Crimewave

Crimewave

Year: 1986

Runtime: 83 min

Language: English

Director: Sam Raimi

HorrorComedyCrime

A young Canadian girl recounts her family's strange encounter with Steve, a frustrated writer deeply inspired by film noir. Unable to overcome his creative block, Steve seeks help from the mysterious Dr. Jolly. Their collaboration unexpectedly leads to a bizarre and escalating series of chaotic events, plunging them all into a darkly comedic nightmare.

Crimewave (1986) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Crimewave (1986) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a quiet suburb of Canada, a young narrator watches the ordinary ripple into the absurd as her family’s routine collision with the world of cinema‑soaked imagination begins. The story is filtered through her recollections, giving the everyday a slightly skewed, almost cinematic grain. A muted, rain‑slick atmosphere mingles with the hum of domestic life, hinting at a reality that can pivot on a single, out‑of‑place idea. The tone is a playful tug‑of‑war between the shadows of classic film noir and a modern, darkly comic sensibility that invites the audience to question how far the ordinary can bend before it snaps.

Enter Steve, a frustrated writer whose love for noir has become both his muse and his prison. He drifts through his cramped apartment, surrounded by black‑and‑white photographs and half‑finished scripts, each line a whisper of the gritty streets he can never quite touch. His creative block feels like a dark alley with no exit, and his relentless yearning to capture the smoky allure of a bygone era fuels a restless energy that spreads to those around him. Though his ambitions are grand, his personality is marked by a blend of sharp wit and palpable anxiety, making him both endearing and slightly unhinged.

Seeking a way out of his mental labyrinth, Dr. Jolly appears as a mysterious figure who offers more than conventional counsel. Cloaked in an eccentric charisma, the doctor’s methods blur the lines between therapy and performance, promising a path that could unlock Steve’s blocked imagination. Their unlikely partnership sparks a chain of strange, escalating moments that feel simultaneously surreal and oddly familiar, as if the city’s neon glow has slipped into the family’s living room. The collaboration teeters on the edge of chaos, hinting at a darkly comedic nightmare that promises to reshape the characters’ perceptions of reality while keeping the audience eagerly waiting for the next twist in this off‑beat, stylized world.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 14:07

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Frantic Noir Parodies like Crimewave

Fast-paced comedies that send up classic film noir with chaotic energy.If you enjoyed the chaotic, slapstick energy of Crimewave, you'll love these movies that expertly parody film noir. Discover similar films with fast pacing, darkly comedic tones, and plots that spiral into absurdity, all while paying homage to the classic detective and crime genres.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically involve an ordinary person or a hapless protagonist who gets entangled in a seemingly serious criminal plot. The narrative quickly escalates into a series of increasingly ridiculous events, misunderstandings, and chases, where the tension of the noir genre is consistently undercut by visual gags and absurd humor, leading to a comedic resolution.

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These films are grouped together for their unique blend of tone and pacing. They share a dark but playful comedic sensibility, a fast and often frantic narrative drive, and a specific intent to parody the conventions of film noir, creating a distinctively chaotic and entertaining viewing experience.

Movies about Framed Protagonists like Crimewave

Stories of ordinary people wrongly accused, leading to wild, comedic flights.Fans of Crimewave's plot about a falsely accused man on the run will enjoy these films. Explore stories featuring ordinary people plunged into chaos, combining crime thriller elements with dark comedy, frantic pacing, and a journey to prove their innocence against all odds.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern centers on an inciting incident that falsely implicates the protagonist in a serious crime. This triggers a chain reaction of chaotic events, narrow escapes, and encounters with eccentric characters, all while the protagonist searches for the real culprit. The journey is often marked by a mix of genuine peril and comedic misadventure.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific plot mechanism—the false accusation—that drives a particular kind of narrative energy. They combine the tension of being pursued with the absurdity of the situations this creates, resulting in a cohesive blend of crime, comedy, and frantic action.

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Crimewave Summary

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Crimewave Summary

Crimewave Timeline

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Crimewave Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Crimewave

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Crimewave

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