Small Town Crime

This was surprisingly good and well acted. I enjoyed it.

While not as funny, nor quite as good, "Small Town Crime" has pace and a storyline that roll down the road like a muscle car. Hawkes' lead is nicely fleshed-out, and transformative. All the characters that surround him are adequately performed, well-cast, and fit their small places within this quirky crime thriller. It's a little more comedy and a good soundtrack away from an 8-9, and may still find it's way onto the back-end of a top-25 for the year of its' release; at least for me. I sat down last evening looking for one of those rare Netflix gems, and rolled the dice. This one paid. You'll like this if you liked: Tree's Lounge(even or a touch below)), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang(a touch better), The Lookout(a touch better),Red Rock West(a touch better), or Stuber(not as good).

Looks like reviewers have seen a lot of bad movies to think this movie is good. Wasted my time by trusting a 6.7 rating. What a load of rubbish

Eshom and Ian Nelms have delivered a tight little crime drama. I knew nothing of this film, but was scanning Netflix and I liked the cast and the plot summary, so I took a chance like on an unknown restaurant that looks right and doesn't disappoint. John Hawkes, as an alcoholic ex-cop seeking redemption, leads a terrific cast of supporters, including: Robert Forster and Clifton Collins, Jr., who always elevate any film they're in, and Octavia Spencer and Anthony Anderson. If I were running Netflix, I would turn this character into a streaming series.

John Hawkes is not often found in principal roles; but this movie shows he is perfectly capable of carrying a movie even when he looks like a common person. Hawkes is Mike Kendall; a fired (alcoholic ex cop) trying to get back to the force or looking for a job (both things he is not likely to succeed). He finds a moribund woman on the road; take her to the hospital but she dies. He decided to investigate the crime as a way to do something or perhaps clean himself. Things get complicated; because nothing is really as simple as it looks and many people has skeletons in the closet. Add to the equation a couple of ruthless killers trying to clean up the mess and two pissed of characters ( a grandfather and a pimp; each one for different reasons) and Kendall's own stupidly. While the movie takes a few minutes time to get going; once it is the steam is never lost. The ironic end; is perfectly acceptable. In brief: a very good independent thriller that deserves a public.

Is it just me or does any movie with actor Robert Forster in ever a bad Movie? Something about underrated Forster regardless if he's only in a movie for 5, 10 or 20 minutes makes it that much better! I bet Tarantino loves this movie! Kind of a 'film noir' movie about redemption with a great cast! I can't recommend it enough!

This movie was highly entertaining till this end, good plot and good flick, good acting all te way long, and also some really good sense of humor through this film noir story, which reminds me from some brittish crime movies like Guy Ritchies one's. I think it's fair to give it a 9 stars as it cuts though all those average thrillers we constantly got... well this one is a decent popcorn flick!

Looking for your annual rural crime/drama/black comedy/character study fix? Well, Three Billboards, which I reviewed the other day, provides that with something more illusory and profound. If you're after one that's a bit more old school and straightforward, check out the Nelms Brother's Small Town Crime, a brutal, breezy thriller starring John Hawkes, an actor I remember from the fringes of the 90's who seems to have gone newly platinum these days thanks to an Oscar nomination for 2010's Winter's Bone. He's hilariously sympathetic here as a raging alcoholic ex-cop who stumbles right into the middle of a murder ring with the crosshairs latched onto a group of local underage prostitutes. Never one to back down once he gets a few cold ones in him before noon, he's on the case between sessions at the dive bar and inebriated joyrides in his souped up muscle car. There's a slightly off kilter, surreal quality to his story and that of those around him, a coming and going sense that these are a cartoonish series of events that aren't really happening, when one looks at the supporting characters. Robert Forster has never been more deadpan or watchable as the tycoon grandfather of one of the slain hookers, a hands-on gent who isn't afraid to dust off his giant scoped rifle to help out. He's joined by outlandish Latino pimp Mood (Clifton Collins Jr., who needs way more roles), both of them assisting Hawkes in his crusade. Even the psychotic hitman (Jeremy Ratchford) dispatched to kill everyone in sight has a distinctly 'out there', roadrunner vibe. But Hawkes anchors the whole deal with the mopey, sad-sack realism of his character, a loser who's dead-end existence has been given a new lease on legacy. His best buddy Anthony Anderson and wife Octavia Spencer give the plot some gravity too, a neat seesaw effect that sits opposite Forster and Collins exaggerated antics. The film has a funny way of both ambling along at it's own pace and jumping out at you with warp speed jump cuts and brazen, bloody violence. The dialogue is pure poetry in areas and knowing camp in others, neatly balanced. Don Harvey and veteran tough gal Dale Dickey have great bits as salty bartenders, while Daniel Sunjata and haggard looking ex-pretty boy (remember him in Monster In Law with Jane Fonda and J-Lo?) Michael Vartan play two local detectives who are always frustrated to be a step behind Hawkes, who plays off the grid and close to the chest. Small Town Crime is a small time film, but the craft gone into bringing it to our screens couldn't be bigger or more commendable from all angles. Highly recommended.

This is ARNULD again, here to to lift-up your spirits :) I watched it because I thought it was a Budget-Action movie. Well, it was not. This movie was original, had mature acting, original shooting scenes, original dialogues & quite engaging . You become a part of the story. They do not make these kinds of movies anymore . It was serious but not dark, it had funny moments but those were not so funny that they will kill the drama or seriousness of the theme. I consider it one of my favorites. If you are happy then go watch it to become happier. If you are serious then go watch it to admire the theme. Just do not miss it if you like action movies with emotional drama mixed into them.

Haven't made a movie review on here in years, but had to log in to post this. I didn't think this would be my kind of movie, but I loved it. Favourite movie in months. The slow pace picks up so slowly that before you know it you're watching an action movie. My impression at the end was that it was like watching a modern western - set in suburban life instead of a dusty saloon town.