Some movies are made to be forgotten and this one is one of them. Life of Crime is a definition of a breezy comedy that’s exceedingly easy to watch. The production values are high, the cinematography appealing and the cast very familiar. We’ve got Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, and Isla Fisher and while you might not know the others by name, I guarantee you they’re cool. And that you’ve seen them in some other great movie. Will Forte in MacGruber perhaps or Mos Def in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy probably.
The movie is based on Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch published in 1978. And right away I have to tell you that I did not watch Ruthless People. This eighties movie seems to be very similar to the movie we’re going to be talking about today so there’s that. We will be following a botched and oftentimes hilarious kidnapping plot concocted by not-so-bright criminals. You can see the age-old likable bumbling criminals formula at work here. Kind of like what happened in Pain & Gain. The story is set in the late seventies and this gives Life of Crime a specific atmosphere.
I don’t know, the movie just feels groovy man! Perhaps if you smoked a couple of doobies it would be even groovier. It’s one of those all-around comedies couples will know to appreciate. I can already hear the husbands nudging their wives and saying but he’s got a point there. All the while, the wives will be pointing at “their” scenes and teasing them. At least that’s what I think would happen. To move on to a subject I’m much more familiar with, Life of Crime is a great movie for Jenny from the next-door fans. And I have to admit I’m one of them although we’re nowhere near Horrible Bosses levels.
Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara wanna get rich quickly and the best way to do it is to apparently kidnap someone. They stumble upon Mickey Dawson, a wife of a ruthless and very wealthy businessman, not that much different from them. The only difference is that he robs people by the book and they do it illegally. However their plans have one flaw, Frank Dawson doesn’t want his wife back…
One of the few things I didn’t like about Life of Crime was the pacing. It was all over the place. Just as you were starting to get into the groove of things, the movie would slow down. Moreover, there wasn’t much tension or momentum to keep it going in a positive direction. This is why you probably didn’t hear about this movie as it’s not that good. But it’s perfectly fine for a lazy Sunday afternoon or one of those evenings when you just want to relax and not think too much.
Finally, if you’re looking for movies like Life of Crime, I suggest you first check out Jackie Brown. I know you’ve probably seen it a couple of times now but that movie is always worth a watch. Additionally, Leonard wrote that one too so there’s that.
Director: Daniel Schechter
Writer: Daniel Schechter, Elmore Leonard
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Isla Fisher, Tim Robbins, Mark Boone Junior, Will Forte
Fun Facts: “Wanna fuck?” Melanie says same thing to Louis in Jackie Brown (1997).
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663207/
