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Drama thriller

Dark Crimes (2018): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Dark Crimes (2018) movie poster

Dark Crimes is a 2018 drama thriller directed by Alexandros Avranas, starring Jim Carrey as Tadek, Marton Csokas and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It runs 1 hour 32 minutes and was made on a reported $3.8 million budget. Critics gave it 24 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.6/10.

IMDb rating
4.6/10
Echo Score
37
Metascore
24
budget
$3.8M
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Dark Crimes (2018) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 32m (92 min)
Genres
Drama , Thriller , Crime
Original language
English
Budget
$3.8M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Dark Crimes About?

The premise of Dark Crimes without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A determined police officer’s investigation into a celebrated author and his mysterious girlfriend exposes a dangerous underworld of lies and corruption. As he pursues them, the officer, Tadek, becomes increasingly involved in a complex situation filled with hidden motives and unsettling truths. His search for answers leads him to a surprising and disturbing discovery that challenges everything he thought he knew.

Dark Crimes Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • female rear nudity
  • rape
  • violent sex
  • sexual violence
  • sexual perversion
  • sexual abuse
  • bondage
  • female frontal nudity
  • female nudity
  • sadism
  • sex scene
  • violence against a woman
+38 more
  • man hits a woman
  • sex in bed
  • female topless nudity
  • female full frontal nudity
  • mother son relationship
  • welt
  • beard
  • bearded man
  • bleakness
  • blindfold
  • corruption
  • criminal
  • crying
  • crying man
  • death
  • deception
  • f word
  • home invasion
  • hung by wrists
  • interrogation
  • long take
  • male protagonist
  • murder
  • murder suspect
  • neo noir
  • pessimism
  • rohypnol
  • sadomasochism
  • searching for the truth
  • torture chamber
  • two word title
  • unhappy ending
  • rear nudity
  • decadence
  • evil
  • false accusation
  • police detective
  • perversion
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Cast & crew

Dark Crimes Cast & Characters

Jim Carrey leads the cast as Tadek, with Marton Csokas as Kozlov and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Kasia. Directed by Alexandros Avranas; 11 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Dark Crimes

· 7 more
From the director

More from Alexandros Avranas

More films directed by Alexandros Avranas: Love Me Not and Miss Violence.

Full filmography
Ratings

Dark Crimes Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Dark Crimes 24 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 37/100, strongest in art & craft (60) and weakest in rewatch factor (20).

37 /100

Dark Crimes Echo Score Breakdown

The film presents a distinctive aesthetic but is undermined by uneven execution and limited emotional engagement. Reviews highlight strong production design and Jim Carrey’s committed performance, though many find the narrative disjointed and slow-paced. Critics and audiences alike criticize the film’s bleak tone, exploitative elements and lack of compelling character arcs. In sum, Dark Crimes struggles to reconcile its visual ambition with a coherent story, resulting in a challenging yet forgettable viewing experience.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 60

    In terms of art and craft, Dark Crimes delivers a stark visual palette and polished production design. The film’s Krakow locations and meticulous set dressing receive praise for establishing an oppressive atmosphere. However, the austere color choices and measured editing contribute to a cold, uninviting mood. While the technical execution is competent, the visual coherence at times feels more clinical than immersive.

  • Character & Emotion 45

    When it comes to character and emotion, the performances are divisive. Some note Jim Carrey’s intense commitment and potential for nuance, yet many criticize his restrained approach as flat and unengaging. Supporting roles are described as capable but underdeveloped, resulting in shallow emotional resonance. Overall, character dynamics fail to elicit consistent empathy or depth.

  • Story & Flow 25

    In terms of story and flow, Dark Crimes is widely regarded as disjointed and sluggish. Reviews cite muddled plotting, unresolved subplots, and abrupt narrative gaps that undermine engagement. Attempts at noir intrigue and occasional twists do little to overcome a pervasive sense of disorganization. Ultimately, the film’s pacing and coherence hinder its capacity to sustain interest.

  • Sensory Experience 50

    Regarding sensory experience, the film’s oppressive score and muted sound design enhance its unsettling atmosphere. The grey, run-down visual style and sparse soundtrack moments succeed in creating a noir mood. Yet the pervasive coldness and lack of dynamic audio-visual contrast render the experience monotonous rather than immersive.

  • Rewatch Factor 20

    In terms of rewatch factor, Dark Crimes offers limited replay value. The pacing issues and narrative ambiguities discourage subsequent viewings, and the bleak tone provides minimal lasting appeal. While the film’s aesthetic may warrant a second look for enthusiasts of atmospheric crime dramas, most viewers report little desire to revisit this story.

Plot

Dark Crimes Plot Summary

What happens in Dark Crimes from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In Warsaw, Poland, Tadek is a married detective who takes on a case involving the murder of a businessman, Daniel Sadowsky. To his and everyone’s surprise, the case mirrors a killing described in a recently published novel by a man named Kozlov. As he digs deeper to prove the novelist’s fictional crime is real, Tadek stumbles upon a shocking clue: a building called the sex cage where women are brought to be abused and raped by powerful businessmen. He watches videotapes that show both Kozlov and Sadowsky at the sex cage, participating in the abuse of women. Convinced of Kozlov’s guilt, Tadek arrests him and questions him, but he lacks hard evidence, and the suspect is released.

Full summary

The whole story of Dark Crimes, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Dark Crimes Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Dark Crimes.

Official Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Dark Crimes?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In which European city is the movie primarily set?

Cars

Cars in Dark Crimes

20 cars on screen, including the 2002 Cadillac Escalade and the 1989 Ford F-150.

All 20 cars
  • 2002 Cadillac Escalade in Dark Crimes 2002 Cadillac Escalade Important role
  • 1989 Ford F-150 in Dark Crimes 1989 Ford F-150 Important role
  • 1991 Chevrolet Caprice in Dark Crimes 1991 Chevrolet Caprice Minor role
  • 1988 Chevrolet K-1500 in Dark Crimes 1988 Chevrolet K-1500 Minor role

Seen Dark Crimes?

FAQ

Dark Crimes FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, budget, ratings and post-credit scenes of Dark Crimes, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Dark Crimes?

Dark Crimes runs 1 hour 32 minutes (92 minutes).

When was Dark Crimes released?

Dark Crimes was released on May 18, 2018.

Who directed Dark Crimes?

Dark Crimes was directed by Alexandros Avranas.

More films by Alexandros Avranas

Who is in the cast of Dark Crimes?

Dark Crimes stars Jim Carrey as Tadek, Marton Csokas as Kozlov and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Kasia, among 11 credited actors.

What was the budget of Dark Crimes?

Dark Crimes had a reported budget of $3.8 million.

How is Dark Crimes rated?

Dark Crimes has 4.6/10 on IMDb, 24 on Metacritic, 46% on TMDB and 3.8/5 on Movie Insider.

Does Dark Crimes have a post-credit scene?

No. Dark Crimes has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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