Critic Reviews
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Susan Walker, Toronto Star
With dashes of black humour and pointed glimpses of the American class system, Criminal is a taut con-versus-con game whose deft artistry isn't fully revealed until the last few minutes.
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Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
A kind of who-done-what? puzzle. You'll probably enjoy it much more if you haven't seen the 2002 Argentine film, Nine Queens.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
... unfolds like a David Mamet film ...
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Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
Jacobs has brought the barrio into noir, and that's no small achievement. If nothing else, it opens the door to a whole new galaxy of grift.
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Reilly and Luna make a chemically appealing screen team.
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Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
Jacobs -- who for many years was Soderbergh's assistant director -- keeps things moving at a sprightly pace, and cinematographer Chris Menges does a terrific job of capturing L.A. in all its mercurial glory.
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Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
This con man movie is best for older teens and up.
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Uri Lessing, www.kcactive.com
Like Richard Widmark, [John C. Reilly] is an excellent character actor who can convey both likeability and pathetical desperation simultaneously.
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Dragan Antulov, Draxblog Movie Reviews
Those viewers who watched NUEVE REINAS beforehand will be affected with increasingly unpleasant feeling of deja vu.
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Forrest Hartman, Reno Gazette-Journal
Con film aficionados won't find the picture revolutionary, but even they should enjoy the structure, craftsmanship and a nice supporting performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
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Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
A second-generation photocopy of a David Mamet cryptogram.
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David Cornelius, eFilmCritic.com
[It's] a safer, watered-down, but still enjoyable redo.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...it's got its moments. Enough of them to make the film fairly enjoyable at least the first time around. I guarantee nothing on a second run.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...the interaction of the movie's two leads, Reilly and Luna, is so good you might enjoy it for their performances alone.
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Anton Bitel, Movie Gazette
it's Training Day for confidence tricksters, an exciting 24-hour tour of LA's underworld with a headache-inducing sting in its tail.
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Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Considerando-se que o ótimo Nove Rainhas foi realizado há apenas alguns anos, esta refilmagem soa desnecessária, por mais interessante que seja seu roteiro.
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Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
... a fairly straightforward remake of the Argentine hit Nine Queens (2000)
Read all 17 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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I really, really, really think that EVERYONE should see this film. It was one of the most entertaining films I've watched all year. In a world where only morbid/ depressing movies are considered excellent and plot less, big-budget films rule the box-office it is nice to see a… More
I really, really, really think that EVERYONE should see this film. It was one of the most entertaining films I've watched all year. In a world where only morbid/ depressing movies are considered excellent and plot less, big-budget films rule the box-office it is nice to see a smaller budget film that has fun with itself.
The cast in this film is superb. Diego Luna especially gives a great performance. He is endearing, lovable, enthusiastic, and intelligent in his portrayal of "Brian." It was nice to see him in this context and I personally believe that he thrived in the part. He is an excellent actor and i have to admit that I am now a fan.I almost always guess the "surprise" ending in movies that claim to have one, but this film still has me wondering how i didn't get it. Do yourself a favor and see this movie!!!!!!!!!! I don't want to tell you the plot because I don't trust myself not to give anything away. If you enjoy caper/mystery/ entertaining movies go see this one. 3/1/2 Stars 3=21=13
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Decent film about two con men, but you kind of figure there is going to be double crossing and it's not very shocking when it happens. I think with this type of movie it's kind of, seen one, seen them all, but as they are not really a favourite genre of mine anyhow, I would… More
Decent film about two con men, but you kind of figure there is going to be double crossing and it's not very shocking when it happens. I think with this type of movie it's kind of, seen one, seen them all, but as they are not really a favourite genre of mine anyhow, I would say this was a good one as I did enjoy it and didn't get overly bored watching it. Cast are all good.
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A fun movie that had a lot of great twists and great acting. While I really hated the cinematography and general direction, it was just too well written and energetic to not like. John C. Reilly was flawless, he continues to amaze me time and time again. He is one of the most gifted… More
A fun movie that had a lot of great twists and great acting. While I really hated the cinematography and general direction, it was just too well written and energetic to not like. John C. Reilly was flawless, he continues to amaze me time and time again. He is one of the most gifted and versatile actors working in Hollywood. I'd say it's a definite must for any fans of hustler films.
