Emily the Criminal - A Sundance Review

If you had some money, what would you do?

Appearing at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022, Emily the Criminal is about a young woman who is tempted into the life of a criminal. Saddled with debt, with each scam, Emily is lured into a deadly consequence.

Emily the Criminal was both an exciting and stressful film to sit through and watch. I had the best time viewing the film in its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. You never know what people have to do to get money.

Playing a completely different character than what she normally plays, Aubrey Plaza is so intense. Challenging herself in the role of Emily, her journey is a humongous step of growth over the course of the story. Becoming more invested in the life of a criminal, Emily does not let anyone stand in her way.

I was not expecting to like Youcef (Theo Rossi). In the beginning, I was suspicious of him until he helped Emily in an emotionally intense moment. The brewing romance between Emily and Youcef was sweet. Taking risks, the criminal life goes to their heads. Plaza and Rossi did an excellent job in all of their interactions.

Using events from his own life to obtain the right connection to his character, Rossi was excellent. Yousef keeps a lot of baggage inside. Caught up in a life that he never intended to do, no criminal ever wants to be a criminal.

The characters are a tremendous part of this film. As described by the cast, they’re someone who you could see on the streets. Bernardo Badillo, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Wesley Han, Janice Sonia Lee, and Brandon Sklenar all did a terrific job with their characters.

Each character has a conflict. Adulthood is never an easy time for all, especially when you have debts to pay off from school. Money is a necessity. That’s something that we can all relate to. To make something real, create people who you know.

I am impressed with John Patton Ford’s vision of direction. His direction went a long way. Ford wanted to make a thriller that moved in a certain way. He considered the characters first. Creating shots with motivation, there’s intensity in every moment.

Locations are important, especially for a film like this. L.A. was a character of its own. I like whenever films do that. Its ragged energy, this city has a different definition for all. We all have a reason for the places that we call or want to call our homes.

Emily the Criminal was filmed in 20 days. It did not have an easy production. Dealing with intense heat, a low budget, and COVID (along with one positive test), the cast and crew are proud of what they pulled off.

The life of a criminal is a major highlight of the film. Emily the Criminal is intense. I felt the stress every second. The car chase is noteworthy. In Emily’s first assignment, I felt the stress of the situation and even scanned everything in the background. That’s what movies should do. They should make you feel like you’re a part of them.

One other underlying theme is finding a career that you like. You never know what you may like. Throughout the film, Emily is constantly asked about her artwork which she is unsure of. We will figure out our gifts.

You have to catch Emily the Criminal once it is available in theaters or on any streaming service. It is an exciting film that will keep you hooked to the very end.