When we meet Emily (Aubrey Plaza), she’s already a criminal. Writer-director John Patton Ford’s debut feature, “Emily the Criminal,” isn’t an exploration of how Emily becomes a criminal, but rather, how she learns to embrace criminality as her identity, her gift and her escape from a world that’s built to keep her down.
This tough, gristly crime thriller is a searing indictment of late-stage American capitalism, and a showcase for star and producer Plaza to reveal a steely new side to her talent.
The cagey Emily is as lean and mean as Ford’s taut screenplay. We meet her in an interview for a medical administration job, jittery, defensive and coiled tight. When the interviewer probes her about her criminal record – a DUI here, an aggravated assault there – Emily storms out, refusing to explain – but, really, refusing to beg for his mercy and forgiveness.
Also Read:...
This tough, gristly crime thriller is a searing indictment of late-stage American capitalism, and a showcase for star and producer Plaza to reveal a steely new side to her talent.
The cagey Emily is as lean and mean as Ford’s taut screenplay. We meet her in an interview for a medical administration job, jittery, defensive and coiled tight. When the interviewer probes her about her criminal record – a DUI here, an aggravated assault there – Emily storms out, refusing to explain – but, really, refusing to beg for his mercy and forgiveness.
Also Read:...
- 8/11/2022
- by Katie Walsh
- The Wrap
After two impressive features—visually stunning Malickian riffs The Better Angels and Age Out, which married that director’s accomplished visual style with a narrative finesse and willingness to play with chronology—writer-director A.J. Edwards uncharacteristically stumbles with this third, First Love. Seemingly unable to adapt his impressionistic style to the grammar of a teen drama, First Love spreads in too many directions at once, packing enough story beats to round out a miniseries. While not as much of a catastrophe as, say, the After series—a connection that the production company Voltage is playing up, especially with the casting of Hero Fiennes Tiffin—Edwards’ project is stunning in singular moments and ultimately unable to reign its sprawling ideas and characters into a cohesive vision.
Reuniting with his Better Angels star Diane Kruger (who also produces here), First Love tells parallel stories of two relationships within the Albright family, following...
Reuniting with his Better Angels star Diane Kruger (who also produces here), First Love tells parallel stories of two relationships within the Albright family, following...
- 6/17/2022
- by Christian Gallichio
- The Film Stage
After getting his start with Terrence Malick on the editing team for The New World, Knight of Cups, and Song to Song, A.J. Edwards has proven to be a formidable writer-director in his own right. Following The Better Angels and Age Out, his third feature, First Love, will now arrive in theaters and on VOD on June 17 and the first trailer has debuted. Starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park, the film features new original music by Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry.
The story follows Jim (Fiennes Tiffin), a senior in high school experiencing the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (Park) as they navigate their pending departure to college. At the same time, Jim’s parents (Kruger and Donovan) are dealing with the familial fallout of a financial crisis. Cinematography is courtesy of Jeff Bierman, who worked with Edwards on Age...
The story follows Jim (Fiennes Tiffin), a senior in high school experiencing the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (Park) as they navigate their pending departure to college. At the same time, Jim’s parents (Kruger and Donovan) are dealing with the familial fallout of a financial crisis. Cinematography is courtesy of Jeff Bierman, who worked with Edwards on Age...
- 5/13/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment have prevailed in a bidding war surrounding the Sundance thriller Emily the Criminal, starring and produced by Aubrey Plaza, claiming North American rights. They’ve slated the film for an exclusive theatrical release this year, with Redbox joining the partnership for home entertainment distribution.
John Patton Ford’s feature directorial debut follows Emily (Plaza), who is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef (Theo Rossi). Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black-market capitalism, and increasingly interested in her mentor Youcef. Together, they hatch a plan to bring...
John Patton Ford’s feature directorial debut follows Emily (Plaza), who is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef (Theo Rossi). Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black-market capitalism, and increasingly interested in her mentor Youcef. Together, they hatch a plan to bring...
