Crooks

One advice, keep away from it, at all costs. AT ALL COSTS. This is a pure cheesy, lousy, clumsy, garbage junk destined to homewives.... I expêcted a violent, rough, gritty, poignant series, but I must admit that after seeing GOMORRA, I was really handicaped, because NO SERIES, can give you the same terrific feelings as this Italian masterpiece, and certainly not this piece of sh.... Unbearable characters, - especially this man that should be under diet instead of acting - lousy acting, and those unnbearable romance lines, ROMANCE !!!! In such a story which the ONLY good point is that it is not boring. Yes, not boring, that's the only reason why I could make it till the end. But...Oh my God!!! CROOKS, yes, all the makers of this crap are definitely CROOKS.

Lets get this out of the way. This is a entertaining series. If you come into this expecting a lightweight by the numbers affair full of the usual cliches, you can't be blamed. It starts with the simple title of the series "Crooks". How can that be really entertaining? It surprises you with the fact that it is entertaining.

Its still a pretty much by the numbers affair but its done very well. I'm not dissappointed in the worn out cliches that are on display. The directors and producers actually took the usual cliches and made it entertaining and suspenseful. I'm disappointed because the series is held back by some very implausible plot decisions. It could have been better. That problem aside, the on location filming and musical scoring kept things moving along very well. The series is worth watching.

The first few episodes had some good moments, but with each subsequent episode the plot became more and more predictable, full of clichés, the characters were mostly flat and boring. I know that all the dialects are there to better represent the characters and the different groups, to show the local distance and also to clarify the social differences, but often it ended in a minute-long mumble in which nothing could be understood. Why do you have to mumble like that?

Unfortunately, the acting performance of some of the actors was anything but credible. I keep asking myself what makes some German actors think that they have mastered their craft!

Sadly, it was a waste of time and it dragged on like chewing gum.

Crooks is a complicated though we'll scripted action packed thriller series, as long as one overlooks the many small unrealistic plot events. (It's easy to look beyond them as the suspense captures the viewer!)

The eight episode season (one) - not sure if there will be additional seasons - also utilizes the different settings of Vienna, Berlin and Marseille well. The change in scenery and cuts to alternate locations adds to the show.

The characters are well crafted - even adding some near comic relief with the Algerian gang chief in Marseille. Joseph, the lovable teddy bear, is endearing.

Charly, the main man, is kind of a renaissance man among gangsters. He can fight, pick locks, use a gun and pretty much do anything else required to keep him and his family alive!

Crooks is a good crime, action show which lulls you into binge watching all eight episodes without much thought. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Brilliant show - elements of Dogs of Berlin with a Guy Ritchie edge. Very well done and hits the mark of a gangland action drama, but with an under thread of a real friendship story with a very human touch. Great scenery, fast paced, sure - not the most cerebral watching but really entertaining and captivating. Great characters, great casting, great locations which are represented realistically (Berlin, Vienna, Marseille - all pretty true to reality). I watched it in German with English subtitles (as I always do as find it more authentic) and it didn't disappoint. Not sure why some gave it low reviews - it doesn't promise to be anything it's not. Simply a very good action series.