Gregory Hatanaka’s Crack is a wild ride through the gritty world of crime, and while it’s far from perfect, it has a strange charm that makes it entertaining in its own way. The story is simple but effective: a young drug dealer, Byron (Marquis Moodie), stands at a crossroads, forced to decide whether to fully embrace a life of crime or try to escape before it’s too late. The plot doesn’t overcomplicate things, which works in its favor—sometimes a tight, focused story is exactly what a crime drama needs.
Moodie delivers a surprisingly grounded performance, giving Byron a sense of lived-in experience that makes him believable as someone who’s been through the struggles of street life. Nino Cimino, playing the over-the-top mafia character Mickey, steals scenes with flamboyant gestures, constant F-bombs, and a larger-than-life presence that borders on parody. Charda Jameson and Zoe Meehan add depth as long-suffering partners, with Jameson’s Annette providing a strong foil to the chaos around her.
Where Crack falters, it does so spectacularly—but in a way that’s oddly entertaining. The dialogue often misses the mark, acting ranges from wooden to outrageously overblown, and the lighting and color grading can shift wildly between shots. Random subplots, like Mickey arguing with his wife, feel jarring, and the twist ending is…well, something you’ll be talking about long after the credits roll. Yet, it’s precisely this mix of ambition, inconsistency, and sheer audacity that gives the film its “so bad it’s good” appeal.
It’s clear that this is a low-budget, DIY production, with a small crew wearing multiple hats, yet Hatanaka manages to keep the story moving and deliver moments of entertainment that feel bigger than the budget. Crack is not a classic, and it’s certainly not for everyone, but for fans of chaotic, high-energy crime dramas—or anyone who enjoys watching a film with friends while marveling at its outrageousness—it’s worth a watch.
Verdict: Flawed, messy, occasionally baffling—but undeniably entertaining.
Jessie Hobson