I had never heard of this film before the recent DVD release. Now I'm wondering why it hasn't turned up in those "essential film noir" lists! Everything about it is terrific -- a tight script with snappy dialog, sharply drawn characters, outstanding noir cinematography, solid performances, and a story as relentless as a Greek tragedy.<br /><br />The Los Angeles location shooting is fantastic and the film is worth seeing for that alone. In that respect, Crime Wave could be considered the L.A. counterpart of Jules Dassin's The Naked City. I also enjoyed the many POV driving shots! David Buttolph scores the film sparingly but strongly, with just a couple of exciting cues at critical points in the story.<br /><br />If you're a noir fan, do NOT miss this one!