Crime Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Crime

Intense eyes and face tattoos of a bearded man.
Review

Savage

by Lou Thomas

This vio­lent gang­land dra­ma from writer/​director Sam Kel­ly expos­es tox­ic mas­culin­i­ty in New Zealand.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Crowded Champs-Élysées in Paris, lined with trees, leading to the iconic Arc de Triomphe in the distance.
Review

Les Misérables

by David Jenkins

The hard­ships of dai­ly life in one of Paris’ tough­est neigh­bour­hoods are cap­tured in Ladj Ly’s La Haine-esque debut.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Person sitting on wall with dog, overlooking Rio de Janeiro cityscape with Sugarloaf Mountain in the background.
Review

The Traitor

by David Jenkins

A key episode in Mafia his­to­ry is doc­u­ment­ed in this engross­ing, patient and unglam­orous crime saga.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Man, woman, and child eating at a table in a dimly lit room.
Review

Back Roads

by Charles Bramesco

Alex Pet­tyfer marks his direc­to­r­i­al debut in inaus­pi­cious fash­ion with this lurid fam­i­ly incest thriller.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A man with a serious expression speaking into a microphone.
Review

Capone

by Charles Bramesco

Tom Hardy goes for broke in this pedes­tri­an twi­light-years biopic of noto­ri­ous mob­ster Al Capone.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Three men attending to an elderly man seated in a red car.
Review

The Whistlers

by David Jenkins

Dou­ble, triple and quadru­ple cross­es play a part in this light­ly-eccen­tric gang­ster thriller from a Roman­ian great.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A man with long dark hair wearing a black hat and a white coat stands in a forested area.
Review

Dreamland

by Anton Bitel

The direc­tor and star of cult hor­ror hit Pon­ty­pool reunite for a hard-boiled hit­man noir.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Silhouetted figure against an intense blaze of orange and yellow flames.
Review

Fire Will Come

by David Jenkins

A fierce blaze tears across rur­al Gali­cia in Oliv­er Laxe’s rumi­na­tive docu-fic­tion hybrid.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Mature man with long beard and hair wearing dark coat outdoors.
Review

True History of the Kelly Gang

by Adam Woodward

Justin Kurzel’s bold reimag­in­ing of the life and crimes of Ned Kel­ly is a gross misfire.

3
Anticipation
1
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
Two people, a man and a woman, in a warehouse holding a gun.
Review

First Love

by Anton Bitel

A young romance blooms one wild night in Tokyo in direc­tor Takashi Miike’s high-ener­gy caper.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect