Rent Criminal (2004)
3.1 of 5 from 67 ratings
1h 24min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- A contemporary caper set in L.A. about an odd con-artist couple, Rodrigo (Diego Luna) a rookie conman desperate for money to help his family, and Richard (John C. Reilly) the seasoned pro who wants to get rich in any way possible. When they come across one of the most valuable pieces of currency in U.S. history, they're suddenly stuck together in the con of their lives. All they have to do is sell it, which is where the real problems begin. The one person who can help them, hates them - Richard's long suffering sister (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Luckily there is an antique currency collector in town (Peter Mullan), but nothing is ever that easy...In this twisty tale, can you tell who's conning who?
- Actors:
- John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Mullan, Zitto Kazann, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Cerón, Soledad St. Hilaire, Ellen Geer, Brandon Keener, Nick Anavio, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Maeve Quinlan, Brent Sexton, Malik Yoba, Lillian Hurst, Jack Conley, Juan Carlos Cantu, Enrico Colantoni, Manny Jimenez
- Directors:
- Gregory Jacobs
- Producers:
- George Clooney, Gregory Jacobs, Steven Soderbergh
- Writers:
- Fabián Bielinsky, Gregory Jacobs
- Studio:
- Warner
- Genres:
- Comedy, Thrillers
- Collections:
- The Instant Expert's Guide to Steven Soderbergh, Top 10 World Cinema Remakes
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Reviews (1) of Criminal
Ridiculous actioner - Criminal review by Alphaville
The intriguing sci-fi premise is the least ridiculous thing about this film. A CIA agent’s memory is transferred into the brain of a criminal (Kevin Costner). It has to be him because he’s a psycho thug who ‘feels nothing’ (yeah, right). Our Kev conveys the psycho thugness by looking grizzled and grunting a lot.
The first ten minutes are the best, with agent Ryan Reynolds running around London evading baddies. Shame the baddies kill him (no spoiler, it’s in the trailer). We then spend the rest of the movie with Costner having flashbacks of Reynold’s memory and acting badass. It’s risible stuff, with lots of swearing employed to convey emotion.
Costner’s the main protagonist and his character is impossible to warm too, even when (who’d have guessed?) he starts to develop a heart. It’s a fatal flaw, but he’s not the biggest joke in the film. Gary Oldman is a scriptwriter’s fantasy of a CIA chief, channelling the spirit of his cop in Leon. The James Bond-type plot has a computer nerd stealing missile launch codes, but the script never takes it seriously. Michael Pitt endures a career low in the thankless part of the nerd.
Once Ryan is gone (lucky him) the plot and acting soon become too preposterous for any response but laughter and eventual boredom.
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