We are told that itâs wrong to lie, cheat and steal as children. A fact that is drilled into are heads by parents and authority figures. Between every movie on TCM, shorts under the title Crime Doesnât Pay demonstrate ârealâ stories of youngsters being sullied by notorious acts of violence and larceny. You wouldnât think this to be true by the countless films and television shows devoted to criminals and their ability to thwart capture, even thrive. It is the bread and butter that most media companies bank on as entertainment. Upon scrolling I happened onto a couple entries that intrigued me.
Sharper comes to us from the minds behind 2011âs Jonah Hill-staring bomb The Sitter. You wonât know that watching it though. What starts out like a romantic drama between an antiquated bookstore owner and a college student quickly devolves into a game of cons and marks. We are first introduced to the couple as set-up to a bigger payoff. Justice Smith is Tom, son of a New York billionaire played by John Lithgow, who just wanted to sell first editions of Jane Eyre instead of running a Fortune 500 corporation. But when he meets Brenda Middletonâs Sandra, his life is turned upside down.
This might come off as a bit of a spoiler, however this is only within the first ten minutes. As the layers of deception get pealed back, each segment that proceeds pulls focus on another player of this game. Julianne Moore, ravishing as ever, steals every scene as Madeline. She finds her way into the life of Tomâs dad and later marries him. Her queen is only matched by her knave Max, her son. Acted with gusto by Sebastian Stan, he is at one moment stoic control and ruthless outrage.
As the plot turns on its axis ever twist pivots our players into brand new directions and potential motives. Keeping this review to a minimum as to not give too much away, most people will be glued by Benjamin Caronâs direction choice and the castâs enthusiasm. A vet from shows like The Crown and Sherlock, here is hoping he gets more work in movies going forward. This offering is over on AppleTV Plus, proving they still have some worth-while fare.
Netflix, on the other hand, have the streaming rights to the simply titled Emily The Criminal. Underrated actress Aubrey Plaza stars as our title protagonist, a down on her luck millennial trying to get hired for work in a better field. Her liberal arts degree isnât cutting it. A few minor run-ins with the law arenât helping either. One day a co-worker tells Emily an opportunity to make some much needed money. The catch: she has to use stolen credit cards to purchase expensive items for resale on the black market.
Theo Rossi plays the crime cellâs ringleader, taking Emily under his wing to learn credit cards forgery. As she gets deeper in, Plaza gives more depth to her and how the modern workplace favors some over others. This life of crime is juxtaposed with her friendâs efforts to get Emily a job at an advertising agency. Those parallel paths pan out in rather startling ways as for what can be offered her. Â
The tension supplied with each move Emily makes and the decisions each situation presents her gives deeper understanding to the struggles modern society gives subsequent generations. First-time filmmaker John Patton Ford doesnât sugar-coat the consequences for her actions nor does he condemn her. Plaza embodies complexities we can surely empathize with all the way to its conclusion. In all the talk about best actress; why wasnât she in the conversation? All and all, both these features will keep you on the edge of your seat with compelling viewing.
