Crook

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".