Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a sketchy 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 their business to the next level in Los Angeles.

“Emily the Criminal” (2022) finds her Purpose

Film Review

by John Smistad

I recently reviewed the gritty 1970’s ex-con driven back to busting the law classic “Straight Time”. I have now just watched the new Netflix crime drama “Emily the Criminal”. It’s about a young woman drawn to be a crook because the legit working world wouldn’t wane from jerkin’ her chain and jackin’ her around. As you may imagine, the two stories generate many parallels with each other. The primary one being this: The lure of quick big bucks is overwhelmingly enticing to many.

The flip?

Easy money is never easy.

Emily learns such savage pedagogy in the most unflinching terms.

Yet Another Potent Plaza Performance

I really admire and respect Aubrey Plaza. Ever-blossoming into a tour de force of performance versatility, Plaza is brilliant here, exorcising flames into the volcanic metamorphosis of this enigmatic main character.

Initially appearing to be a pushover, when push comes to shove in her life, Emily will knock ya straight down on your ass. And then goad you to get back up so she can do it again.

Credit card fraud is her game. And when it comes to reaping the fruits of her larcenous labor, best be aware that girl ain’t playin’, play-uh.

Yeah, I don’t negotiate, numbnuts.

And Forget Formulaic

I just love when I don’t know how a movie is going to end, as I didn’t here. The path chosen by writer and director John Patton Ford is one ultimately carved by fate, particularly considering the perilous road we’ve already witnessed Emily negotiate and conquer.

And even though she’s shown us that she is strong as all hell, in the end, Emily reveals herself to be powerless at the prospect of the next big score.

“Emily the Criminal”. It’s really about a woman who has found her life’s calling.

“Emily the Criminal” is #3 in Netflix’s Top 10 ranked movies as of this writing.

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