Emily, A Criminosa

Holy moly what a surprising gem... with soooooo many terrible movies coming out and finding a decent, let alone, a good movie is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Reminded me a bit of "Good Time," (Safdie brothers film) and I am certain the director was inspired by Good Time, from the opening of the interview to all the very tight shots of everything, documentary style, to the music. Also "Straight Time" (Dustin Hoffman) with the authentic style and BELIEVABLE acting. Never a dull moment from beginning to end, and this is coming from someone who basically gives 98% of movies coming out a bad review, and deservingly so.

From the cinematography, camera work, and music, this was just excellent and Audrey was amazing.

I literally had zero expectations of liking this, since I've been hitting 99 to 1 on finding good movies.

The story was unique and surprising.

This is what other indie filmmakers like Sean Baker should aspire to do. They have great natural approach to filmmaking, but lack story and excitement, as they have in this one.

The movie got better and better, which was even more shocking.

What a breath of fresh air that a movie has a great plot but never forgets about the characters and relationship, and most important, approaches it with such authenticity.

Emily certainly wasn't the most likable character nor brightest of the bunch and they may have made her a bit too dumb, which seemed a bit inconsistent to the rest of her interactions, like going against their simple instructions of what not to do. Usually, that is the writer being lazy or unable to come up with a better way to create drama and/or conflict, so that is my minor criticism.

Other than that, it was really good. In summary, I had know idea what to expect, but every minute was pleasantly surprising.

I can't give it ten stars, because it wasn't without any problems, which I normally would list, but since there are so few good films out I will leave it out because I do recommend this.

Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi are Terrific Together in this drama and thriller rolled into one. Plaza shows great acting acumen as a "down on her luck" artist who becomes swept up in a crime spree to earn extra income. She is sweet, vulnerable, and relatable in this roll. She plays it really well. Rossi is terrific as her crime mentor. He plays a savvy non-violent criminal with a softer side. The film reminds me of another great film, Uncut Gems, in all the right ways. The acting is sharp. The Direction is first class. The Cinematography is very good. The movie is small in some senses. But it evokes many emotions- from anxiety to sadness, and more. This so worth watching for the performances alone.

Gripping , poignant , acting as good as it gets and a story that keeps you wanting to see more. I keep this review brief because if you don't see this move you will be the one missing out. Best thing I have watched at home or in the movie theater for some time.

A debt-ridden woman with an unkind past forced, Emily was cornered into partaking of a shady 'dummy shopper' scam. Things got bad to worse from there, resulting in a movie that was equally entertaining and gripping.

John Patton Ford did an excellent job writing and directing this project. Nathan Halpern's musical scoring was noteworthy though minimal. Jeff Bierman's cinematography was engaging and deep. Detail-driven work all round by the editing, hair-makeup, art direction, production design, costume, and stunt departments.

I personally believe that Aubrey Plaza's Emily is one of her career-highlight roles. She gave a riveting performance as a misunderstood and pressured woman trying to find peace of mind through freedom from debt.

Yousef, played by Theo Rossi, was great. Liz, played by Megalyn Echikunwoke, was quite good. Javier, played by Bernardo Badillo, was notable. Khalil, played by Jonathan Avigdori, was good. Vaz, played by Jack Topalian, was quite good. Armen, played by Roman Mitichyan, was memorable.

All other cast and crew did notable work in "Emily The Criminal" now streaming via Amazon Prime VOD.

This movie, and Aubrey Plaza's role in it, made me reaffirm the fact that our societal systems are designed to drive some people over the edge for no fault of their own. The script left no loose ends. Every frame, even the simple ones, felt like they contained hints of something dark at play.

"Emily The Criminal" was one of the best movies I've seen in 2022. It captured desperation and humanity in understandable and convincing ways. The movie also conveyed a guarantee that any one of us would've made the same decisions as Emily if the circumstances were right.

Realistic portrayals of the job market and its exploitation - unpaid internships, to name one - were also focused upon. The way it all led to Emily choosing crime to pay her bills and survive ended up feeling credible and essential. The script put paid to the adage, "criminals are not born, they're made."

I think the reviews give you the overall gist of what this movie is all about but what's very striking, and entertaining is when Emily goes a little psycho. Not a ranting or dramatic psycho but a very focused, calculating one. Very solid performance, and the co-lead is a very good complement. If you liked Atomic Blonde, Anna, Salt and any other strong female lead that refuses to let the world get the better of them, you'll like this one.