"Crown And Anchor" follows James Downey (Michael Rowe), who is living a disciplined and straight edge lifestyle as a result of growing up with an abusive alcoholic father. His estranged cousin Danny (Matt Wells) is drowning his own trauma with drugs and booze. When their lives are forced to intersect once more, they each begin to unravel as the past returns with violent and tragic consequences.
"Crown And Anchor" is the directorial debut of writer/director Andrew Rowe. It stars Michael Rowe (‘Deadshot’ on TV’s Arrow), Matt Wells (“Designated Survivor”), Natalie Brown (“Saw V”), Robert Joy (“CSI : NY”), Stephen McHattie (“Orphan Black”) and Ben Cotton (“The X-Files”).
I have to admit, for a directorial debut Andrew Rowe sure meets his calling heading. "Crown And Anchor" rests somewhere between "Training Day" and "In Bruges". The attitude and pace of the film is more classic British thriller, but the incorporating of a dark and dingy cop in crisis hits more to the film styles this side of the pond. Appreciate considering the film is based from the point-of-view of a New Foundland native.
The story stays really traditional with familiar tropes, recognizable characters and mixed with steeley, tense angst. Even though the originality suffers a bit, the characters and situational drama is captivating and at times rife with dark humor. The acting is stellar and the build to a moment when these two tragic characters clash is compelling.
The suspense and intensity starts almost immediately in "Crown And Anchor". It gets stated in the beginning that some things have happened, we enter in the midst of the worsening chaos and things are only gonna get worse. Moments of botched criminal activity, interactions with unsavory characters, and a bit of blood and bandages bring in the thriller elements. The film could have easily been edited down about 20 minutes and still killed it, but overall "Crown And Anchor" is worth the watch. (3.5/5)
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