Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- darkly comic
- weary
- suspenseful
- late night viewing
- dark comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an uneven but entertaining crime comedy elevated by strong performances, especially Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and its supporting cast.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joe's return from prison repeatedly produces awkward, disastrous consequences rather than triumphant redemption.
Joe comes home seeking to repair his life but is pulled back into debts, threats, and damaged relationships.
The film's outcomes become more jarring through shifts between dark humor, crime tension, and violence.
Joe's identity as a disgraced ex-cop shapes his prison history, family tensions, and dealings with Lieutenant Pleasant.
Films like Small Crimes, and why
Cheap Thrills
shares black comedy, criminal desperation, and escalating moral chaos
Fargo
shares bleakly comic crime plotting, damaged characters, and tonal volatility
The Ice Harvest
shares grim humor, criminal entanglement, and a protagonist seeking escape from past wrongdoing
Movie Details
- Director
- E.L. Katz
- Release Date
- 2017-04-28
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (301)
Cast
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
- Robert Forster
- Jacki Weaver
- Molly Parker
- Gary Cole
- Macon Blair
- Michael Kinney
- Daniela Sandiford
- Shawn Lawrence
- Pat Healy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Small Crimes about?
- A disgraced ex-cop seeking a clean start finds his return from prison swallowed by blackly comic criminal consequences.
- What is Small Crimes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Small Crimes as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Small Crimes violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Small Crimes as moderate.
- What did critics think of Small Crimes?
- Critics generally found the film an uneven but entertaining crime comedy elevated by strong performances, especially Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and its supporting cast.
- Which films are like Small Crimes?
- Films with a similar feel include Cheap Thrills, Fargo, and The Ice Harvest.
- How long is Small Crimes?
- Small Crimes runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Small Crimes?
- In United States, Small Crimes streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
