Synopsis
When Colin Warner was wrongfully convicted of murder, his best friend Carl King devoted his life to proving his innocence.
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Cast
- LaKeith StanfieldColin Warner
- Nnamdi AsomughaCarl King
- Natalie PaulAntoinette
- Bill CampWilliam Robedee
- Nestor CarbonellBruce Regenstreich
- Amari CheatomLeon Grant
- Gbenga AkinnagbeSampson
- Sarah GoldbergShirley Robedee
- Josh PaisDistrict Attorney Maffeo
- Ron CanadaJudge Marcy
Recommendations
- 70
Variety
Crown Heights doesn’t break much new ground, and it takes a while to find its footing, but thanks to strong, unshowy performances from Lakeith Stanfield and Nnamdi Asomugha, the film does project the feelings of helplessness and frustration that come from fighting against such an immovable object. - 70
Village Voice
As Colin, Stanfield is exceptional, his visage a mixture of bewilderment, humiliation, and simmering rage. His performance grounds the film, and keeps it going through its less confident patches. - 70
The New York Times
Like its protagonist, sensitively and shrewdly played by Lakeith Stanfield, the film is soft-spoken and thoughtful, with sweet, lyrical touches that alleviate some of the grimness without blunting the cruelty and injustice of what happened. - 70
New York Magazine (Vulture)
We’re left floored by the facts of Colin Warner’s case; the film itself falls away. - 67
The Film Stage
As written and directed by Matt Ruskin, the tragic story of Colin Warner doesn’t so much come to life on the screen as it is responsibly recalled in Crown Heights, aided by effective performances and some streamlined storytelling. - 60
The Hollywood Reporter
Perhaps cowed by respect for a real man who suffered so much, Stanfield seems reluctant to charm viewers. Warner is sympathetic, of course, but Ruskin continually requires wounded earnestness from his lead, and shows little of whatever spark of inner life must have been required for Warner to survive these years without losing his mind. - 58
The Playlist
Crown Heights works best when the political and the personal merge with the insidious nature of corruption and systemic cultural, societal and economic oppression. - 50
TheWrap
There’s no denying that the tale of Colin Warner, a man who spent decades behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, is a powerful one, but writer-director Matt Ruskin doesn’t give us anything here that a documentary couldn’t do better.
