Writer/director David St. Clair's The Lonely Crowd is a fun little indie drama, a film that both wears its low-budget indie status on its cinematic sleeves and dares us to look awya. 

We're intrigued early on. An L.A. prison escape sets the stage for the story to unfold. Peter (Adam Wesley) is a former baseball pro looking for love in all the wrong places. A first date with Ashley (Taylor Anne Danehower) isn't particularly promising, sparks fly but in all the wrong ways. When Peter intervenes in a parking lot altercation, The Lonely Crowd gets fired up with its own unique energy combining a crime thriller with surprisingly effective romance mostly courtesy of the nice spark between Wesley and Danehower. 

Picked up by indie distributor Indie Rights, The Lonely Crowd is for sure more effective in its action than its romance, though this is a talented ensemble and I enjoyed the film from beginning to end. The possibility of Peter and Ashley intrigues. The two have a believable chemistry despite their life circumstances being vastly different. Opposites attract, I suppose, if everyone involved can actually survive it. 

Wesley continuously impresses as Peter, though I'd have to call Danehower a scene-stealer with a presence that helps us understand why Peter is repeatedly drawn to her yet a complexity that also makes us understand why he shouldn't be. Jon Oshei also is rock solid as Jake, though this entire ensemble gives it everything they've got. 

Lensing by Garrett Stotko is effective and impactful throughout. Kevin Morrison's original score is definitely a bit funky, riding the film's complexities quite nicely. 

The Lonely Crowd may not be the best film you check out in 2026, though St. Clair's storytelling has some strong ambition to it and he's got this ensemble working their butts off to tell the story. Available on Prime Video currently, this is an indie drama to check out for those who prefer their indie cinema at least slightly outside the box.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic