By Robert Scucci
| Published
Over the decades, Jim Carrey has proven his ability to pivot from slap-stick comedy films like Dumb and Dumber to thought-provoking existential dramas like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But what about neo-noir films like 2016’s Dark Crimes, you ask? It’s a valiant effort on Carrey’s part, but like 2007’s The Number 23 leaves a lot to be desired despite the talent involved.
When I saw Dark Crimes, a film I’ve never heard of before, streaming on Pluto, my interest was piqued. After looking the title up on Rotten Tomatoes and finding out that it’s the 11th worst rated movie on the entire site, I started foaming at the mouth.
Is Dark Crimes a misunderstood crime drama that doesn’t deserve all of the hate? Or is it total trash that doesn’t deserve to see the light of day? In my mind, it’s nothing to write home about, but it has more going for it than you’d be led to believe if you’re just looking at the numbers that have condemned it to a fate of free, ad-supported, streaming.
Solving A Cold Case Nobody Wants Solved
Dark Crimes centers on Jim Carrey’s Tadek, an old-school and world-weary detective who spends most of his days relegated to desk work at this point in his career. Looking for one more last shot to keep his job in the coming years in the face of budget cuts and restructuring, Tadek becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder of businessman Daniel Sadowsky. Having reason to believe that famed author Kozlov (Marton Csokas) is the primary person of interest, Tadek searches for answers in places that will make your stomach crawl in his efforts to implicate Kozlov as the guilty party.
Tadek has every reason to believe that Kozlov is the killer in question in Dark Crimes because his book, which is a supposed work of fiction, outlines the crime itself in graphic detail, divulging information that isn’t necessarily known to the public. In Tadek’s search for answers, he becomes obsessed with Kasia (Charlotte Gainsbourg) – Sadowsky’s last known lover and Kozlov’s current girlfriend – who admits to having been subjected to Sadowsky’s sadistic desires on several occasions.
Knowing without a sliver of doubt that Kozlov murdered Sadowsky to protect Kasia, Tadek becomes so engrossed with the case that his personal life rapidly deteriorates while he searches for the truth.
Adequately Acted, But Misses The Mark
If there’s one thing that Dark Crimes has going for it, it’s Jim Carrey’s sullen scowl as he digs himself deeper and deeper into the cold case. Filmed in Krakow Poland, Carrey looks the part, as the scenery that surrounds him is as well worn as Tadek, who finds himself entering condemned buildings looking for evidence to finally put the case behind him. Kozlov, who may or may not be the guilty party, is well versed in his rights, and only offers information that makes the case more complicated, resulting in a healthy amount of back-alley exchanges in the seediest parts of town.
Always grim and never fully laying all of its cards on the table, Dark Crimes eventually takes you down a predictable path if you’re well-versed in crime thrillers, but it’s still a solid film despite the fact that we’ve all seen the above scenarios play out countless times before in different settings and with different characters. I can’t say that Dark Crimes deserves to be run through the ringer like it has been, but it’s also not going to make it to the top of any “best film” lists either.
For Jim Carrey’s performance alone, depicting a man who loses the plot of his investigation as his obsession with the case begins to take hold, Dark Crimes is worth a watch, and you can stream it for free on Pluto.
