Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- paranoid
- darkly comic
- crime movie night
- late night thriller viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to be a satisfying modern noir, elevated by a strong ensemble led by John Hawkes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mike Kendall’s murder hunt is explicitly driven by his attempt to redeem himself after alcoholism and professional failure.
Kendall investigates the dead woman’s murder independently, operating without police authority and placing his family at risk.
The investigation unfolds in a Utah small-town environment populated by local detectives, criminals, and vulnerable residents.
Kendall’s alcoholism shapes his damaged identity and complicates his effort to act courageously for the murdered woman.
Films like Small Town Crime, and why
Blue Ruin
modern noir investigation, damaged protagonist, and grimly comic crime tension
Blood Simple
redemption-driven crime thriller with an amateur investigator confronting violent criminals
The Ice Harvest
small-scale noir mystery shaped by moral compromise, eccentric criminals, and dry humor
Movie Details
- Directors
- Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms
- Release Date
- 2018-01-19
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (266)
Cast
- John Hawkes
- Anthony Anderson
- Octavia Spencer
- Robert Forster
- Clifton Collins Jr.
- Jeremy Ratchford
- James Lafferty
- Michael Vartan
- Daniel Sunjata
- Don Harvey
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Small Town Crime about?
- A disgraced alcoholic ex-cop risks his family and fragile sobriety to solve a young woman’s murder in a violent Utah noir.
- What is Small Town Crime like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Small Town Crime as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Small Town Crime violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Small Town Crime as brutal.
- What did critics think of Small Town Crime?
- Critics broadly found the film to be a satisfying modern noir, elevated by a strong ensemble led by John Hawkes.
- Which films are like Small Town Crime?
- Films with a similar feel include Blue Ruin, Blood Simple, and The Ice Harvest.
- How long is Small Town Crime?
- Small Town Crime runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Small Town Crime?
- In United States, Small Town Crime streams on Philo, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
