Film Review – Small Crimes

A few years ago, writer/director Evan Katz made a strong first impression with “Cheap Thrills.” A macabre chiller that toyed magnificently with dark comedy and gruesome events, “Cheap Thrills” provided a vivid introduction to Katz’s particular sense of humor and his preference for screen violence, packaged into a sneaky, alarming indie effort. For his follow-up, Katz remains in the company of awful behavior, joining co-writer Macon Blair for “Small Crimes,” which also seeks to expose awful people engaged in troubling business, but instead of mounting another game of dares, the helmer tries a traditional buffet of corrupt characters and small town murder. Considering the surprises Katz was previously capable of landing, “Small Crimes” is a disappointment, lumbering through a series of uneventful encounters with ill-defined characters, with only periodic bursts of aggression acting as the glue that fails to keep the picture together. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com