Hitting #1 on Amazon Prime in Ireland is Baz Black’s story of punk rock and redemption, Dublin Crust. After his release from a ten-year prison sentence, Bonehead (Baz Black) realizes that if he doesn’t make himself useful, he’ll turn back to drugs and end up in prison once again. Bonehead’s only option is to return the bliss he felt playing drums in his former punk rock band, Crust.
Getting Crust back together isn’t going to be easy. Bonehead’s drug problem caused the band to break up in the first place, and he’s burned a lot of bridges along the way. Undeterred, Bonehead decides to approach the band one by one.
Eager to get the boys back together, Terrence (Joe Rooney) hopes the band will also help give him direction in life as he tries to re-enter his son and ex-girlfriend, Tania’s (Louise McCann) life. Andy has gone down the white-collar road and yearns to return to his rebellious past. Bonehead’s biggest obstacle is Eddie (Eddie Nil), who wants nothing to do with Bonehead’s past antics and is furious his girlfriend, Tracey (Leanne Bickerdike), has been speaking to Bonehead behind his back.
When Eddie unloads on Bonehead for what he did to him, he agrees to reunite for the sake of the others and not Bonehead. Like riding a bicycle, the boys fall quickly in line, and the magic of Crust returns. Their first single is a hit and gets local radio play. The boys are determined to put on a reunion concert, but can their fragile friendship endure, and can a quartet of middle-aged men reignite the passion of their youth?
“Bonehead’s drug problem caused the band to break up in the first place…”
Dublin Crust just oozes that indie filmmaking spirit that we talk a lot about at Film Threat. The calvary isn’t coming. Whether it’s deep pockets or some bureaucratic arts program, if you want to make your movie, you’ve got to do it yourself. Dublin Crust is a passion project for writer/director/star Baz Black, and I’d surmise that even if he got money from outside sources, they’d exert a great deal of influence to keep him from telling his story.
Dublin Crust feels like a punk rock version of The Commitments and Hard Day’s Night. It opens with a slightly silly store robbery set to a punk rock soundtrack. While the overall film leans serious, there are fun moments of boys being boys. But the film is just as much a musical showcase featuring the lads of Crust. They are all legit musicians and not only nail each song but look authentic as hell during the concert footage throughout the film.
There is also a great deal of heart. It’s not about a group of adults regressing to their childish past; it’s about reconnecting with the past to transform them into fully formed adults.
Dublin Crust is a DIY film that originated from Baz Black’s passion for storytelling. It reflects on how punk music can infuse life into the monotony of adulthood. The film is quite impressive despite being self-made and has a professional air. It features heartfelt storytelling and an amazing punk-rock soundtrack that make it stand out.
Dublin Crust is currently available on all VOD streaming platforms. For more information, visit the Dublin Crust linktr.ee page.
"…reflects on how punk music can infuse life into the monotony of adulthood."
