Nine Queens (Nueve reinas) (2001)

92% of critics liked it
(91 reviews)
93% of users liked it
(12,540 ratings)

Argentine filmmaker Fabian Bielinsky makes his directorial debut with this taut crime thriller about a stamp and con artists on the make. The film opens with low-rent hustler Juan (Gaston Pauls) trying to scam the workers in a convenience store when Marcos (Ricardo Darin) steps in to arrest him. In… More Argentine filmmaker Fabian Bielinsky makes his directorial debut with this taut crime thriller about a stamp and con artists on the make. The film opens with low-rent hustler Juan (Gaston Pauls) trying to scam the workers in a convenience store when Marcos (Ricardo Darin) steps in to arrest him. In truth, Marcos is veteran con himself and the two split the money after fleeing the scene. Soon after, Marcos asks Juan to be his partner in a series of small-time jobs. When one of the men gets a message from his sister, the two head to the tony hotel where she works. There they try to pull off a big con that was initially planned by an aging criminal too ill to do it. The swindle centers around a fantastically accurate forgery of a rare stamp called the Nine Queens. As the two doggedly try to set up the deal, mobsters and the like learn of the job and try to horn in. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Fabián Bielinsky
Written By: Fabián Bielinsky
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Apr 19, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Oct 1, 2002
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Critic Reviews

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
A slick and thoroughly enjoyable con-artist movie.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
One of the most clever, most enjoyable thrillers in years.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
The laughs are dark, the puzzle steadily more engrossing and the surprises, just like Heist, are doozies, up to the finale.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
Driven by a plot that's so tightly wound, we cannot look away for wanting to know what will happen next and who is double-crossing whom.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
If Nine Queens draws you on a journey that eventually leads up a garden path toward your own suckerhood, it's all the more pleasurable for having done so with such slick expertise.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
As an entertainment, the movie keeps you diverted and best of all, it lightens your wallet without leaving a sting.
Jay Antani, Cinema Writer
A delightful, charming, confidently made confidence flick.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Bielinsky concocts a selection of tantalizing layers, from his Mamet-like dialogue to his chilly visuals.
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
[Even after] the plot's spiralling, shimmering sleights of hand and its never-ending ruses and deceptions . . . the ending will still pull the rug out from under [you].
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...by the time the end rolls around and the final twist has been revealed, it doesn't seem entirely plausible.
Alan Morrison, Empire Magazine
Story and style both keep viewers on their toes.
JoBlo, JoBlo's Movie Emporium
If you dig on David Mamet's mind tricks...rent this movie and enjoy!
Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan
A fascinating tale of deceit, deception, and things that may not be quite what they seem.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lady D

I hadn?t realised the film CRIMINAL was a re-make, of course it didn?t take me long to realise that this was the original film. I usually prefer to watch the original first, but found both equally entertaining and enjoyed both portrayals of characters in each film. Always enjoyed… More
I hadn?t realised the film CRIMINAL was a re-make, of course it didn?t take me long to realise that this was the original film. I usually prefer to watch the original first, but found both equally entertaining and enjoyed both portrayals of characters in each film. Always enjoyed the ending to this one.
Arash X

Guess I'm the only one here but I think the twist is dumb & almost ruins the entire movie
Pierluigi P

A wonderful stroll with two scam artists proving why there's no one else to trust in the deceitful concrete jungle. a film that will hold your breath till the last minute. superbly written, acted and staged.
Lanning :

If you like this too, you will definitely want to see CRIMINAL, the American remake. It's fun to compare and contrast.
Wu C

The less you know about this film, the better. One of the best of it's genre.