Life of Crime (2013)
Louis (John Hawkes) and Ordell (Yasiin Bey, formally known as Mos Def) are two small-time crooks always looking for the next big score. They have set their sights on Frank (Tim Robbins), a local developer who is living the good life in a huge house with his wife Mickey (Jennifer Aniston) and their son. Frank rules over the country club that they belong to like it’s his fiefdom. He bullies the staff, his wife, and son mercilessly. Mickey is constantly hit on by by the club lothario, Marshall (Will Forte). further complicating her life.
Mickey tries to drive the two of them home from the club when Frank has had one too many drinks, but to no avail. Frank is more concerned about telling tales of his winning the local tournament at the club then the welfare of his wife, forcing her to endure a harrowing drive home.
Louis and Ordell have discovered that Frank has been skimming money from his construction company and depositing it in an offshore account in the Caribbean. They plan to wait until Frank goes on one of his many “business trips” and kidnap Mickey for a one million-dollar ransom. They enlist Richard (Mark Boone Junior) whose home they can use until the ransom is paid. Despite a few mishaps, they imprison Mickey at Richard’s house. Just one problem, Frank may not want Mickey back. Not only did he not go on the trip alone, he has filed for divorce. Louis and Ordell must figure how to make Frank pay the ransom or they will be stuck with one angry ex-wife.
Based on a book by Elmore Leonard, this is one of the few films that have correctly embodied both the humor and the gritty look and feel of his novel. The script, by writer / director Daniel Schechter, is full of lines and situations that give the film a comic feel while staying in a dramatic tone. The parts are fully developed, with Louis and Mickey being the two characters, we get to know the best and like the most. Set in the late 70’s, the film is full of ugly cars and even uglier clothes, with cinematographer Eric Alan Edwards perfectly capturing that time period, making the scenes in New Jersey seem a little grey and muted. Even the scenes in the Caribbean are not as bright and colorful as you would think they would be. It’s as if even when the people in this film go on vacation, their world remains almost the same.
What makes this film enjoyable is its cast, which doesn’t have a weak link from the top to bottom. Yasiin Bey is excellent as Ordell, the kidnapping’s planner, who has to scramble to keep his hopes of a big score going. There is a nice interplay between his character and Hawkes’ Louis, making us believe that their partnership has been going on for years. Tim Robbins plays the boisterous and cranky Frank like a bull in a china shop. Robbins portrays Frank as a man who may just be in a little over his head and not quite as good at handling people as he thinks. Isla Fisher plays Frank’s mistress with a sly grin on her face; as if she thinks she is the smartest person in the room. She is convinced that she can manipulate any man to get what she wants, and Fisher displays this incredibly well. Mark Boone Junior is the comic relief of the film, as he gets himself into some nasty situations that are his own fault. He is a sad sack of character who always seems to get just what he deserves.
Jennifer Aniston gives a likable performance from the start. Aniston brings along her nice comedic timing, able to get laughs out of the smallest of settings. Her chemistry with Hawkes has just the right amount tension, the more time they spend together, the more the attraction grows. John Hawkes is the reason this film works so well. He makes every scene he is in better, playing off whoever is in the room in a nice, easy-going way. His character may be a criminal but Hawkes gives Louis a sense of humanity so strong that we can see why Aniston’s character is attracted to him. Hawkes is so in command on the screen that he can deliver more on in a scene with something simple like playing with his hat than most actors can express with twenty lines.
This is a highly enjoyable film, full of twists and turns, sharp dialogue and an ending that I just loved. Fans of Elmore Leonard’s books will not be disappointed in this film with its great cast and strong chemistry, delivering a knockout punch on almost every level. My Rating: Full Price
My movie rating system from Best to Worst: 1). I Would Pay to See it Again 2). Full Price 3). Bargain Matinee 4). Cable 5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again
“Life of Crime” is playing exclusively at the AMC Phipps Plaza 14 and the Plaza Theatre.
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