By Hook or by Crook chronicles the tale of two unlikely friends who commit petty crimes as they search for a path to understanding themselves and the outside world. Silas Howard plays Shy (a... Read allBy Hook or by Crook chronicles the tale of two unlikely friends who commit petty crimes as they search for a path to understanding themselves and the outside world. Silas Howard plays Shy (a transgender man), who leaves his small town after the death of his father, and heads to t... Read allBy Hook or by Crook chronicles the tale of two unlikely friends who commit petty crimes as they search for a path to understanding themselves and the outside world. Silas Howard plays Shy (a transgender man), who leaves his small town after the death of his father, and heads to the big city to live a life of crime. Along the way, he encounters Valentine, a quirky adop... Read all
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Featured reviews
The lead characters are true heroes and serve as a rare kind of role model/inspiration for butch dykes and trannies everywhere. This film has so much energy, so much poignant passion and scruffy San Francisco heart to it. I can't recommend it highly enough!
The best butch buddy movie of all time!
I'll start with the faults. It's crudely cut, paced too leisurely, and it's basically insular and a little too in love with itself; it's coasting on the charisma of it's lead characters to make up for the fact that there is little real meat to this movie. The story lines involving lost fathers and petty crime seem underdeveloped and tacked-on for the sake of having something, anything to drive what little plot there is.
But, the strengths begin front and center with Harry Dodge. You can't take your eyes off when Dodge is on screen, the presence is that magnetic. And the dialogue that's been created in tandem with partner Silas gets you interested in them. And yes, while I criticized the lack of solid ground for a story, the characters kept my interest throughout.
What I am saying here is that I felt a sizzle in the same manner that I felt when I saw the first works of Alison Maclean or Katja von Garnier, or what critics in the '50's felt watching the first Cassavettes or Godard. Like those early debuts, this film by itself is not accessible to a 'regular' audience, but the talent and potential is obvious and exciting, and as a viewer I become quite interested in seeing their next film. In fact, I think if I were a producer watching this, I would want to bankroll their next film the same way Mel Brooks took a gamble on David Lynch.
So yes, by my friend corralling me into watching this, I got to walk in on the ground floor of what should be an exciting film-making team. With the right balance of impulse and discipline, I think Silas Howard and Harry Dodge are going to create something big in the future.
Did you know
- Quotes
Valentine: Did you ever hear about those monks, who just walk around real slow and careful, and they're careful about everything, and they don't step on any bugs, and the main thing is that they don't hurt or kill anything their whole lives?
Shy: What's your point?
Valentine: Well... we're just hitting lots of bugs all the way along here.
- Crazy creditsThe film is "dedicated to Kovic." (Kris), who also plays the part of the "old man in park."
- ConnectionsFeatured in Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006)
- SoundtracksPoised For Attack
Written by Shotwell
Performed by Shotwell
- How long is By Hook or by Crook?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,802
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,802
- Oct 27, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $1,802