Instant Favorite.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

First off, 'Crime Wave' is low budget, with lots of poor acting (except for the okay main parts played by Paizs and Kovacs, with an extra mention for the crazy 'cowboy' played hilariously by Neil Lawrie) and a cheap look, let's get that out of the way for those who might expect otherwise. But Paizs makes up for it with lots of creativity and humor, i.e. the motif of film segments of beginnings and endings, the focus on the relationship between Steven and Kim and the bit with the optical illusion. Thoroughly fun stuff, and I may have even missed out on some clever jokes, as I watched this for the first time without subtitles. Still, I wouldn't give it more than a small 7 out of 10 thus far.Then, the last half hour really takes off (just about when the characters from Penny's stories come alive in the attic), and the comparison to Lynch becomes even more clear; after the hyper-reproduction of American (well, er, Canadian...) life in the first part which made think of 'Blue Velvet', that crazy cowboy forcing his 'twist' on writer Steven Penny seems to have directly influenced Lynch's 'Mulholland Dr.' - but I have never heard or read about that before, so who knows? In any case that last part is a true cinematic roller coaster ride, where even Jesus is found. Low budget? Who cares.And for that wonderful last part, I'm giving it one point extra; 8 out of 10. By the way: in some ways 'Crime Wave' seems like a children's film, but actually there are plenty of details and adult references to make it not quite so. Nevertheless, or, all the more reason to: give this one a try if you get the chance!

I found this film in a video store in the late '80's. I had no idea what it was, didn't recognize anyone involved with it. I rented it. I watched it. My mind was blown. I have never seen a film quite like it before or since, never discovered a film that is as innocent, dark, hysterical, twisted and beautifully odd as Crime Wave.And the brunt of the credit goes to writer/director/star John Paizs, whose vision for this low budget masterpiece (with great production values nonetheless) is compelling and spot-on. I could gush on and on, you bet I could, but there's no adequate way to describe the sense of wonder that is attendant with every viewing I've had of this film. Just get your hands on a copy. Trust me.

An absolute peach of a film about a "quiet man" Steven Penny (played by director John Paizs himself) and his desires to pen the greatest colour crime movie ever told. His attempts are lovingly documented by his chipper and inquisitive neighbour Kim (Eva Kovacs), who becomes fascinated by Steven after reading scraps from his discarded screenplays, which Steven has thrown to the trash. For you see, Steven is a tormented artist. He can write the beginnings and endings of screenplays, but not the middles... and what screenplays they are! They tell sordid tales of hapless and violent Elvis impersonators; murderous Amway recruits; self-destructive self-help gurus! Yet, however sordid these cutaways become, the film retains a giddy innocence amidst the darkness. It also achieves a feat that very few films achieve, which is to use kitsch in a way that is wholly earnest and sincere, rather than ironic. The whole film has the feel of an after-school special, or those awkwardly mannered edutainment titles reserved for the classroom, but the spirit of parody remains wholly affectionate and the film is often touching and beautiful. This is especially impressive for a film with such strong meta-fictional elements, since it would be easy for such an exercise to become distanced and cynical. However, when Kim educates the viewer about persistence of vision, passing on the knowledge given to her by Steven, we are simply caught up in the joy of it, rather than smirking some knowing smirk as to how clever-clever the enterprise is. With the entrance of criminally insane script doctor Dr. Jolly (Neil Lawrie) the film threatens to become rather dark, yet still retains a lightness of touch. It's a magical piece of filmmaking, quite unlike anything you've ever seen before, one infused with the joys of filmmaking, friendship and the wonder of childhood with the experience of being an adult. It's a beaut.

I just watched this film today at school. The professor brought it out to cheer the class up since it had been raining and cold all day. He labeled it as the funniest Canadian movie of all time and he really wasn't far from the truth. The beginning of the film is a bit weird and campy, and it's hard to imagine that it will actually produce real laughs. By the end of the first scene, however, you'll have laughed out loud and will be in anticipation for what will happen next. This continues for th entire movie. Every scene has at least a few great moments in it that are really funny (mostly in strange, sometimes uncomfortable, and unexpected ways). Some of the greatest moments happen while Kim reads the "middles" that have been discarded. The Halloween party is also fantastic. When the film ended the effect on the entire class was clear. Everyone was smiling, laughing, and making comments about the very last joke in the film. The rainy day had been forgotten and some students were even whistling the music that had accompanied the end credits. The film is a must see at any time, but even more so when you need something to bring a smile to your face.