Based on the
Fyodor Dostoyevsky classic,
Crime And Punishment, Crime and Punishment in Suburbia is an interesting but poorly balanced
independent movie.
Monica Keena (
All I Wanna Do) stars as a teenage girl living in what appears to be the ideal suburban neighborhood, but in fact conceals the terrible secrets that such happy
facades always do. Her
stepfather, played by Michael Ironside (
Top Gun) is cast as a ridiculously hateable character, who drinks, fights, and eventually molests his stepdaughter. Keena then arranges for her boyfriend,
James DeBello (100 Girls,
Detroit Rock City) to help her murder him (the father).
Meanwhile, the alternate protagonist, Vincent (played by the appropriately named Vincent Kartheiser (All I Wanna Do, again...), stalks the couple, taking pictures, fantasizes about Keena, and gives himself amateur tattoos. The movie eventually collapses into a strange morass about when it is acceptable to commit a crime, and who takes the blame. Strong religious and fire-based imagery pervades, just to firmly establish that you're watching an indie film. One interesting clip portrays a high school pep rally as a KKK cross-burning, as the banners burn away and reveal their wooden backbones. Constant references to Jesus and Christianity, as well as the violence and self-destruction, reinforce the dark mood of this movie.
All in all, C and P in S is a fascinating movie, but only if you've got nothing better to rent.
MPAA Rating: R for (deep breath) brutal violence, strong sexuality, language, and substance abuse (actually, the abuse is just one reference to pot, and a lot of drinking.)
Nodeshell Rescue.