Almost everyone has experienced some form of credit card fraud, but you never really understand who’s doing this. Writer/director John Patton Ford (Patrol) uses his feature debut to dive in and reveal how relatable these low level criminals truly are. A majority of Americans are one unexpected payment away from homelessnes, making Emily the Criminal more socially relevant than ever. The state of the world is forcing people into making risky decisions they wouldn’t do otherwise. 

Emily (Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West) is a wannabe artist, drowning in 70k of student debt, trying to survive in the gig economy with a criminal record. Having been pushed to her limit in the service industry, she joins an underground credit card fraud scheme as a dummy shopper to illegally purchase goods for resale. Now fully invested, Emily starts to make extremely hazardous choices that lead her down a dangerous path. 

With a majority of 30-somethings all trapped under piles of debt and doing their best to navigate and survive a broken system, Ford shines a light on many of these current issues. The corruption of the job market, inflation, and criminalization of the poor are all touched on in the film. The story is sleek and direct, capturing the dangerously relatable stakes of what happens when backed into a corner. Los Angeles is not all beaches and riches. The film shows the city of angels’ grimy truth. It is a transactional hellscape with all kinds of crime, some more dangerous than others. In this particular instance, no one truly gets hurt. Both the stores and banks have insurance to cover these types of unauthorized charges. The scammers are the ones in true danger. 

Ford’s extraordinary writing shows what it’s like to be someone falling through the cracks, struggling to survive, with no safety net to catch them. Like most people, Emily just wants her financial burdens lifted so she can travel and explore what she wants to do with her life. The story is intense, brewing a constant unease throughout the entirety of the film. Things escalate rapidly, yet the pacing never feels rushed, except for a final robbery that doesn’t feel as heightened as previous scenes. Emily the Criminal excels at grabbing and holding the audience’s attention, allowing audiences to empathize with someone that could be deemed as unlikeable. 

Plaza commits to her role, offering one of the most riveting performances of the year so far. Over the past few years, she has gotten her hands dirty in projects like Ingrid Goes West, Legion, and Black Bear, proving she’s more than the deadpan awkward character many audiences associate her with. But audiences have never seen Plaza like this. She gets fully lost in the character, never letting the audience see Aubrey, only Emily. A carjacking scene breeds an uncomfortably high level of anxiety. A ferociously captivating performance. Emily never quite fits in and her Jersey accent constantly points that out. She is complicated, unapologetic, and above all else, ruthless - sometimes to a fault. Every panicked impulsive decision feels justified. Plaza is so emotive, you can see the gears turning as her anxiety boils over. Always running on instinct. She has much potential to be greater than the world can offer. 

Theo Rassi (Sons of Anarchy) plays Youcef, the criminal with a heart of gold. He is magnetic, continually charming Emily and the audience. But that same charisma leads to Youcef’s romantic entanglement taking over his life. His sloppiness reeps major havoc. Youcef is just trying to make a name for himself and take care of his family. It is Emily and her angst puts Youcef in danger of losing everything he worked so hard for. 

Emily the Criminal is a gritty slice of late stage capitalism. Voicing the fatigue of the masses with heart palpitating thrills. The film never deflates, keeping the audience on edge of their seats. Plaza is unapologetically entertaining. Her performance as Emily will be talked about for decades, as well as John Patton Ford’s writing. Leaving the audience with much to talk about and great expectations for his next project. If having your back against the wall is the most revealing place to be, Emily the Criminal dares to ask, how would you react?

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference -2  | What does this mean?