Want to Make $200 an Hour?: Emily the Criminal Review
Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is suffocating under her student debt. Due to an incident while she was in college, she can’t get a well-paying job and struggles to make ends meet. When a co-worker introduces her to someone who runs a credit card scam involving dummy shopping, she finally sees a way out. If she can survive a life of crime as things spiral out of control.
Plaza is perfect in this role, with her trademark cynicism and nuanced performance, she portrays this world-weary thirty-something believably. So believably that I came out of this movie feeling the need to confirm that it is not actually based on a true story. (It’s not.) This is one of those movies where you know you should be thinking “don’t do that, it’s such a bad idea” but instead you’re thinking “I might do the same thing in your position.” She has a bit of a temper, sometimes of necessity and sometimes of an impetuous and impulsiveness that gets her into trouble even when her fury is warranted. The movie does a good job of spotlighting the people who turn to crime as a means of survival or to try to better their lot in life, not because they don’t care about the law or about working hard.
Youcef (Theo Rossi), who initially seems like the leader of the scam, turns out to be in a similarly miserable position to Emily. A recent immigrant, Youcef is trying to support his mother and buy an apartment building. In order to do this, he needs to make a lot of money in a short amount of time to pay the cost, but he is at the mercy of his more brutal cousin, who is really running things. The attraction between Emily and Youcef is palpable but their relationship is fraught with tension as he invites her deeper and deeper into his questionable business scheme.
The strength of the movie is in its simplicity. The movie never tries to get too big or do too much, which keeps it grounded. This was a surprising delight, maybe not the first movie you’d gravitate towards in theaters but certainly one worth your time.
ABOUT THE MOVIE
Official Synopsis: Krypto the Desperate for income, Emily takes a shady gig buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a charismatic middleman named Youcef. Seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills, they hatch a plan to take their business to the next level.
Rated: R
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwoke, and Gina Gershon
Directed By: John Patton Ford
Written By: John Patton Ford
Produced By: Tyler Davidson, Aubrey Plaza, and Drew Sykes
In Theaters: August 12, 2022
Runtime: 1 hr 33 min
Watch the trailer:
Photo: Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions/Vertical Entertainment
