TMS Movie Review: Emily the Criminal
(Vertical Entertainment / Roadside Attractions)
It’s amusing how I’ve gone nearly full circle on my opinion of Aubrey Plaza’s acting. I was never a huge fan of NBC’s “Park and Recreation” (2009-2015) when it was airing on TV, so for almost a decade I associated Plaza as the ‘annoying girl’ in Judd Apatow’s Funny People (2009). I don’t remember her character intentionally written as unlikable, but I found her timing and delivery not for me. Then, flash forward eight years, and suddenly Plaza’s the lead in one of my favorite modern movies: Matt Spicer’s Ingrid Goes West (2017). Finally her unhinged, deadpan persona is utilized to effect as a sociopathic stalker. And now, as the title character in John Patton Ford’s new crime drama Emily the Criminal, Plaza might have her next best film performance.
In downtown Los Angeles, east coaster Emily Benetto (Plaza) is sick of being denied office positions because of an isolated misdemeanor charge on her public record, and having to work at a food delivery service to pay for bills, necessities and student loans from college. Fate is bizarrely on Emily’s side when her co-worker tips her off that an underground crime ring is looking for people willing to rip off credit cards and stolen items; and her former classmate, Liz (Megalyn Echikunwoke) informs her a new assistant position is opening up at the ad agency where she works. Theo Rossi plays the man in charge of the gang who convinces Emily she has potential to be a thief, and we get a brief cameo from Gina Gershon.
(Vertical Entertainment / Roadside Attractions)
I find it interesting that in the past couple of years we’ve gotten a new wave of anti-heroines in film [i.e. immoral or morally grey female characters]. Carey Mulligan’s Cassie Thomas in Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman (2020), Rosamund Pike’s Marla Grayson in J. Blakeson’s I Care a Lot (2020), Zoey Deutch’s Danni Sanders in Quinn Shepard’s Not Okay (2022), Angourie Rice’s Honor Rose in Oran Zegman’s Honor Society (2022) and now Plaza’s Emily. Of the five, Ford’s script and characterization for Emily the Criminal is arguably the most realistic and effective. While the other films are mostly dark comedies, Emily is straight forward and doesn’t beat around the bush. Not once are viewers allowed to forget that crime is completely unethical and dangerous, and Emily herself is part of the problem if she is fine with going along with the schemes.
Besides a not very convincing romance between Emily and Rossi’s character later in the film, Emily the Criminal is a solid debut by Ford for a future filmmaking career. A home invasion sequence at Emily’s apartment is currently one of my favorite movie scenes this year, and the film also brings up the rare argument on if unpaid internships are ethical. And I would not mind at all if Plaza swapped mainstream comedy for independent flicks more regularly.