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Criminal (2004)
Runtime: 87 mins
Synopsis: Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly) is a Los Angeles con man in search of a new partner. Enter Rodrigo (Diego Luna), a young grifter pulling minor scams in a casino. When Rodrigo is caught by a savvy waitress who senses his scheme, Richard steps in, posing as an undercover cop, and escorts him out.... Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly) is a Los Angeles con man in search of a new partner. Enter Rodrigo (Diego Luna), a young grifter pulling minor scams in a casino. When Rodrigo is caught by a savvy waitress who senses his scheme, Richard steps in, posing as an undercover cop, and escorts him out. Much to Rodrigo's surprise, Richard asks him to be his partner-in-crime. Over the next 48 hours, their skills are put to the test as Richard is given a potentially lucrative chance to deliver a counterfeit bank note to a wealthy guest (Peter Mullan) at the hotel where his sister, Valerie (Maggie Gyllenhaal), is the concierge. But is he trustworthy, or is Rodrigo just another one of his unwitting marks? This tricky debut from director Gregory Jacobs is a remake of the 2002 Argentinean film NINE QUEENS. Pulling off the difficult stunt of making the audience gleefully root for a pair of criminals, the script is tight and surprising, making it genuinely difficult to determine who is conning whom in a story in which everyone seems to be on the make. The always-impressive Reilly takes on a lead role with the bravado one would expect after a string of brilliant supporting turns. [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jonathan Tucker, Peter Mullan
Screenwriter: Gregory Jacobs, Sam Lowry
Producer: George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh
Composer: Alex Wurman
DVD Info
Release:
Dec 4, 2005
Reviews
Yet another inexplicable American remake that adds nothing new to the original.
Like Richard Widmark, [John C. Reilly] is an excellent character actor who can convey both likeability and pathetical desperation simultaneously.
Those viewers who watched NUEVE REINAS beforehand will be affected with increasingly unpleasant feeling of deja vu.
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.
...the interaction of the movie's two leads, Reilly and Luna, is so good you might enjoy it for their performances alone.
it's Training Day for confidence tricksters, an exciting 24-hour tour of LA's underworld with a headache-inducing sting in its tail.
Considerando-se que o ótimo Nove Rainhas foi realizado há apenas alguns anos, esta refilmagem soa desnecessária, por mais interessante que seja seu roteiro.
... a fairly straightforward remake of the Argentine hit Nine Queens (2000)
Reilly is perhaps the most amazing fusion of boy and man we have in American movies.
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