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Plot Summary

Small Crimes (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 90 min · English
Echo score 61
JustWatch #23,243 17
Directed by
E.L. Katz

Following a prison sentence for attempted murder, a former police officer returns to his hometown hoping to rebuild his life. However, he finds himself caught in a dangerous situation involving a corrupt sheriff, a relentless district attorney, and a powerful mob boss, all seeking to exploit his past. As he navigates this web of deceit and violence, he must confront the shadows of his past to survive.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Small Crimes
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Small Crimes (2017)

Where can you watch Small Crimes? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix and Netflix Standard: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Small Crimes: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Small Crimes (2017) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Former cop Joe Denton (Joe Denton) finally sees a glimmer of freedom after spending six long years behind bars for crimes committed while entangled with a powerful organization. Known infamously as the "slash cop," his brutal attack on District Attorney Phil Coakley has left a mark on both his life and reputation. Returning to his modest home, Denton is greeted by his elderly parents, who are not at all pleased with their son's tarnished past.

As he seeks redemption, Denton finds himself entangled in an online share with his ex-wife, whose cold demeanor and veiled threats plunge him deeper into despair. Undeterred, he ventures out one night to a familiar local bar, where he reconnects with Scotty, the brother of his deceased partner, who extends a hand in support.

In a twist of fate, a chance encounter with the bar's young patron, the daughter of Coakley, leads to a shocking incident of self-harm that escalates quickly. Following a brutal attack by two men, Denton retaliates with ferocity, leaving the authorities to investigate. Thankfully, Coakley concedes that the evidence backs Denton's account and chooses not to press charges, igniting contempt in the eyes of Lieutenant Pleasant, who sees Denton as a blemish on the force.

Pleasant then manipulates Denton into engaging with his violent past by targeting the infamous mob boss Manny Vassey. By convincing Denton to eliminate Vassey—whose newfound Christian faith prompts a moral crisis—Pleasant dangles the possibility of improving Denton's settlement with his ex-wife in front of him.

Just when Denton contemplates this morally ambiguous choice, he has an unexpected encounter with Charlotte Boyd, Vassey's compassionate hospice nurse. Sparks fly, and Denton begins to develop feelings for her. However, his budding romance is threatened by Junior Vassey, the ruthless son of the mob boss, eager to eliminate anyone who ventures too close to his ailing father.

Amidst escalating tensions and increasing skepticism from his parents about his choices, Denton lashes out in frustration. After reconnecting with Boyd at a diner, they embark on a romantic relationship. However, when Pleasant threatens both Denton and his family, he turns to Boyd for advice on how to confront Vassey.

As Denton’s plans falter, Pleasant suggests an even darker path: eliminating Coakley. Yet, this time Denton refuses to comply. Instead, he resorts to dubious tactics, employing Toni, a local prostitute with ties to Coakley, to record their clandestine rendezvous. Setting a hidden camera in Coakley's motel room, Denton anxiously waits. But chaos breaks out when Rooster, Toni's enraged boyfriend, arrives, leading to a tragic series of events. Violence erupts, resulting in the murder of Toni and a brutal showdown between Coakley and Rooster.

In the wake of this carnage, Denton's life unravels completely. A heated confrontation with his parents culminates when an unknown shooter attacks, leaving his mother gravely wounded and Denton lost. Seeking solace, he confides in Boyd, whose misguided sense of justice leads her down a violent path targeting Vassey. When Junior kidnaps Denton and viciously assaults Boyd, betrayal and despair engulf him.

As the pieces of his shattered life fall into place, Denton learns that Scotty was responsible for the violence that nearly cost his mother her life. In a fit of rage, he confronts Junior, leading to a brutal clash that leaves Scotty seriously injured. The revelation of Coakley's death at Pleasant's hands sends Denton's world spiraling once more.

Desperate to regain control, Denton ransacks his parents' home, searching for hidden dirty money. The discovery of cash ignites his rage as he vows to protect his children, but his father stands firm against his self-destructive impulses. In a harrowing climax, Denton's father strikes him down with a knife, and in his final breaths, Denton orchestrates a cruel twist of fate, ensuring his father bears the blame for the tragic end of his life.

Last updated: November 22, 2024 at 14:19

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Plot questions answered

Small Crimes Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Small Crimes (2017): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Joe Denton attack District Attorney Coakley?

