Straight Through Crew is a stylish and drug-fueled frenzy
by Nav Qateel
On Christmas Eve, a group of friends come together for a night of hardcore, drug-fueled partying. Written and directed by David Campion, the British indie Straight Through Crew feels like a stripped-down episode of Euphoria, only without the budget or scope, and expanded into a feature-length film.
We follow Aden (Charles Craddosock) and his friends as they prepare for the big night, with Aden tasked with buying the drugs, an errand that quickly spirals into its own set of complications. Things are further disrupted by the unexpected arrival of an old flame: ex-girlfriend Jamie (Jessica Pearce). Though the two clearly still have feelings for each other, Aden now has a new girlfriend.
Straight Through Crew introduces us to each character and their place in the group’s social hierarchy, with some far more engaging than others. In fact, I found a few of the peripheral characters more compelling and worthy of deeper exploration, especially the wild-eyed dealer Wildy, played with conviction by Harry Barnett.
Set in a quiet English village, the film hints at a broader backstory. Jamie is the only one who has escaped to London, while Aden was meant to follow her but chose to stay behind, leading to their breakup. While we don’t get deep dives into character motivations, there’s just enough here to keep things coherent.
Campion clearly has talent as both a writer and director. Straight Through Crew looks sharp thanks to some stylish camerawork, and the performances from the ensemble cast are solid. It’s evident the filmmaker has stories to tell. He just needs to find the right one to frame with his lens. This film may not resonate with older viewers, but younger audiences may find moments of raw amusement and honesty here.
Nav’s Score: 7/10