- 2/2/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“Emily the Criminal,” by John Patton Ford, is One job asks her to be a crook, one job treats her like a crook, and one job pays so little it’s essentially stealing from her. The girl, Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is an embittered art student with $70,000 in college debt, a felony conviction for aggravated assault and essentially no leverage to negotiate her terms of employment besides the pepper spray in her purse, which won’t help much for the two white-collar gigs. The title of this chilly thriller announces which job she picks. Her circumstances explain why. But despite the fact that the camera rarely backs away from studying Plaza’s wary eyes and tense mouth in close-up, this character piece feels as distanced from its taciturn subject as if it was merely monitoring her on security camera.
Plaza, who also produced the film, is strong as a scammer who...
Plaza, who also produced the film, is strong as a scammer who...
- 1/25/2022
- by Amy Nicholson
- Variety Film + TV
Even in trying times, a great movie can do wonders for you. The prospect of watching Sam Richardson and Brittany Snow in a romantic comedy already offered up some glowing potential, but nothing will prepare you for how wonderful this film is. A charming, funny, and sexy rom-com, Hooking Up even manages to get serious at times in a way that never betrays its core entertainment value. With terrific performances by Richardson and Snow, who display absolutely phenomenal chemistry, this is one of the year’s most pleasant surprises. Coming to VOD on Friday (an initially theatrical run is obviously out of the question right now), it deserves to find a place in your hearts. The film is a romantic comedy couched around a road trip. When Bailey (Richardson) and Darla (Snow) first meet, they’re in a school entering very different support groups. He’s a survivor of testicular...
- 3/18/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
"You play things kinda close to the chest, don't you?" Gravitas Ventures has debuted a brand new trailer for the indie drama Age Out, the new name for the film formerly known as Friday's Child. This premiered at the SXSW Film Festival last year, and we ran a trailer last year as well, but it's only now getting an official Us release in the fall. Tye Sheridan stars as young drifter Richie, fresh out of foster care, trying to figure out what to do with himself. He ends up on the streets involved in petty crime and meets two other people: Joan, played by Imogen Poots, and Swim, played by Caleb Landry Jones. The film's cast also includes Jeffrey Wright and Brett Butler. This looks like a very artsy, intimate film with some intense shots by Dp Jeff Bierman. It definitely has that Terrence Malick-esque feel, for better or worse.
- 10/22/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The drama about a couple in need of a caesarean section then closed the event.
Swiss-Mongolian drama Out Of Paradise, directed by Batbayar Chogsom, won best film at the Golden Goblet Awards at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival.
The film, which played as Siff’s closing film due to its win, follows a couple from the Mongolian steppes in need of a caesarean section who travel to Ulaanbaatar but don’t have enough money for the operation.
Sonthar Gyal’s Tibetan drama Ala Changso picked up Siff’s Jury Grand Prix and the best screenplay award. Best director...
Swiss-Mongolian drama Out Of Paradise, directed by Batbayar Chogsom, won best film at the Golden Goblet Awards at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival.
The film, which played as Siff’s closing film due to its win, follows a couple from the Mongolian steppes in need of a caesarean section who travel to Ulaanbaatar but don’t have enough money for the operation.
Sonthar Gyal’s Tibetan drama Ala Changso picked up Siff’s Jury Grand Prix and the best screenplay award. Best director...
- 6/25/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
"You know what we call it?" A teaser trailer has debuted online for a film titled Friday's Child, the latest feature from filmmaker A.J. Edwards, who worked for Terrence Malick as his editor before jumping into making his own films. Tye Sheridan stars as young drifter Richie, fresh out of foster care, trying to figure out what to do with himself. He ends up on the streets involved in petty crime and meets two other people: Joan, played by Imogen Poots, and Swim, played by Caleb Landry Jones. The film's cast also includes Jeffrey Wright and Brett Butler. This looks like a very artsy, powerfully intimate film with some very intense cinematography by Dp Jeff Bierman. The score in this trailer is superb, and the footage will pull you in - for whatever you may find in here. This is a good palette cleanser from all the recent Hollywood trailers.
- 6/10/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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