The con-man movie will never grow old, not as long as actors love playing shifty roles and audiences love trying to figure out the twists. Thus it comes as no surprise that “Nine Queens,” a neatly turned guessing game from Argentina (released here in 2002) has been remade in Hollywood under the wing of producers George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh.
This one’s called “Criminal,” and it sticks to the delightfully deceitful storyline of the original film. But it feels flat where “Nine Queens” was buoyant (which, admittedly, might have something to do with the fact that I already knew the story).
As before, it begins with a veteran con man, Richard (played by John C. Reilly) noticing the hopelessly amateurish Rodrigo (Diego Luna) trying out some low-level scams.
Almost as an act of professional kinship, Richard takes Rodrigo aside and shows him a few tricks. Eager to learn, Rodrigo listens to the master.
From out of nowhere, a huge job falls in Richard’s lap. An old associate has made a forgery of an extremely rare piece of currency – an 1878 Monroe Silver Certificate, if you must know. (In “Nine Queens” the object was a set of rare stamps.)
An ailing old man, he needs Richard to sell the fake to a wealthy collector (Peter Mullan), who happens to be leaving the country in 24 hours. Richard will need a partner in the sting. Can he trust Rodrigo?
As the movie goes along, we also wonder whether Rodrigo can trust Richard. And that, needless to say, is all you need to know about the plot, which has many more serpentine avenues to navigate.
First-time director Gregory Jacobs doesn’t bring a lot of crackle to the picture, so the film really becomes about acting. Con men, after all, have to become accomplished actors, and as Richard schools Rodrigo on the film-flam, he’s really giving a master class in drama.
The film’s main justification is allowing John C. Reilly to stretch out into a lead role. The pug-faced performer has been a busy supporting actor (Oscar-nominated as the hapless hubby in “Chicago”), and he’s visibly reveling in this meaty role. Mexican actor Diego Luna, who was one of the boys in “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” is content to watch and learn.
Reilly is wonderful at conveying his disgust with the normal world. He can’t imagine why all those suckers actually go to work to earn an honest living. “Can you believe people accept this?” he says.
Maggie Gyllenhaal is her usual delightful self as Richard’s younger sister; she’s one of those people that makes an honest living and has a short fuse with Richard. The actors are fine, and the twists are still good – it’s just the pedestrian approach that leaves the picture less than it might have been.
John C. Reilly (left) and Diego Luna star in “Criminal.”
“Criminal” HH
No pizzazz: A remake of Argentina’s “Nine Queens,” a clever con-man movie, but without the pizzazz. It’s good to see John C. Reilly in a lead role, as a flim-flam man schooling a younger pupil (Diego Luna) on a big scam.
Rated: R rating is for language, subject matter.
Now showing: tk
“Criminal” HH
No pizzazz: A remake of Argentina’s “Nine Queens,” a clever con-man movie, but without the pizzazz. It’s good to see John C. Reilly in a lead role, as a flim-flam man schooling a younger pupil (Diego Luna) on a big scam.
Rated: R rating is for language, subject matter.
Now showing: Meridian, Metro.
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