Henry's Crime (2010)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"If you've done the time, do the crime."</i> Released from prison for a crime he didn't commit, an ex-con targets the same bank he was sent away for robbing. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"If you've done the time, do the crime."</i> Released from prison for a crime he didn't commit, an ex-con targets the same bank he was sent away for robbing. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Henry's Crime is a dark comedy that actually carries a fairly good afterburn. The story is solid, the characters are unusual, and the setting in Buffalo, NY is appropriately dark and dank. This is a tale of how people react to their own personalities, moving through the world seemingly oblivious to those around them, afraid to create dreams much less go after them. Working the night shift as a toll collector on a lonely stretch of highway in Buffalo, New York, Henry (Keanu Reeves) is a man seemingly without ambition, dreams or purpose; a man sleepwalking his way through life. He gets his wakeup call early one morning when he becomes an unwitting participant in an ill-conceived bank heist. Rather than give up the names of the real culprits, Henry takes the fall and goes to jail. There, he meets the irrepressible Max (James Caan), a con man who's grown far too comfortable with the familiarity and security of his 'idyllic' life behind bars, but one who also helps plant an idea in Henry's mind which will change his life forever: for a man to find his purpose, he must first have a dream. Upon his release one year later, Henry finds his purpose. Having done the time, he decides he may as well do the crime. Discovering a long forgotten bootlegger's tunnel which runs from the very same bank to a theater across the alleyway, he convinces the reluctant Max to file for his long overdue parole -- and then recruits his former cellmate to help stage a robbery. By turns wry, off-beat, and simply hilarious, Henry's Crime is the heartwarming story of a man who finds his purpose in life. And then finds his destiny. Malcolm Venville directs this plodding venture written by Sacha Gervasi, David White, and Stephen Hamel. Much of the plot is rather silly but that seems somehow proper for a character as bland as Henry (played with appropriate flatness by Reeves). Farmiga and Caan add the sparkle that keeps the boat afloat. Just when viewers are about to groan over this story, it reminds everyone of some of the people who are sleepwalking through life, whether blandly or anxiously, and by film's end the importance of dreams and an appreciation of the events that make our lives interesting and quirky provides some valuable food for thought.

• Manu G

  
  If you've done the time, do the crime. I have seeing better movies with these kinda stories here before. Don't get me wrong this movie is not that bad but seeing that this kind of story was more lame than anything and the simplistic of it makes it really dissapointing. As… More
  If you've done the time, do the crime. I have seeing better movies with these kinda stories here before. Don't get me wrong this movie is not that bad but seeing that this kind of story was more lame than anything and the simplistic of it makes it really dissapointing. As far as acting goes Keanu look more of a sleepy zombie all around this movie til the end and the rest of the cast was simply mediocre and stale. Working the night shift as a toll collector on a lonely stretch of highway in Buffalo, New York, Henry (Keanu Reeves) is a man seemingly without ambition, dreams or purpose; a man sleepwalking his way through life. He gets his wakeup call early one morning when he becomes an unwitting participant in an ill-conceived bank heist. Rather than give up the names of the real culprits, Henry takes the fall and goes to jail. There, he meets the irrepressible Max (James Caan), a con man who's grown far too comfortable with the familiarity and security of his "idyllic" life behind bars, but one who also helps plant an idea in Henry's mind which will change his life forever: for a man to find his purpose, he must first have a dream. Upon his release one year later, Henry finds his purpose. Having done the time, he decides he may as well do the crime. Discovering a long forgotten bootlegger's tunnel which runs from the very same bank to a theater across the alleyway, he convinces the reluctant Max to file for his long overdue parole -- and then recruits his former cellmate to help stage a robbery. Their plan is simple: by infiltrating the theater and its current production of Chekhov's, The Cherry Orchard, the unlikely duo will buy just enough time to dig their way to the adjacent bank vault and drive off with their loot. Unfortunately that plan also includes Henry taking the lead role in the play, where he finds himself slowly falling for the production's mercurial leading lady, Julie (Vera Farmiga). By turns wry, off-beat, and simply hilarious, 'Henry's Crime' is the heartwarming story of a man who finds his purpose in life. And then finds his destiny.

• Mark A

  
  A good, old-fashioned, bank caper. A surprisingly solid performance from Keanu Reeves as the Casper Milktoast, Henry, makes this a very watchable treat. Vera Farmiga once again lights up the screen as his love interest and James Caan is his prison buddy, now accomplice. Even Fisher… More
  A good, old-fashioned, bank caper. A surprisingly solid performance from Keanu Reeves as the Casper Milktoast, Henry, makes this a very watchable treat. Vera Farmiga once again lights up the screen as his love interest and James Caan is his prison buddy, now accomplice. Even Fisher Stevens takes a rather small role and does something special with it. Very enjoyable, if far-fetched. The ending reminded me of a lot of French cinema where questions still remain unanswered.

• Jeffrey M

  
  Despite some good pieces, the movie falls flat. This has to do with the overall lackluster direction and a fairly poor script. It also bares little resemblance to a comedy, being decidedly unfunny.

• Panta O

  
  This movie, I'll have to say, is watchable but still... I think the one who commited the crime was the director Malcolm Venville making a movie like this! And choosing Keanu Reeves with his two expressions and "care factor 0" for it as a star!????? Stay away from… More
  This movie, I'll have to say, is watchable but still... I think the one who commited the crime was the director Malcolm Venville making a movie like this! And choosing Keanu Reeves with his two expressions and "care factor 0" for it as a star!????? Stay away from this movie if you want to stay awake! James Caan as Max was on the roll but even he could not save this bad "apple"! I think I spent already too much time writting about it... and you reading about it!

• Nicolas K

  
  The idea is not bad but the actors could not feel more detached from the project. The biggest crime committed was not actually making the film but moreso that they actually released it for general consumption.

• Daniel P

  
  An overlooked gem, with strong performances from Keanu Reeves and Vera Farmiga. The inerweaving of Checkhov's play with "the crime" is a genius narrative device.

• Nikki M

  
  The story seemed to progress slowly at first but overall it was a great plot.

• ernest e

  
  Relaxing at ease, again we see how a very good movie can be made simple with hidden subtle qualities that are not always right upfront. The creators give you a lot more extra signals, they have thought of many little extra's in the background and subtle circumstances that say a… More
  Relaxing at ease, again we see how a very good movie can be made simple with hidden subtle qualities that are not always right upfront. The creators give you a lot more extra signals, they have thought of many little extra's in the background and subtle circumstances that say a lot more than appears, but not just through words. This is not for the give me noise and shoot them up cinema idiots they will not understand it.

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