This was a film, which starred Russell Crowe and was directed by Australian Director, John Polson.  It was actually made a couple of years ago but was never released in theaters in the U.S.  Why?  After finally seeing it, on the just-released DVD, I’m scratching my head over this. 

The movie is a low-key, eerie thriller about a police detective, Det. Cristofuro, (Crowe), who is intent on keeping track of (who he believes to be a psychopathic young killer, Eric Poole (Jon Foster) who has just been released from a juvenile detention center.  Poole has killed both of his parents and at least one girl and Cristofuro is convinced it is only a matter of time before he kills again.  Shortly after going home to his Aunt, Poole embarks on a road trip, ostensibly to check out college possibilities and is soon unwillingly accompanied by a troubled teen, (Sophie Traub) who has been drawn to him because of his notoriety.

What follows is a moody, suspenseful tale that, while short on gratuitous violence, sans sex scenes to speak of and a tone that is perhaps too quiet for movie audiences these days, is nevertheless an engaging and poignant story with an almost Hitchcock-ian twist towards the end.
 
While the script may meander from time to time, and is a tad shy as far as character development goes, the actors make the most of it.  Mr. Crowe is, of course,  one of the biggest stars working today but he takes a small but pivotal role in this film.  The beauty in his performance is watching how he makes up for lack of dialogue with his ever-expressive eyes.  His scenes as a devoted husband to a wife paralyzed for life in an institution are the most poignant in the film.  Indeed, it is his love for his wife that serves as an even deeper motivation to see Poole back in prison.   (There is a very satisfying bit of dialogue between him and Poole, once Pool is finally captured, that shows the murderer how much he underestimated his captor).
   
The younger stars are a true find.  Jon Foster plays an icy hearted killer without the histrionics; ultimately, you feel sorry for him.    Sophie Traub, portraying a truly broken spirit, makes you want to grab her and save her from her ultimate fate.  The very original soundtrack adds and builds to the climax of the film and the photography puts the beauty of upper state New York the other “star” of the film.  Kudos to Mr. Polson!  We need more movies like this!