Joe Gawalis
A new age "family" Christmas comedy, a fish out of water story meets "Home Alone".
"American Criminal" is filmed entirely in one shot ... A police officer, a prosecutor, a judge, and a forensic scientist conspire to manufacture evidence against murderers who they are convinced are guilty, but they lack the full proofs. When a criminal defense attorney threatens to expose their illicit activities, one of the group murders him. The police officer, who was opposed to the killing, is framed for the lawyer's murder and sentenced to life in prison. With this backstory in place, five years later he escapes prison and kidnaps the entire jury who convicted him, as well as his former judge, prosecutor and scientist allies. He assembles them all at a Jewish temple - the scene of the lawyer's murder - and proceeds to prove his innocence to them, while at the same time exacting just a bit more vigilante justice.
When cop Steve returns home in the midst of his brother Joey's investigation into the murder of two bare knuckle fighters, the case becomes personal when Joey is found brutally murdered. With a sense of justice and revenge Steve knows what he has to do. Enter the underground world of Bare Knuckle Brawling; run by the brutal Mereta Crime family where there is only one rule. There are no rules!
Jim Thompson was a good man, who did good things for fifty two years - Life did not return the favor.
