The Snare
by Rachel Willis
When scholarship student Dani (Cassady McClincy Zhang) is picked up for carrying a miniscule number of illegal pills, her life is forever altered in writer/director Merlin Camozzi’s film The Snare.
The two detectives (Royce Johnson and Elizabeth Stahlmann) who take Dani in are quick to accuse her of intent to sell. She insists she only got the drugs to celebrate her recent graduation. Whether they believe her doesn’t matter. They see someone they can use for their own ends.
Camozzi has crafted a stunning portrayal of the mental toll inflicted on confidential informants (CIs) who will do almost anything to avoid a prison sentence. In Dani’s case, a conviction would mean losing her scholarship to college. For a poor student who is reliant on this, it’s a devastating consequence for a minor mistake.
The psychological abuse inflicted on Dani by the two cops is appalling. They are absolutely convincing in their efforts to bend Dani to their will. By exploiting her, they hope to land a whale. And because she has everything to lose, she is easily backed into a corner.
The scenes between Dani and the detectives are sometimes maudlin and their effect is diminished by this. However, McClincy Zhang convinces us of the hopelessness Dani feels. She knows what they want her to do would hurt people she cares about, but the detectives use the desperation against her. It leaves the viewer with an overwhelming sense of being between a rock and a hard place.
Camozzi does an excellent job of showing Dani’s world. This is a world where children are abandoned by their parents or have parents who work multiple jobs to stay afloat. The relationship Dani has with her mom (Lucy Walters) and brother, Bison (Joaopaulo Malheiro) is convincing and sincere.
The film states it is based on a true story, and while it is not specific to any one person, it is an overarching look at the flaws in the system of CIs. It’s sobering to realize children as young as 13 might find themselves in a situation like Dani’s. The film makes you wonder if the system is worth the price.
