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    Movie Review

    Aubrey Plaza scams and schemes in solid Emily the Criminal

    Alex Bentley
    Aug 11, 2022 | 1:03 pm
    Theo Rossi in Emily the Criminalplay icon
    Theo Rossi in Emily the Criminal.
    Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment

    Contrary to what many movies would have you believe, not all people who commit crimes are evil people. A good number of them go down the wrong path because they find themselves in a situation where committing a crime is the only solution that seems possible, with the hope of getting back to the straight and narrow soon thereafter.

    That’s the kind of circumstance for Emily (Aubrey Plaza) in Emily the Criminal. She works as a delivery driver for a restaurant/catering company, a low-paying job that does nothing to make a dent in the $70,000 of student loan debt she has. The stress of the debt boils over in a couple of job interviews, giving her few other options.

    When a co-worker gives her number to call to make $200 in an hour for a mysterious job, she stumbles into a criminal enterprise. Using stolen credit cards provided by Youcef (Theo Rossi), she and others buy merchandise to be resold on the black market. But when Youcef takes a shine to her, Emily gets sucked in to something that’s bigger than she could have expected.

    Writer/director John Patton Ford, making his feature debut, puts together a solid film, immersing viewers in Emily’s desperation and showing how easy one could be seduced by “easy” money. Even though her early work for Youcef results in some trauma, the crushing amount of debt that she has keeps her hooked, especially when Youcef offers to let her set up her own side hustle.

    Likewise, the film maintains viewer interest by shifting its goals. At heart, Emily believes herself to be a good person, so she keeps trying to do the right thing even when she wants to do the wrong thing. This constant balancing of the scales keeps the viewer on her side despite some actions that should make people question her motives.

    Still, after a strong start, the story starts to fade toward the end. The bond between Emily and Youcef is never that strong, and so escalating events involving the two of them come off as less important than they should. There are also multiple instances where it seems like things should go more sideways for Emily than they do, lessening the believability factor.

    While Plaza has perfected the aloof character dating from her days on Parks and Recreation, this role allows her to show off a different side of herself. She is more vulnerable and tougher at the same time, the latter aided by a slight New Jersey accent. Rossi, best known from Sons of Anarchy, is the only other person who makes a real impact on the film.

    Emily the Criminal is a type of morality tale where the morals get squishier the more the film goes along. You may not agree with everything Emily does, but thanks to a really good performance by Plaza, you’ll still be rooting for her.

    ---

    Emily the Criminal opens in theaters on August 12.

    Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal.

    Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal
      
    Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment
    Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal.
    movies
    news/entertainment

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Dallas neighbor named No. 1 affordable place to live and more top stories

    CultureMap Staff
    May 17, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Downtown McKinney
    Photo courtesy of City of McKinney
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    Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week kicks off with a new ranking of affordable places to live. Plus, where to drink in Dallas right now and a big celebrity visit that's on the horizon. Catch up on our five most popular Dallas stories below, and then plan some weekend fun via this guide.

    1. North Dallas neighbor ranks as No. 1 most affordable city in U.S. A Dallas suburb has landed on top of a new list of the most affordable places to live. McKinney ranked No. 1 based on its relative cost of living and high median household income.

    2. 2 Dallas steakhouses proclaimed among the best in the world. Two Dallas steakhouses have been honored in a new global ranking of the 101 Best Steakhouses in the World: Nuri Steakhouse and Knife.

    3. Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 happy hours and specials for May. There's a little twist in this installment of Where to Drink. In addition to a new menu and plenty of cocktails, the list includes an interesting new (non-alcoholic) milkshake happy hour.

    ApothecaryApothecary has a new menu as part of its "Drinking through the Decades" series.Photo courtesy of Apothecary

    4. Mom-and-pop Asian chain from Austin makes Dallas debut in McKinney. A small Asian chain from Austin has entered the Dallas market. Fire Bowl Cafe has opened its first DFW location in McKinney.

    5. Tom Cruise to make Dallas BBQ stop while on Mission Impossible tour. Hollywood legend Tom Cruise is coming to Dallas to eat barbecue, while on a quick Texas tour to promote the latest chapter of his smash film franchise Mission Impossible.

    most popular storiessteakhouserankingsmost affordablemckinneywhere to drinktom cruisecelebrityhot-headlines
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