set mainly in Missouri, Snitch was filmed in Shreveport, La., which robs the movie of authentic color and sense of place. The true story the movie is based on, is about James Settembrino who in 1992 helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son Joey (who was also sentenced to 10 years due to Manatory Minimum Sentencing). It isnt offensively bad maybe a bit reliant on clichs but its lethally dull. James Settembrino is Joey Settembrino's father. The reason it's interesting is that it is true. This one actually works.
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