The Snare feels drawn from reality

The line between good guys and bad guys gets blurred in The Snare, a look at law enforcement tactics and drug use. The independent feature, written and directed by Merlin Camozzi explores a difficult conundrum. Cops want to catch drug users.  But not all drugs go into the hands of dangerous criminals. Hoping to help her friends celebrate their high school graduation, Dani buys a few uppers but ends up in the hands of police. Instead of writing it all off as the casual and typical one-time behavior of kids, the officers threaten and trap Dani into the role of snitch, playing on fears like what will happen with her upcoming university scholarship.  Director Camozzi catches the circumstances in a natural style that feels pulled from life. Avoiding sets and famous faces, he shows an uncomfortable but absorbing situation that feels drawn from reality. His actors fall right into place, with Cassady McClincy Zhang of The Walking Dead and Dempsey Bryk making an appealing duo caught in the title trap. Sure, they break some rules, but Camozzi’s detailed script and the performer’s charms provide insight and empathy.  They live in a world where the mantra “life is unfair” rules, and as a realist, Camozzi refuses to force a simple solution. The Snare’s story offers little to smile about but its technique and style show much to respect.