Emily the Criminal (2022)

UNKNOWN

In-Theaters, VOD, Video

86%

2022, Crime/Mystery & thriller, 1h 37m

RT Critics’ Score: 91% (UNBIASED)
RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins

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Critics Consensus

Emily the Criminal is a refreshing take on the crime thriller genre, thanks to John Patton Ford’s smart direction and a standout performance from Aubrey Plaza. Plaza’s portrayal of Emily brings an authenticity to the story that elevates it beyond a traditional thriller. The film never shies away from Emily’s past misdeeds, but instead presents her as a messy and believable character. Ford’s script is astute in its mix of character study, crime thriller, and critique of a rigged economic system. Emily the Criminal is a cinematic expression of the hypocrisy of accountability and how it ties into opportunity, giving voice to those who are rarely heard. Overall, this film is a must-watch for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and entertaining experience.

Audience Consensus

Emily the Criminal is a refreshing take on the crime thriller genre, with a standout performance by Aubrey Plaza. The film’s taut script and smart direction by John Patton Ford keep the audience engaged, while Plaza’s portrayal of Emily brings authenticity to the story. Despite the predictable territory the film ends up in, it’s still worth a watch for those looking for a mix of character study, crime thriller, and social commentary. Plus, who doesn’t love a good credit card scam and car chase?

Storyline

Emily, a young woman with a criminal record, takes a job as a “dummy shopper” and becomes involved in black-market capitalism with her charismatic mentor, Youcef, in order to make quick cash and pay off her student debt.

Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Act III Act III Communications,

Distributor
Roadside Attractions

Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)

Filming Location(s)

MPAA / Certificate

Year of Release
2022

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

Dolby
Aspect ratio:

NA
Runtime:

1h 37m
Language(s):
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Aug 12, 2022 Limited

Genre(s)
Crime/Mystery & thriller

Keyword(s)
starring Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi, Jonathan Avigdori, Kim Yarbrough, Gina Gershon, Bernardo Badillo, directed by John Patton Ford, written by John Patton Ford, produced by Tyler Davidson, Aubrey Plaza, Drew Sykes, crime, mystery, thriller, drama, student debt, job market, minor criminal record, shady gig, dummy shopper, stolen credit cards, black-market capitalism, mentor, Los Angeles, social commentary, taut thriller, Aubrey Plaza’s terrific work, critic reviews, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Dwight Brown, Emily Zemler, Alissa Wilkinson, Perri Nemiroff, Philip De Semlyen, Jourdain Searles, Jim Laczkowski, Dennis Harvey, Terry Mesnard, Martin Carr, Jimmy Cage, producer names, MPAA rating, Roadside Attractions

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA

US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA

Cast & Crew

Aubrey Plaza

Theo Rossi

Jonathan Avigdori

Kim Yarbrough

Gina Gershon

Emily

Youcef

Khalil

self

Alice

Aubrey Plaza – Emily
Theo Rossi – Youcef
Jonathan Avigdori – Khalil
Kim Yarbrough – self
Gina Gershon – Alice
Bernardo Badillo – Javier

John Patton Ford

Tyler Davidson

Aubrey Plaza

Drew Sykes

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
John Patton Ford

Writer(s)
John Patton Ford

Producer(s)
Tyler Davidson, Aubrey Plaza, Drew Sykes

Film Festivals
Sundance

Awards & Nominations
3 wins

Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Dwight Brown

Emily Zemler

Alissa Wilkinson

Perri Nemiroff

Philip De Semlyen

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Observer

Vox

Perri Nemiroff (YouTube)

Time Out

EMILY THE CRIMINAL
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (63) | Rotten (5)
The crime thriller genre is so routine, what could make it less formulaic? How about a taut script and smart direction by John Patton Ford and a gutsy performance by Aubrey Plaza.

February 11, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4

Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
Plaza’s ongoing determination to bring out the authenticity of the story actually makes the film darker than it would be as a traditional thriller.

February 3, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4

Emily Zemler
Observer
TOP CRITIC
John Patton Ford wrote and directed the movie, which is an entertaining and sharp-edged look at the world in which so many millennials find themselves.

February 3, 2022

Alissa Wilkinson
Vox
TOP CRITIC
An extremely effective first feature from John Patton Ford with a powerhouse performance from Aubrey Plaza at its core. Emily may make some unethical, dangerous decisions but the film never lets you forget what put her in that position to begin with.

January 31, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5

Perri Nemiroff
Perri Nemiroff (YouTube)
TOP CRITIC
Refreshingly, writer-director John Patton Ford’s script never seeks to excuse Emily her past misdeeds or sugarcoat her worst impulses. She’s a messy, believable character and her journey into LA’s crime underworld in no way feels far-fetched.

January 31, 2022 | Rating: 4/5

Philip De Semlyen
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
With her steely demeanor and large, intense eyes, Plaza is a force to be reckoned with a hidden brutality just waiting to be unleashed.

January 31, 2022

Jourdain Searles
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
This film belongs to Aubrey Plaza and it’s her best work to date. Even if the film ends up going down fairly predictable territory in a way that’s akin to the downfall of a protagonist in a Walter White-esque manner, it’s still worth a look.

June 9, 2022 | Rating: 3/5

Jim Laczkowski
Director’s Club
John Patton Ford’s debut feature is very astute about mixing character study, crime thriller, and critique of a “trickle-up” economic system more and more Americans are finding is fundamentally gamed against them.

May 2, 2022

Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Emily the Criminal is a lean and efficient thriller that, even in the smallest moments, is an intriguing look at credit card scams and dummy purchasing with stolen identities.

March 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/5

Terry Mesnard
Gayly Dreadful
If you’re looking for a movie to kick back and enjoy, Emily the Criminal will keep you entertained. However, if you want little more than car chases and credit card fraud, the film has plenty of intrigue for viewers looking to scratch beyond the surface.

March 16, 2022

Martin Carr
We Got This Covered
The whole movie is somewhere in-between a real genre movie, an indie character study and a social commentary. Its fine and certainly a decent one-time watch, but I was certainly missing more energy and depth.

February 24, 2022 | Rating: 6/10

Jimmy Cage
Jimmy Cage Movie Reviews (YouTube)
The film is a cinematic expression of the hypocrisy of accountability and how it ties into opportunity. Emily the Criminal has a conscience, and it gives voice to those who are rarely heard.

February 19, 2022

Paul Risker
PopMatters…

Plot
Emily, a young woman with a criminal record, takes a job as a “dummy shopper” and becomes involved in black-market capitalism with her charismatic mentor, Youcef, in order to make quick cash and pay off her student debt.

Trivia