Watch Crown and Anchor

Crown and Anchor is a 2018 drama film that tells the story of two lifelong friends, James Downey (Michael Rowe) and Danny (Matt Wells), who are struggling to make ends meet in their urban Canadian neighborhood. James is an ex-soldier struggling with PTSD and addiction, while Danny is trying to escape his abusive father's shadow. Despite their differences, the two share a deep bond and a sense of loyalty to each other.

When James' estranged sister, Caroline (Natalie Brown), returns to town after years of being away, she disrupts the fragile balance in James and Danny's lives. As James struggles to come to terms with his past and his present, he is forced to confront his demons and make choices that will determine the course of his life.

The film explores themes of family, loyalty, addiction, and the struggles of working-class communities. The characters are complex and layered, with Michael Rowe and Matt Wells delivering powerful performances as the two leads. Rowe brings a raw intensity to his portrayal of James, a man tormented by his past and unable to cope with his present. Wells gives a nuanced performance as Danny, bringing a sense of vulnerability to a character that could have easily been written as a one-dimensional tough guy.

Natalie Brown's portrayal of Caroline is also noteworthy, as she brings depth and complexity to a character that could have easily been written as a one-note villain. Caroline is a woman struggling to reconnect with her family and make sense of her own past, and Brown's performance captures the character's conflicting emotions with subtlety and grace.

Director Andrew Rowe (who also co-wrote the script with Michael Rowe) does an excellent job of capturing the gritty realism of the film's setting, without ever descending into melodrama or sentimentality. The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing the characters and their relationships to unfold naturally, and the cinematography is dark and moody, adding to the film's overall sense of tension and unease.

Overall, Crown and Anchor is a powerful and compelling drama that explores the complexities of family, friendship, and addiction in a distinctive and authentic way. With strong performances from its leads and a well-written script, the film is a must-see for fans of character-driven dramas.

Crown and Anchor is a 2019 crime movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 1 minute. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0.