Criminal Review
by Harvey S. Karten (harveycritic AT cs DOT com)September 13th, 2004
CRIMINAL
Reviewed by Harvey S. Karten
Warner Independent Features
Grade: B+
Directed by: Gregory Jacobs
Written by: Gregory Jacobs, Fabian Bielinsky, Steven
Soderbergh
Cast: John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal Screened at: Loews Lincoln Sq., NYC, 9/12/04
Have you ever been scammed, or, perhaps better expressed, have you ever been the victim of a grifter yet was too ashamed to ‘fess up to your vulnerability? The kinds of scammers dealt with in Gregory Jacobs's "Criminal" are of the kind who'd never be a party to physical violence and, in fact, the more they looked like the nice men next door to you, the easier it is for them to get away with their schemes.
"Criminal" is a remake of the Spanish-language movie "Nueve Reinas" ("Nine Queens"), Fabian Bielinsky's story of the teaming up of a con man with an old pro in present-day economically depressed Buenos Aires to try to sell a forged set of rare stamps. The audience is challenged to guess which con man is about to double cross the other and, in fact, whether both have such double-dealings on their minds.
Sticking close to the the original movie released four years ago, "Criminal" focuses principally on old pro Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly) who teams up with a young guy with such a nice appearance you'd trust him with your 2004 Porsche convertible, Rodrigo (Diego Luna). Richard and Rodrigo meet cute in a gaming casino where the latter tries the old trick of milking money from a clerk by confusing her about the change due him on a $100 bill. Announcing himself as a cop (with false i.d.), Richard arrests him, explains outside that he's not a cop but could use Rodrigo as a teammate, and proceeds to pull the biggest heist of his life–to free alleged billionaire William Hannigan (played by Peter Mullan as a celluloid Rupert Murdoch) of three-quarters of a million dollars in return not for stamps this time, but for a counterfeit bank note worth the money for the rich collector.
"Criminal" proceeds with twists and turns that come at us so fast and with such cleverness that collectors in the audience–of DVD's, that is–could run out to buy a copy of "Nine Queens" for comparison. John C. Reilly, Mr. Cellophane in Rob Marshall's "Chicago," comes across as a charming character actor who has terrific chemistry with young, rising star Diego Luna ("Y tu mama tambien). If you had not seen "Nine Queens," I challenge you to figure out the ultimate twist, a blockbusting coup de theatre. Let me know if you guess the finale and I'll give you a good price on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Rated R. 87 minutes. © 2004 by Harvey Karten
at [email protected]
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