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Any brits out there who enjoyed the series Hustle will probably enjoy this film. Tricks of a con-man and apprentice, clever plot and an enjoyable watch.
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I really like Criminal. It's such a fun film, and those are awfully hard to come by nowadays. I honestly don't see why people give independent films such crap. Most of the ones that I've seen have been fairly good, with a couple even being fabulous. Criminal falls… More
I really like Criminal. It's such a fun film, and those are awfully hard to come by nowadays. I honestly don't see why people give independent films such crap. Most of the ones that I've seen have been fairly good, with a couple even being fabulous. Criminal falls roughly in between the two.
What I liked the most (besides the wonderful cinematography) was the lead performance from John C. Reilly. What an actor! In my opinion, Reilly is one of the most underrated actors of his time and it's not entirely his fault. This generation of people see him as the "funny guy next to Will Ferrell". Because of this, his talent is grossly overlooked. I, for one, think that he is a fabulous actor and all of his performances have such depth. His performance is the most attractive part about this film. He plays the sleazebag Richard Gaddis, a man who is consumed by insatiable greed. He will do anything to get his hands on money. It's a character that I'm sure a lot of people can relate to.
The story unfolds nicely and not as predictably as one might think. There are some clever twists and turns, and while it's not the most original piece of work out there (it was adapted from an earlier French film), it sure manages to entertain. Hell, this one of the best films I've seen a long time. A film that can not only entertain, but make me appreciate the talent involved, is a true treasure, and Criminal is just that.
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I like con films. I'm a big fan of 'Ocean's Eleven' (the remake), 'Duplicity', 'The Sting' and the TV series 'Hustle' so I was always going to like this one. Of course knowing that it is a con film you are expecting a big twist towards… More
I like con films. I'm a big fan of 'Ocean's Eleven' (the remake), 'Duplicity', 'The Sting' and the TV series 'Hustle' so I was always going to like this one. Of course knowing that it is a con film you are expecting a big twist towards the end but I must admit I didn't quite work this one out. I haven't seen the original ('Nine Queens') but I thought everyone was good in this one and it was an enjoyable 1.5 hours.
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People have said that "Criminal" doesn't compare at all to the film that it's based on, "Nine Queens." For a lot of them, that's their reasoning for giving it a negative review. I say, who cares? What if you haven't seen the original? And since… More
People have said that "Criminal" doesn't compare at all to the film that it's based on, "Nine Queens." For a lot of them, that's their reasoning for giving it a negative review. I say, who cares? What if you haven't seen the original? And since when does the caliber of a remake depend on how alike it is to the original, especially if the original is a foreign film? Appreciate it for what it is.
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Based upon the Argentine film Nine Queens. Directed by Gregory Jacobs, it stars John C. Reilly, Diego Luna and Maggie Gyllenhaal and is a production of Section Eight, the production company of Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney.John C. Reilly plays Richard Gaddis, a small time crook… More
Based upon the Argentine film Nine Queens. Directed by Gregory Jacobs, it stars John C. Reilly, Diego Luna and Maggie Gyllenhaal and is a production of Section Eight, the production company of Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney.John C. Reilly plays Richard Gaddis, a small time crook with a penchant for con games. To hook marks, he acts like a well-to-do businessman, dressing like one and driving a Mercedes-Benz, believing that one must look like a professional in order to be a successful conman.
Gaddis is searching for a new partner with whom he can perform more sophisticated cons. Despite the ellegant production and the inevitable turnaroud, this production leave us with a taste of somethings missing to complete the movie.Just regular.
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Clever twists and great acting. This remake of an Argentinean film is definitely worth watching if you're a fan of con-artist movies!
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A pretty cool independent caper movie
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Great acting but it reminded me of an episode of 'Hustle'. Diego Luna is lovely as usual!
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A good movie, you really have to watch it to the end to enjoy it though. My mom didn't like it. I kept telling her she had to wait for the end. So she watched it to the end and ended up liking it once she saw the end. Watch it all the way to the end, otherwise you'll… More
A good movie, you really have to watch it to the end to enjoy it though. My mom didn't like it. I kept telling her she had to wait for the end. So she watched it to the end and ended up liking it once she saw the end. Watch it all the way to the end, otherwise you'll miss the whole point of the movie.
Read all 12 featured audience ratings
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