Crook (2013) Reviews

• A decent crime thriller worth watching

  BobStage2013-11-10

  Having seen this at the Ottawa International Film Festival, I can say that this is a film worth checking out if you're interested in a decent crime flick. The movie follows Bryce, a tough criminal who leans dangerously towards self-destruction. His first scene in the movie has him playing a game where, in the style of Russian Roulette, a gun with one bullet is pointed at his hand. The same willpower and determination which allows his hand to remain steady at that moment is the same kind of energy which keeps him going throughout the film. Bryce (played by a very competent Adam Beach) finds out that a group of criminals who work for the same boss as he does have been betraying their employer, threatening the stability of the organization. Bryce eventually finds out that this sort of double-dealing is leading him into a series of violent confrontations where his own loyalties are tested. Elsewhere, the crime boss, Tony Deluca (Luigi Saracino), whom Bryce works for finds threats of his own when a former associate decides that he has had enough, and plans to take over. His prize weapon involves a record of corruption within the municipality's governmental structure. Meanwhile, the associate's own sexual appetite involves a young prostitute named Tricky, who has her own connection to Bryce. Rounding out the list of competitors is the veteran police officer (Bill Lake) who is determined to arrest Deluca and bring down his criminal organization. The film takes place entirely in Ottawa, where it was also filmed. The cold weather and scattered snowfall are both complimentary to the film's cold portrayal of hardened criminals who talk loudly and react violently. Allegiances are questioned, hasty decisions and rash actions lead to various people being shot, and the struggle for money or information changes for some of the characters to simply becoming a fight to stay alive. The formula of the story is hardly novel to the genre, but any fan of a good crime thriller will find things to enjoy in "Crook".

• EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS A LIE

  nogodnomasters2019-01-06

  Bryce (Adam Beach) is a deep undercover cop involved with a drug gang. A drug deal goes bad which involves a series of body counts. Adam Beach reminded me of Lou Diamond Phillips. The film creates characters which grated on you when they talk, such as when Guy Buller and Luigi Saracino swapped tough guy phrases. This is a Canadian film, which tends to have a certain mediocre quality in characters and plot. The plot has a twist, but not one to get excited about. Our protagonist is a bit psycho, so there was no one to really root for in this film. Okay for a cheap rental. Parental Guide: F-bomb. Implied sex. No nudity. G-string/bra strip club.

• Mixed bean of bags

  kosmasp2015-01-17

  Like the characters the whole thing is mixed bag. It works out nicely and decent enough, if you don't expect something extraordinarily big or flashy. It's a B-movie, so the action scenes may seem not good enough for some, but they fulfill their purpose. The story is foreseeable, so there are not many surprises here (though that does not mean, you/some may not be surprised). The acting is OK too, which makes this decent enough to watch as another reviewer also stated. I was almost afraid this would be really bad, but fortunately it really has at least some substance. Watch if you have a heart for low budget action thrillers