Directed byTommy Stovall
Staring Seth Peterson, Chad Donella, Bruce Davison and Cindy Pickett.
104 minutes
Opens August 18, 2006

*** out of 5

Hate Crime, the current darling of the indie film circuit, marks the feature film debut of American director, Tommy Stovall. While ultimately an uneven and sometimes heavy handed picture, it offers enough impressive moments to make it a worthwhile cinematic experience and certainly qualifies as a strong first film.

The Story takes place in Dallas Texas, where happy gay couple Trey McCoy and Robbie Levinson lead an idyllic life: successful jobs, loving families and an accepting community. All that changes when pastor’s son and homophobe Chris Boyd moves next door.

Hate Crime is being billed as revenge film, which is slightly misleading. Stovall (who also wrote the screenplay) spends much of the second half trying to navigate a weak crime-thriller plot, but the narrative has so many holes only his biggest fans could suspend their disbelief enough to enjoy the film on that level. Where this film truly shines is when it examines the inconsolable loss and irreconcilable differences present in the two main families. It is in these moments that Stovall stops painting his characters in broad strokes and allows the actors to tackle the difficult issues of loss, hate, sexuality and religion.

Buoyed by a supporting cast that includes X-Men’s Bruce Davison and the excellent Cindy Pickett, Hate Crime is highly recommended to those who enjoy compelling dramas such as In The Bedroom, but should be passed-on by those who want nothing more than a believable crime drama.


Francois Dupraz