What we crave is a better movie! The previews set this thing up to look like a film version of Dexter, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The story follows a crime scene photographer who had enough of the injustice of the world and the horrible things he sees. He fantasizes about become a vigilantly and doing the things the police can't do, but there's a problem. He doesn't have any balls. The story presented in the previews and on the back of the box is just a description of the back story. The actual film centers around a love story, that doesn't exist. Photographer Aiden (Josh Lawson) is having sex with his neighbor Virginia (Emma Lung) who is half his age. Aiden believes he's fallen in love and obsesses over Virginia, but all she sees him as is a friend with benefits. Josh Lawson stars and he was actually pretty good, but what's the point of being good in a film that doesn't make any sense. Lines come out of nowhere and entire scenes occur that leave the audience wondering if it's really happening or just another of Aiden's fantasies. Perhaps, the worst part of this film is the narration. While Lawson does give a good performance, his character narrates his thoughts throughout the film, a jumbled mess of ridiculousness that gets old by the 30 minute mark. While there are a couple of interesting scenes, a solid performance by the lead, and one of my favorite actors, Edward Furlong, Crave is just one big mess of confusion that is most definitely not worth your time.

The surface story is .. 'A downtrodden photographer, haunted by the urban violence and decay around him, retreats into an inner world of dark fantasies.' But that is just the marketing phrase to get the attention of the public.This marvelous film is just chock full of symbolism, and what gave me the lead is the setting - Detroit! Detroit - a once vibrant and wealthy industrial city now suffering under corporate self imposed decay and debt - Detroit still has wealth but the shine is soiled by the blight within it - Detroit is America today.Aiden - the photographer - symbolizes government or the people in America. We know right from wrong, we are a nice people at heart, just as Aiden is. But America fantasizes so often of being 'the avenger of the wronged and oppressed' and when we take action we so often get it all wrong and then do not understand why others in the world don't trust us.Virginia - the girl next door - she symbolizes the American psychological take on our friends, our allies. There is more to her than Aiden is willing to see (or unable to see) and doesn't understand her reaction when he inappropriately reacts to a situation. Even though America has many allies they are often put off by our inappropriate response to an international event.Pete - the policeman - symbolizes what Americans know about themselves and others! We can feed the good wolf or the bad wolf. Pete is the collective conscientiousness of the often indecisiveness of America, - when America knows which decision is rightful.Barry - the rich corporate business man - symbolizes the corporations and politicians (or politics) in America. It's only concern is for itself and when they are caught cheating, as happened to Barry, they can buy their freedom and are never held responsible for their degrading actions to the working class (the girl in the cheap motel).Ravi - the boyfriend of Virginia - he represents the people America has wronged by assault and war. Then we come running to help, as Aiden did to Ravi after shooting him, only to discover it's too late.'Crave' is a two hour movie, but I was fascinated by Aiden and never knowing which way he will turn before he finds the gun. After the gun he feels empowered but it just makes his life worse. Even though Aiden is not caught for his crimes his mental world will continue to torture him. America is Aiden, we haven't been punished for our crimes either!

No, Aiden. This is real"Crave" is a pretty dark and gloomy movie. It's a precise characterization of the photographer Aiden (Josh Lawson). He makes pictures of victims at a crime scene, as a hobby or as a job (That wasn't entirely clear to me). As the film progresses, it's obvious that he has a kind of split personality and imagines himself to be a guardian angel in a society that is desolate, violent and ruthless. One time he sees himself as the protector of a girl on the subway who got hassled by two punks. Another day he fantasizes that he uses a sledge hammer on some guy who is talking disturbingly loud to someone else at an AA meeting. Actually these are all situations everyone goes through once and a while and where we think about afterwards and wonder how it would be if we reacted in such a way like Aiden did. At a certain moment Aiden dares to protest against a pushy woman in a supermarket. Afterwards you see him driving home with a satisfied smile. He always meets the same detective Pete (Ron Perlman) at a crime scene or an AA meeting. Both are converted alcoholics and I guess for a long time already non-drinkers. Perlman plays his character sober and restrained. He's not afraid to bury Aiden under a lot of advice and life skills.Aiden meets his neighbor Virginia (Emma Lung) who has a complicated relationship with Ravi (Edward Furlong). The latter still has the youthful appearance since "Terminator 2". Aiden and Virginia start a turbulent relationship, although Virginia rather keeps a distance. They break up after attending an abstract play where Aiden couldn't help to make a remark about it (Actually I would make the same remark in such a situation). From that moment on it clearly goes the wrong way. The revolver, which he took after a robber left it behind, turns out to be a deadly weapon in his hands.Josh Lawson plays his role beautifully. He's really a sad character who can be funny and witty sometimes , but at the same time leaves a melancholic and depressive impression. This would-be hero is ultimately a coward. Charles de Lauzerika manages to make an obscure dark movie. Until the end of the movie this was the overall atmosphere you felt about this movie : Dark,gloomy and depressing. Until the moment Furlong gets out his body-bag and gives a thumbs-up gesture. That changed the whole atmosphere of the movie and gave it at that time an absurdly sinister turn. There's a scene in the movie I thought was a brilliant masterpiece. When Aiden finally manages to conquer Virginia and ends up in bed with her, we go back to the moment where it all started, and we assume that it was a fantasy again. Then Aiden stares at the camera and says : "No, Aiden This is real.". Damn surprising and funny! Many will see this as a boring slow movie without any action. I thought it was a strong effort to show the process of how someones fantasy world slowly becomes reality. Without the twist at the end and a less open ending, I would have appreciated it more. The thing I still need to mention is the fact that I didn't expect a chainsaw gore-element in this kind of movie. Nice though !More reviews at : http://opinion-as-a-moviefreak.blogspot.be or http://meningvanfilmfreak.blogspot.be

Aiden (Josh Lawson) is a loser and a photographer working in Detroit. He likes to take pictures of crime scenes. He's fallen for young girl next door Virginia (Emma Lung). Often he imagines heroic fantasies to deal with the decaying city life and his personal failings. Ron Perlman plays his confidant police detective Pete. And it's real nice to see Edward Furlong as Virginia's druggie boyfriend.This could have been a great dark little film. It needs a better and edgier actor in the lead. Josh Lawson is a little too average. The style is competent but without the extreme tension that this movie deserves. His constant internal monologue probably has something to do with that. It breaks up any tension that the movie builds up. I wonder if Edward Furlong would make a better lead. I think he has more intensity, and he could play creepy better.