Joe Denton attacked Coakley because he was entangled with a powerful corrupt organization during his time as a police officer. The attack, which earned Joe the infamous nickname 'slash cop,' was committed while he was involved with criminal activities, though the specific details of what triggered the violent assault are not fully explained in the film.

Foreshadowing: The film's opening establishes Joe's dark reputation immediately upon his release, hinting at the severity of his past actions.

  • joe denton
  • phil coakley
  • slash cop
  • attack
  • prison
Q2

Why does Lieutenant Pleasant manipulate Joe into killing Manny Vassey?

Lieutenant Pleasant manipulates Joe into targeting Manny Vassey to eliminate the mob boss while maintaining plausible deniability. Pleasant uses Joe's desire to improve his settlement with his ex-wife as leverage, dangling this financial incentive to pull Joe back into violence and criminal activity.

Foreshadowing: Pleasant's anger at Coakley for not pressing charges against Joe hints at his willingness to use Joe as a pawn.

  • pleasant
  • manny vassey
  • manipulation
  • mob boss
  • kill
Q3

Who shot Joe's mother?

Scotty was responsible for the shooting that wounded Joe's mother. This revelation comes after Joe learns that Scotty was involved in the violence targeting his family, though the exact motive for targeting Joe's mother remains tied to the chaotic web of revenge and retaliation surrounding Joe's criminal connections.

Foreshadowing: The shooting occurs shortly after Joe's confrontation with his parents about his dangerous choices, suggesting the violence was connected to Joe's entanglements.

  • scotty
  • mother
  • shooting
  • family
  • attack
Q4

What happens to District Attorney Coakley?

Phil Coakley is killed by Lieutenant Pleasant. After Joe refuses Pleasant's order to eliminate Coakley, Pleasant takes matters into his own hands, eliminating the district attorney and further complicating Joe's already tangled situation.

Foreshadowing: Pleasant's contempt for Coakley builds throughout the film, particularly after Coakley chooses not to press charges against Joe.

  • phil coakley
  • pleasant
  • death
  • district attorney
Q5

Why does Joe Denton turn against his father at the end?

Joe discovers his father has hidden dirty money from Joe's criminal past, money that represents the corruption Joe thought he left behind. In his final moments, Joe orchestrates a cruel twist of fate, ensuring his father will bear the blame for Joe's death, effectively seeking revenge against his father for the family's disappointed reaction to his return.

Foreshadowing: Joe's escalating rage toward his parents throughout the film, particularly his father's rigidity, builds toward this tragic confrontation.

  • father
  • money
  • revenge
  • death
  • confrontation
Q6

Why does Charlotte Boyd attack Manny Vassey?

Charlotte Boyd attacks Manny Vassey because she develops a misguided sense of justice after witnessing the chaos in Joe's life. Believing she is helping Joe by eliminating the mob boss who represents one of his main threats, Charlotte takes violent action, though her intervention ultimately complicates the situation further.

Foreshadowing: Charlotte's profession as a hospice nurse caring for the dying Vassey gives her access and opportunity, while her growing feelings for Joe drive her desperate action.

  • charlotte boyd
  • manny vassey
  • attack
  • hospice nurse
Q7

Who is Scotty and what is his connection to Joe?

Scotty is the brother of Joe's deceased police partner. When Joe returns to town, Scotty reaches out to offer support and camaraderie, providing Joe with a sense of connection to his past life as a cop. However, Scotty becomes embroiled in the violence surrounding Joe's troubles, ultimately being revealed as the shooter who wounded Joe's mother.

Foreshadowing: Scotty's initial friendliness masks the complexity of his involvement in Joe's escalating conflicts.

  • scotty
  • partner
  • brother
  • support
  • violence
Q8

What happens to Toni at Coakley's motel room?

Toni, the prostitute Joe hires to gather evidence against Coakley, is killed when her violent boyfriend Rooster arrives unexpectedly. The situation escalates into chaos, resulting in a brutal showdown between Coakley and Rooster that leaves Toni dead and further destroys Joe's chances of gaining leverage against the district attorney.

Foreshadowing: Joe's desperate plan to use Toni shows his moral descent, and her boyfriend's volatile nature foreshadows the disaster.

