Emily the Criminal (2022)
August 13, 2022 8:57 PM - Subscribe
Down on her luck and saddled with debt, Emily gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.
A little predictable, a little on-the-nose, but it's a message I'm open to. The set design and styling were good--for example, the contrast between Emily and her more successful friend.
(Not sure anyone actually died in this movie, although one character's fate was not fully resolved.)
A little predictable, a little on-the-nose, but it's a message I'm open to. The set design and styling were good--for example, the contrast between Emily and her more successful friend.
(Not sure anyone actually died in this movie, although one character's fate was not fully resolved.)
I liked this and it was great having Aubrey Plaza take a normally masculine role and makes it work for her character. After a red line - being assaulted the second time - she went all in.
The finale of severing ties/ friendships from "her old life" (because they were no longer real, and were they ever?) hits me personally in the feels.
Cannot help but compare this with Falling Down, but this feels more wholesome - criminals have no protection from other criminals.
posted by porpoise at 7:11 PM on October 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
The finale of severing ties/ friendships from "her old life" (because they were no longer real, and were they ever?) hits me personally in the feels.
Cannot help but compare this with Falling Down, but this feels more wholesome - criminals have no protection from other criminals.
posted by porpoise at 7:11 PM on October 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Loved it. The ending reminded me of the film The New Age, with Emily taking over Youcef's role in the same way that Peter Weller's character ended up taking over the role of Samuel L. Jackson's.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:50 AM on January 8, 2023
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:50 AM on January 8, 2023
I loved the 'interview' with the Gina Gershon. I mean what bullshit, but I loved the set up where she tells Emily to shush and she says if you want to tell me what to do, put me in the fucking payroll. Like what a shitty person the boss is. Also very on the nose with her food job boss telling her to complain to her union steward when they're labeled as independent contractors.
posted by Carillon at 11:14 PM on January 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Carillon at 11:14 PM on January 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
I loved the 'interview' with the Gina Gershon. I mean what bullshit, but I loved the set up where she tells Emily to shush and she says if you want to tell me what to do, put me in the fucking payroll.
Might've been my favorite scene, actually.
posted by praemunire at 10:30 AM on January 23, 2023
Might've been my favorite scene, actually.
posted by praemunire at 10:30 AM on January 23, 2023
I saw this on a Rotten Tomatoes list of the 30 best movies in 2022. It was fairly good and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure it deserves to be on such a list, as it's pretty predictable and there were some plot turns that didn't make sense.
Emily certainly has it in her to be a successful criminal operator. She's smart, she's realistic, she's good on her feet, she's tough, and while she isn't cruel or heartless, she's prepared to be ruthless and cut her losses when necessary and to shrug off any moral compunctions she might have afterwards. It was actually kind of awesome watching her taze the guy and take down the woman who tried to steal her money, and I was so relieved when she got her friend's dog back unharmed.
It did seem out of character for Emily to make the mistake of going back to the same store twice in one week after Youcef had told her very clearly that it was important not to do that. She was in L.A. for heaven's sake and could easily have found another store to go to.
I don't get what was up with her friend Liz setting her up for an interview as an unpaid intern. Liz had to know the position was unpaid and that Emily could not at all afford to work for free for six months -- not that anyone should agree to be exploited like that even if they can swing it financially. Why would she put her in that position?
posted by orange swan at 8:31 AM on August 20, 2023
Emily certainly has it in her to be a successful criminal operator. She's smart, she's realistic, she's good on her feet, she's tough, and while she isn't cruel or heartless, she's prepared to be ruthless and cut her losses when necessary and to shrug off any moral compunctions she might have afterwards. It was actually kind of awesome watching her taze the guy and take down the woman who tried to steal her money, and I was so relieved when she got her friend's dog back unharmed.
It did seem out of character for Emily to make the mistake of going back to the same store twice in one week after Youcef had told her very clearly that it was important not to do that. She was in L.A. for heaven's sake and could easily have found another store to go to.
I don't get what was up with her friend Liz setting her up for an interview as an unpaid intern. Liz had to know the position was unpaid and that Emily could not at all afford to work for free for six months -- not that anyone should agree to be exploited like that even if they can swing it financially. Why would she put her in that position?
posted by orange swan at 8:31 AM on August 20, 2023
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Aubrey Plaza is so fearless. She's just willing to go there in her roles and I love her for it.
I like that the first things we learn about Emily are that she's happy to lie and also had a felony assault conviction. She's messy and complicated from the beginning. Everything that follows feels very much in character for her.
Youcef was too sweet and naive for her in comparison.
posted by edencosmic at 6:43 PM on September 28, 2022 [3 favorites]