Emily the Criminal

Good performances by Plaza and her fellow actors, for the most part, does not save the terrible ending of this would be thriller. I don't buy that terrible decision after terrible decision can build to ultimate success... I get the idea that toughness is a choice, but ultimately I did not get behind the protagonist, and the ending is almost silly. I found the logic flimsy. The 'plan' to gain revenge, played out over and over, is missing depth and feels rushed. I get the idea, but was unconvinced by the plot as written.

Trama lineal y oscura, básicamente un conjunto consecutivo sin parar de malas decisiones. Mucho ritmo lento, cámara en mano y espíritu de película independiente, no creo que sea para todo el mundo.

Very good movie. Held my interest all the way through. Aubrey Plaza is a gem.

Points for being very down to earth, and having some redeeming character arcs. I wanted to like this movie but it is far too formulaic and familiar script wise to be outstanding. This type of movie has been made a thousand times before.

wawwww filmnya bags banget meskipun ada tegangnya dikit

Aubrey Plaza rises through this crime thriller whereas the brewing tension attributes to her sharp performance, but her dealing with problematic aspects, such as stereotypical confrontations and trying to address class conflict only for the screenplay to have unfulfilling, contradicting degrees, leads this to be found as a mere showcase that narratively dimmers from the start except for the nuanced decision(s) at the end. (B-)

Like witnessing a bad car accident that you can’t look away from. Not a feel good movie. More like a omg-put-that-girl-in-jail-already-what-is-she-thinking-is-she-a-stupid-spoiled-entitled-person (substitute b-word) movie.

Emily the Criminal left me with a lot to think about. It’s a sharp, tense thriller with a biting commentary on financial struggles and systemic inequalities, which really hit close to home. Aubrey Plaza absolutely owns this movie—her performance is raw and layered, and she pulls off this mix of vulnerability and determination that kept me glued to her every move. I don’t usually associate her with such serious roles, but she nailed it, and I’m glad to see her breaking out into new territory. The storyline itself is gripping. Watching Emily navigate the criminal underworld while trying to claw her way out of a desperate situation felt real and unsettling. It’s not a flashy crime movie—it’s grounded, gritty, and unsettlingly relatable, especially in how it paints the picture of someone stuck in a system where the odds are always stacked against them. That said, there were moments where the pacing slowed or the plot dipped into familiar territory, but the tension always managed to pull me back in. I also found the romantic subplot a bit forced—it didn’t add much for me. Still, it’s hard to ignore the overall impact of the film, especially the way it made me think about the choices people are pushed to make when backed into a corner. If you like character-driven stories with a mix of social critique and suspense, I’d say give this one a try. It’s not perfect, but it’s bold, and Plaza’s performance alone makes it worth watching. My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Well, Aubrey Plaza is always worth watching in anything, and she is good here in this modern neo-noir. Stuck with a criminal record, student debt without having finished school, and only some minor artistic talent but not enough, she stumbles into a illicit way out, which may not last, but there is a faint hope to kickstart her career. Great film that seems like a throughback to indy films of the 1990s. Mostly a cast of people unknown to me except brief appearances by John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox on ST Enterprise) and Gina Gershon. The title is certainly apt.

This film is a critic against a working system which in some way blackmails all of us. We are forced to do humiliating jobs, we must stay attached to who promises to help us, and finally we have to accept a floating position from a musk of a person who refuses to put us on the payroll. Well, Emily chooses to do the criminal, and she does it quite well, and we are with her, exited and in tension from the start to end. Aubrey Plaza is directed under a natural movement of the camera which makes the situation very real and put us very close to her and inside the movie.