  • toni
  • coakley
  • motel
  • rooster
  • death
  • prostitute
Q9

Why does Junior Vassey kidnap and assault Joe Denton?

Junior Vassey kidnaps Joe because he views him as a threat to his father and his inheritance. Junior is ruthless and paranoid about anyone who might interfere with his plans, especially Joe who has been getting close to Manny Vassey through Charlotte. The assault on Charlotte is meant to send a clear message and eliminate perceived threats.

Foreshadowing: Junior's threats against anyone approaching his father establish his violent nature early in his introduction.

  • junior vassey
  • kidnapping
  • assault
  • threat
  • father
Q10

Why does Lieutenant Pleasant despise Joe Denton?

Pleasant views Joe as a blemish on the police force due to his criminal past and the infamous 'slash cop' incident. When Coakley chooses not to press charges against Joe after the bar incident, Pleasant's contempt deepens, motivating him to manipulate Joe into dangerous criminal tasks that would either eliminate threats or destroy Joe.

Foreshadowing: Pleasant's visible anger at the bar when Coakley exonerates Joe establishes his personal vendetta.

  • pleasant
  • hate
  • police
  • joe denton
  • corruption
Q11

Why does Joe's ex-wife threaten him?

Joe's ex-wife maintains a cold and threatening demeanor toward him because she is bitter about their failed marriage and the stigma of being connected to his criminal past. Her veiled threats represent the personal consequences Joe faces, adding to his desperation when Pleasant offers to improve his settlement with her.

Foreshadowing: The ex-wife's coldness is established immediately upon Joe's release, setting the tone for his fractured personal life.

  • ex-wife
  • threats
  • divorce
  • settlement
Q12

Why does Joe refuse to kill District Attorney Coakley?

Joe refuses Pleasant's order to kill Coakley because he has already sunk too deep into violence and crime, and killing the district attorney represents a line he cannot cross. This refusal marks a turning point where Joe attempts to resist Pleasant's manipulation, though his subsequent desperate actions with Toni still lead to tragedy.

Foreshadowing: Joe's growing reluctance to commit further violence signals his attempted redemption arc, even as circumstances conspire against him.

  • refuse
  • kill
  • coakley
  • moral
  • decision

Movie threads

More Movies Like Small Crimes, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Small Crimes tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

No escape crime thrillers like Small Crimes

Characters trapped in a spiral of past sins with increasingly violent consequences. If you liked the relentless downward spiral and bleak resolution of Small Crimes, explore these movies where characters are ensnared by past misdeeds. This thread features similar fast-paced, high-intensity thrillers about corruption, betrayal, and the futile search for redemption in a corrupt world.

  • desperate
  • paranoid
  • corrosive
  • gritty
  • anxious
  • cynical
  • Tone: dark, bleak, tense
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist, often a former criminal or corrupt official, trying to break free from a destructive past. Instead of redemption, their actions trigger a chain reaction of betrayals and violent confrontations with powerful, corrupt forces, leading to a climax that often confirms their damnation rather than their salvation.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared mood of desperation and paranoia, a high-intensity, fast-paced structure that feels like a runaway train, and a thematic focus on the inescapability of one's past and the corrosive nature of corruption.

Bleak stories of failed redemption like Small Crimes

Stories where the quest for atonement leads only to further moral collapse. For viewers seeking movies like Small Crimes about the heavy cost of past sins and the impossibility of starting over. These dramas and thrillers explore themes of moral decay, betrayal, and the emotional devastation of a redemption arc that ends in tragedy.

  • desperate
  • heavy
  • gritty
  • corrosive
  • sad
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, heavy, sad
  • Pacing: steady, building to a climax
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a character returning to a familiar environment after a fall from grace, determined to rebuild. However, they are immediately confronted by the ghosts of their past—betrayed by allies, manipulated by enemies, and ultimately forced to commit worse acts, proving that some sins cannot be undone. The journey ends not with salvation, but with a deeper entrenchment in damnation.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a heavy emotional weight, a dark or bleak tone, and a core thematic exploration of the futility of redemption. They deliver a similar viewing experience of watching a character's hope systematically crushed by the unforgiving consequences of their actions.

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Every angle

Small Crimes (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Small Crimes in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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