Jim Carrey takes on a challenging role in the movie Dark Crimes being released in America this weekend. Playing a very deep and dark character, many scenes call for him to apply a heated dramatic performance to make a scene work. Carrey does a good job and the production does benefit by it. The direction does lose its way now and then, but for the most part the predictability doesn’t hurt the entertainment value.
Demoted because of an earlier case that he was accused of botching, Officer Tadek (Jim Carrey) just won’t come to grips with the outcome. Still thinking the murderer should be brought to justice, he searches for evidence on his own hoping to clear himself and get resolve that he is a good cop.
But, as he uncovers more dark secrets including a sex club called The Cage and a book writer who writes a similar story to the actual murder, Tadek finds his own life in danger. Director Alexandros Avranas moves his story along slowly adding several characters and intertwining his story with each bit of evidence Tradek uncovers. The slowness is not a big problem for the movie, but allowing the obvious to occur early on creates a form of uneasiness that makes you want the film to wrap up more quickly.
The characterization of Tadek by Jim Carrey is the main reason for seeing the film. For that along with good support acting and production values Dark Crimes is well worth it. Carrey shows a side of himself that’s rare. Here he makes Tadek a deep depressed cop who fails more often than not, to redeem himself. When he does turn up evidence, it gets ignored. But, his lowest point involves his own family and suspicions of infidelity.
Carrey’s comedy put him in show business and he worked it well right up to current times with Dumb and Dumber To and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. You would have to go back to 2004 to see a dramatic performance in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but that would even be more of a romance rather than a crime drama.
Dark Crimes has been rated R by the MPAA for strong and disturbing violent/sexual content including rape, graphic nudity, and language. The film borders on NC-17 and immature teens should be strongly cautioned. Women make take issue to “The Cage” a club where women are used as kinky playthings. The film has a setting of Poland where it was made and most of the names are of Russian origin.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A good thriller, but a bit slow and predictable. (3 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information
Cast: Jim Carrey, Marton Csokas, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Directed by: Alexandros Avranas
Written by: Jeremy Brock
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Mystery
MPAA Rating: R for strong and disturbing violent/sexual content including rape, graphic nudity, and language
Running Time: 1 hr. 32 min.
Release Date: May 18, 2018
Distributed by: Saban Films
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
