Plot Synopsis: Curtis Snow acquires a video camera and documents his life as a drug dealer in Atlanta.
Matt Stetler
You think the area you live in is bad, maybe sometimes a little unsafe due to lack of streetlights or ruffians not following the speed limit? Just thank your lucky stars you don’t live in “the Bluff.” The Bluff is a rundown area outside of Atlanta that is apparently notorious for being a warzone of drug dealers, prostitutes and other forms of savory characters. Needless to say, it’s not a vacation destination. Yet, amongst all this chaos lives Curtis Snow, the subject of this “documentary” on life in the Bluff and how amidst this bleak way of living, he still finds a way to live like a King, even if it’s in his own mind.
Snow of tha Bluff is listed as documentary, but yet the movie is presented in a way that makes it come across as a legit film. It takes a while to truly understand what it is you are watching because of a combination of scenes that are obviously staged and scenes that are chillingly real. You really get an inside look at just how brutal the “drug game” can be and yet at the same time find it fascinating. Curtis is like a street smarts Patton. He defends his turf from outside dealers, but doesn’t just charge in when doing so; he actually prepares and makes plans. It puts you in the thick of this lifestyle without the danger. There is tenseness throughout the film that comes from the feeling that anything bad can happen at any moment, and sometimes does.
The inability to really follow what’s going on (or even what’s being said) can make your attention wane as the film progresses though. There is a storyline, but it’s a loose one. The movie plays out more like isolated incidents that happen in the neighborhood, with the same cast of characters being involved. I found myself not giving the movie 100% of my attention towards the end. Also, there is an option to watch with subtitles on and I strongly suggest doing so. I had great difficulty understanding what was being said sometimes, possibly because this was shot using a single camera and probably not much else.
I couldn’t help but get the same feeling watching this that I got while watching the Blair Witch Project. I knew that was a work of fiction, but much of what happened within the movie were real events being captured live on film. Snow on tha Bluff starts and ends with fictional scenes, but almost everything in between comes across as real events the filmmaker captured. Clearly, there are some things that were most likely reenactments of events that happened in Curtis Snow’s life, but make no mistake, Curtis is no actor. He served time in prison for things that took place in Snow on tha Bluff. And c’mon, legitimate actors never go to jail, right?
Why you should put this in your queue? It’s a grippingly realistic capture of what the urban sections of a lot major cities are like. There are intervals where you may not know exactly what is going on, but it still come across so fascinating that you keep on watching.
Why you shouldn’t put this in your queue? The mix of staged and real footage comes across hokey at times. There are moments where the dialogue can be impossible to understand and the lack of a real story makes this feel like more of a special episode of Cops rather than a film.
Justin Oberholtzer
I liked the premise of “Snow on Tha Bluff” more than I did the execution. Damon Russell (who directed & co-wrote with Curtis Snow) has a good idea; to follow around a drug dealer and utilize the found footage aspect to show how dangerous it is. The problem is that the found footage aspect can be too distracting at times. There are sequences where it catches Snow & his crew goofing around. The point is to develop the characters, but I felt these scenes meandered too much.
As for the violent nature of drug dealing, they’re filmed relatively well. The shootouts can be jarring, though the impact the police have on the proceedings isn’t explored as much as it could’ve been. I feel that’s the biggest roadblock against this film. The most interesting aspects of the lifestyle aren’t explored as much as they should be. The best example of this would be Curtis’ relationship with his estranged girlfriend and children. Anytime this is explored, the film is made much stronger because of it. I’m not saying the entire film should’ve been centered around this, but more of it would’ve helped immensely.
Despite not reaching it’s full potential, “Snow on Tha Bluff” is still a worthwhile watch. When it does explore the more harrowing and heartbreaking aspects of the drug lifestyle, it’s an intriguing experience. And, while it sometimes a nuisance, the found footage material can add to the drama. I just wish it would’ve explored more of the gripping facets and less on the rudimentary.
Why Should You Put This In Your Queue? The premise is strong, as are the performances. When the drama connects, it hits hard.
Why Shouldn’t You Put This In Your Queue? Damon Russell doesn’t fully explore the facets of the drug lifestyle, sometimes choosing to meander on the less-than-thrilling aspects. The found footage style can be distracting.