Producers: Denise Loren, Eduard Osipov, Vince Jolivette, David Lipper and Robert A. Daly Jr. Director: RJ Collins Screenplay: Rich Ronat Cast: Terrence Howard, Esai Morales, Alec Baldwin, Nicky Whelan, Michael Sirow, Weston Cage Coppola, Anjul Nigam, Reema Sampat, Eduard Osipov, Nikita Kahn and Rose Lane Sanfilippo Distributor: Lionsgate
Grade: D
Serial killer movies have gotten more and more convoluted over the years, the natural consequence of a need to stand out in an increasingly crowded field. But rarely has one been as absurdly complex as RJ Collins’ threadbare effort set in the eponymous (and fictitious) Arkansas town. The ridiculousness of “Crescent City” is accentuated by its utter seriousness.
And yet it has a cast headed by recognizable names. Terrence Howard stars as Brian Sutter, a detective partnered with Luke Carson (Esai Morales) under Captain Howell (the ubiquitous Alec Baldwin). The two shamuses are a disparate pair. Sutter is earnest and deeply troubled, occasionally suffering from blackouts and visions associated with some past trauma. Carson is hard, gruff and blasé about social and professional niceties (at one point, watching him interrogate a suspect, Howell says “He thinks he’s Dirty Harry”). As for Howell, he’s like the superior from innumerable buddy-cop TV series of decades ago, except that Baldwin coasts through the part with as little effort as possible, except for that patented shark-like smile. Maybe he was just trying to set aside the nonsensical twists in Rich Ronat’s script while concentrating on adding a welcome paycheck to his back account.
Sutter and Carson seem to be getting nowhere trying to solve the puzzling series of seemingly unrelated killings plaguing the city—most recently of seemingly churchgoer Ricky Maccallum (Eduard Osipov), his body found in a compromising position with his throat slashed—that have become the preoccupation of the nightly TV news. The lack of progress induces Howell to add a third member to their team—Jaclyn Waters (Nicky Whelan), who, it will eventually be revealed, has a history with one of them. The only real lead takes the trio to the head of Sutter’s church, Pastor Lawson (Michael Sirow), whose support groups appear to include some members, like Travis Reed (Weston Cage Coppola), who are suspicious, and others with knowledge about irregular goings-on in town. In time Sutter learns that the church maintenance man (Anjul Nigam) has some useful information as well.
More complications arise as Captain Howell, already under pressure as a result of the investigation that’s gone nowhere, becomes aware of Sutter’s psychological problems—the result, it appears, of his role in the death of a young drug dealer, which he and Carson have colluded to suppress. The revelation leads to the men’s suspension.
Much more follows—dark secrets, betrayals, frame-ups, deaths—until a final reveal so preposterous (requiring an embarrassingly over-the-top turn from one of the stars) that it’s likely to leave you shocked, though in entirely the wrong way. A few gratuitous sex scenes are thrown into the mix to make things seem more “adult.”
And yet despite the ludicrousness of it all, Howard gives the ultra-pulpy material all he has, treating it with a seriousness it doesn’t deserve. Morales contributes an exhibition in stern toughness, the brutally cynical alternative to Howard’s sensitive soul. If Baldwin puts in minimal effort and Whelan contents herself with steely resolve, most of the supporting cast show barely professional ability, though their unsteadiness might have resulted from a “one take and done” mentality on the part of a budget-minded director.
Technical credits for the movie, shot around Little Rock, are adequate, with Julian Brown’s production design, Alex Salahi’s cinematography and Eric Potter’s editing competent and Josh Atchley adding a generically gloomy score that tries to add excitement to the supposed action scenes like car chases.
Even as a mere time-waster, this burg is not a place you’ll want to visit.