Crave

Lonely crime scene photographer Aiden (Josh Lawson), after years of taking pictures of murder victims on the decaying streets of Detroit, is fast losing his grip. Retreating into fantasy as a mechanism to cope with capturing the horrific images that make him a living, he imagines himself as the hero of the hour in various daydreams. Increasingly under pressure from the conflicting voices in his head, his dark, vengeful side grows along with a simmering frustration at his own cowardice and social awkwardness. After meeting attractive neighbour Virginia (Emma Lung) and sparking a curious relationship with her, Aiden becomes ever bolder in attempting to make his daydreams a reality. However, being the hero isn't quite as easy as he has imagined it to be.

Crave initially begins with a stylish appearance and swathes of jet black yet gleefully malevolent humour. However, the character of Aiden is very underwritten, despite a strong performance from Lawson and this seems to be the story of the film as a whole. From it's visually arresting and intriguing opening, the film quickly finds itself going nowhere.

There is little meat to the bones of the script with the storyline just plodding around, seemingly waiting for some time to pass so it can get to the final third. Director Charles de Lauzarika would appear to have thrown everything at the final half hour or so, with things getting increasingly ludicrous as the possibly schizophrenic Aiden blunders from one catastrophe to the next. The problem is, with so little attention being given to the script and direction of the middle third of the movie, you increasingly find yourself becoming rather disinterested as the plot is meandering and lacking in substance for much of the running time.

This is a shame really, as there are flashes throughout of de Lauzarika's flair and inventiveness, helping to sometimes bring the film out of mediocrity. Unfortunately, Ron Perlman is wasted as Aiden's homicide detective friend, as well as the increasingly bizarre Edward Furlong. Lung does well as Aiden's love interest, however all the supporting parts are as woefully underwritten as the lead character's. The soundtrack to the movie is just as skeletal, all synths with plenty of treble and reverb, but with nothing that you would ever recall.

Stylistically, Crave is a nicely filmed piece of work, with strong cinematography and a moody yet macabre feel. However, it's rendered distinctly average fare thanks to such a threadbare script that not even a talented cast like this can get much out of. Ultimately, Crave is as entirely soulless as the crime ridden streets in which it's set.

Aiden (Josh Lawson) is a loser and a photographer working in Detroit. He likes to take pictures of crime scenes. He's fallen for young girl next door Virginia (Emma Lung). Often he imagines heroic fantasies to deal with the decaying city life and his personal failings. Ron Perlman plays his confidant police detective Pete. And it's real nice to see Edward Furlong as Virginia's druggie boyfriend.

This could have been a great dark little film. It needs a better and edgier actor in the lead. Josh Lawson is a little too average. The style is competent but without the extreme tension that this movie deserves. His constant internal monologue probably has something to do with that. It breaks up any tension that the movie builds up. I wonder if Edward Furlong would make a better lead. I think he has more intensity, and he could play creepy better.

Being from Australia I thought this Josh Lawson Movie would have been good...

Don't waste your time watching it as It is below average...

The story line is Carp.... and the Movie is Crap... if you watch this you have wasted a good few Hours that you could have watched something else. The movie has a lot to answer for and Josh Lawson also has a lot to answer for. I have no idea why I watched this as The movie should have been so much better. I do like the actor but.... My god Why did he do this Crap Film ? This is only my opinion But I feel this is a BAD Movie

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So why are all the reviews just summaries of the plot? Nonsense spoilers with no substance. Unlike this movie. Here is the thing... I have a close friend who is EXACTLY like the main character. To the T. Except he hasn't murdered anyone (that I know of). So I have to say the writing is great and the directing is great. This guy is a sociopath str8 up. And he is sold that way all throughout the movie. I would say this is a 6.5 easy. So i give it a 10 to bring up the rating. Great soundtrack. Great usage of film school technics like shaking the camera to induce anxiety. The fake blood is okay... could have splurged with real blood. The acting is great. The girl plays up her part well but the lead actor takes the cake. Really laughed out loud when he said "who cares?". This dude is exactly like my friend.... crazy!

I expected this film to be in the vein of those early 1980s urban vigilante films such as Ms 45 or The Exterminator. A schlock B movie trying to say something important but just gives you more violence that it wants to decry.

Australian actor Josh Lawson plays Aidan a crime photographer working in Detroit. He is a recovering alcoholic and prone to fantasies where he takes on minor criminals and gets applauded by the public.

Aidan has has a relationship with a young girl at the same apartment block, Virginia (another Australian actress, Emma Lung). The relationship makes him happy and confidant but it threatens to be short lived. Ron Perlman plays a police detective who is also a recovering alcoholic and who he also confides in as they meet up regularly in crime scenes.

Aidan decides enough is enough and acts out his fantasies by taking on some low life villains but finds out being the vigilante man is not easy. Things take an unsavoury turn when he gets involved in a tussle with Virginia's boyfriend Pete (Edward Furlong) that leads him to bewilderment.

Its clear Aidan is a loner, unsociable and damaged. He usually says the wrong things to Virginia and has retreated to his fantasy life where he hears voices.

A director such as Abel Ferrara would had made this film entertaining with some added social comment and it would had gathered a cult appeal. However what we have here is an overlong low budget film that meanders and gets nowhere fast. Half way through you realise that the film has another hour to go and you already think that its gone on for two hours.

I cannot fault the actors who do their best with the material but the screenplay is poor and the direction is pedestrian.