Small Crimes (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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