Taglines: Fear is the ultimate currency.
In Crypto, after damaging a potential billion-dollar deal, Wall Street banker Martin (Beau Knapp) is reassigned to his old hometown. There he uncovers a money-laundering scheme involving cryptocurrency. As Martin digs deeper, it’s not just his professional life that could be under threat, but the actual lives of his estranged father, Martin Sr. (Kurt Russell), and brother Caleb (Luke Hemsworth)
Crypto is a 2019 American crime drama thriller film, about money laundering involving cryptocurrency. The film was directed by John Stalberg Jr. and written by Carlyle Eubank, David Frigerio, and Jeffrey Ingber. It stars Beau Knapp, Alexis Bledel, Luke Hemsworth and Kurt Russell. The film was released on April 12, 2019 in the United States by Lionsgate Films.
Principal photography began on June 15, 2018 in New York City. John Stalberg Jr. directed the film from the original story by Jeffrey Ingber and the screenplay by Carlyle Eubank and David Frigerio, while producers would be Yale Productions’ Jordan Yale Levine and Jordan Beckerman along with Frigerio.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Crypto is a crime drama about cryptocurrency that has scenes of graphic violence. People are shot, including one gruesome scene in which a character is shot in the face. Other brief distressing scenes are a video of a man being buried alive and one of a sick lady being given the wrong drugs, resulting in her death. A severed tongue is also seen in a box.
Strong language throughout includes variants of “f–k” and “s–t” and some use of “Jesus Christ” as an exclamation. Characters drink regularly, and it’s suggested that main character Caleb (Luke Hemsworth) has a drinking problem, perhaps the result of his PTSD from fighting in Iraq. There’s also a recreational drug scene in which a character injects drugs. No nudity, but a sex scene does show one character in a bra and another bare-chested.
There are some positive themes, such as one character (Beau Knapp) being determined to do the right thing and a family feud being resolved through forgiveness and communication. Kurt Russell stars, but his screen presence is limited.
About the Story
Martin “Marty” Duran is an anti money laundering (AML) analyst at Omnicorp Bank headquarters in Manhattan. He produces a report showing that a potential client, a $7 billion corporation, has violated AML rules, killing the deal. The CEO wants him fired, but the head of AML, Robin, believes in him and saves him – though he is demoted to a branch in his tiny hometown of Elba, in upstate New York.
He reunites with a childhood friend, Earl, who owns a failing liquor store, but is a computer genius who stays above water by mining cryptocurrency. He has a much less successful reunion with his brother, Caleb, and father, Martin Sr., who work a failing potato farm that is going to be repossessed by Martin’s bank.
Marty meets Katie, who works at an art gallery, her boss Penelope, and their accountant, Ted. Marty’s AML review of the bank’s records lead him to investigate the gallery. Earl helps him by hacking various computer banks. Together, they uncover a multi-million dollar money laundering scheme, helping a deadly Russian gang.
Earl, Penelope and Marty’s predecessor at the branch are killed by Viktor and Nikos, Ted’s thugs. Earl had couriered Marty a memory stick with evidence that Robin is facilitating the entire money laundering scheme at Omnicorp. Ted and his thugs hold Martin Sr. hostage to get the evidence, but Marty and Caleb spring a trap on them, supported by Katie and her FBI colleagues, as Marty deduced who she was. Robin is arrested and Marty starts cryptocurrency mining at the farm, saving their finances, while starting to date Katie.
Crypto (2019)
Directed by: John Stalberg Jr.
Starring: Beau Knapp, Alexis Bledel, Luke Hemsworth, Jeremie Harris, Jill Hennessy, Malaya Rivera Drew, Vincent Kartheiser, Kurt Russell, Joseph Siprut, Ron Menzel, Sean Cullen, Paul Johansson
Screenplay by: Carlyle Eubank, David Frigerio
Production Design by: Eric Whitney
Cinematography by: Pieter Vermeer
Film Editing by: Brian Berdan
Costume Design by: Annie Simon
Set Decoration by: Kait Murphy
Art Direction by: Caley Bisson
Music by: Nima Fakhrara
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout, some violence, sexuality and drug use.
Distributed by: Lionsgate Films
Release Date: April 12, 2019 (United States)
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