Emily The Criminal - A Solid Story

 

Streaming on Netflix 

For Rent on Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Apple TV

    Criminality is an aspect of the human condition that too many people (especially those in politics) either don't understand or willingly ignore its true nature. While plenty of people commit crime merely because it's fun or they can freely get away with it, a greater motivation to commit a crime isn't out of an evil nature or malevolent desires but plain and simple desperation. Regardless of what self-righteous idiots like Jack Thompson would have you believe, economic disparity plays a more significant role in the perpetuity of crime than most people in authority would care to admit. 

    Emily The Criminal is a beautifully realized story encompassing precisely that point. While it may not be as profound or as nuanced as it aims to be, the characters and commentary are enough to elevate this straightforward narrative. 

    The story follows a young woman named Emily (Aubrey Plaza) working for a catering service, struggling to pay off her excessive student loans while attempting to find a better means of employment. One day, a friend offers her a chance at a better-paying gig. Said opportunity is operated by a man named Youcef (Theo Rossi), who employs people to serve as middlemen for a credit card fraud operation. He pays you a fixed flat rate to use a stolen credit card number to purchase an expensive item and return it to him for a higher resale. While Emily is initially reluctant, she quickly learns the ropes and appears to find some solace in this dangerous new hobby. Will she find happiness in this new life, or will it come back to hurt her? 

    The movie is pretty solid overall. There's really not much I can say about it beyond that. The performances are believable, the writing is stellar, and the direction is spot-on. I know that seems lazy of me, and it might give the impression that the film is lacking in some areas, but that's not the case. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is solid in all the right areas to make noticing its flaws too challenging to point out. 

    Emily The Criminal is a decent film with a real story that hits all the right notes. It's probably one of the few films on Netflix that can justify maintaining a subscription for another year at least. Give this one a shot. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.