Parents' Guide to

Small Crimes

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Bleak, violent thriller with cursing, addiction.

Movie NR 2017 90 minutes
Small Crimes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

Jamie L.
Jamie L. Adult
May 6, 2017
age 10+

Great movie

I'm writing this because I believe people are way over protecting their kids and it's ridiculous. I watched the shining when I was 7 years old and while it did scare me (As it should. It is a horror movie after all.) it didn't scar me for life. My parents are baby boomers and I'm 41 now, they allowed us kids to watch whatever we wanted as long as it wasn't porn, and we all grew up to be well adjusted adults. I watched Jaws when I was around that same age,I watched a lot of R rated movies and the only effect it had on me is that I love movies. I saw sex scenes and violence and heard cussing and it didn't hurt me. I don't think we give children enough credit or acknowledge their intelligence enough. I have noticed that millennials are really fucking soft and its because they are so intensely sheltered and coddled. It really is dangerous to hide reality from kids and the reality is that the world is a dangerous and scary place, they should know that and be prepared.

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What's the Story?

After six years in prison, ex-cop Joe Denton (Coster-Waldau) believes he's a changed man in SMALL CRIMES. At last free of his addiction to drugs and alcohol, and having served his time for a violent crime, he has every intention of renewing his role as father to his two children and making a new and better life. His parents, Joe Sr. (Robert Forster) and Irma (Jacki Weaver) are reluctant to believe him. They've been here before; their trust has been shattered too many times. And, Joe's ex-wife has put great distance between them; she warns him to keep away. No one's happy to see him at his old police job either, especially the man who was the victim of Joe's drug-fueled attack. But one corrupt, long-time colleague (Gary Cole) has an offer. If Joe can clean up some loose ends, take care of a still-existent threat to both men's futures, he promises to help Joe get a chance with his kids. The "still existent threat" is a dying felon, who just may want to clear his conscience and a measure of payback. Events intensify as the dying man's son becomes a fearsome adversary. The deck is stacked against Joe Denton, even when he meets Charlotte (Molly Parker), a sympathetic nurse who may be the one person who has his back. Joe's unerring ability to make bad choices and his self-destructive behavior find him in a series of violently escalating encounters that imperil the last chance he may have for redemption.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

A sly, slow reveal of both plot and character, along with stellar performances by featured actors as well as the lead, bring surprises and intensity to an untraditional redemption story. It takes a while before the audience grasps the complexity of Joe Denton's character, as well as the events of his past. There are clues, of course, and, with hindsight, the viewer sees how skillfully they were laid into the early scenes in Small Crimes. What may at first feel spare, even somewhat incomprehensible, becomes clear exactly when director Evan Katz and his team decide to let us in. Katz has assembled a wonderful cast; even the smallest parts are notable. It's a very violent movie. People are stabbed, slashed, and gunned down with bloody fury. And, if you're looking for somebody to root for it's slim pickings in this crowd. No kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about which characters, if any, have the viewers' sympathy in Small Crimes. Who were you rooting for at the beginning of this movie? When, if ever, did your sympathies change? By the end, was there anyone left for whom you could root? Which character(s) and why?

  • What is the meaning of the term "black comedy?" Small Change has been called a black comedy. Do you think this is an accurate characterization? In what ways, if any, could Small Change be considered funny? Are there scenes so over-the-top in violence that audiences might find them comically outrageous? Why do you think people might laugh in those instances?

  • How did Joe's behavior affect the people in his life he professed to love? Both his ex-wife and his parents found themselves at risk if they continued to maintain their relationships. Did you agree with their behavior toward him? In which early scene did the filmmakers let you know the inevitably self-destructive path Joe would take?

Movie Details

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