by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Who doesn’t love Aubrey Plaza? April Ludgate was an absolute standout character on a show of great characters in Parks and Recreation. Plaza’s dark and dry performance offered up just enough sentimentality and warmth to make April a layered character. But since then, we have been treated to a ton of bold and edgy performances from this former sitcom star. She was a social media stalker in Ingrid Goes West. A rambunctious and naughty nun in The Little Hours. She got to offer her top tier acting chops in the bold and ambitious work, Black Bear.
But what does Plaza have to offer in Emily the Criminal, this new stripped down and raw thriller? There are so many layers to this intense and vulnerable performance. The film deals with societal issues and prison stigmas as Plaza is Emily, an ex-con who must struggle to find any work (at least in respectable fields). We see her show off her chops from the start in an emotional exchange with a judgmental hiring manager. Plaza executes frustration, sadness, and rage all packed into this single scene. We see her come face-to-face with plenty of dangerous people over the course of the film, and we see plenty of growth in her character. There are moments where Plaza must show a toughness from a physical standpoint, and by the end, she is a powerful presence to stand up to her aggressors.
Does debut writer-director John Patton Ford make a splash with this Plaza vehicle? There is a general sense of tension throughout the film. The atmosphere is unnerving at times as Emily must contend with plenty of seedy individuals. There are times where Ford maximizes simple scenes of a security guard walking up behind Emily as she leaves a store. This is a tense scene, and it captures the energy that Ford is going for. But their energy does not make it through the whole film, unfortunately. The second act has a bit of a drag from an energy standpoint, and a lag in terms of the narrative. But in a fiery and intense finale (with some moving final moments), Ford punctuates this effective and standpoint effort.
How well does Ford’s screenplay size up compared to his direction? There is a tight thriller in this script that is worth experiencing. This is a deep film as well, with commentary on our society’s unfortunate stance on former prisoners. We see a raw representation of Emily’s struggle, which translates to great drama on screen. There is plenty of subtext to Emily’s interactions with the dangerous men she encounters on screen. There are strong moments that deliver poignant shifts in power struggles showing the growth (a box cutter does some impressive work in this film to display that).
Is Emily the Criminal the right kind of thriller and drama? There is plenty of intensity along the way, and a powerful performance that drives it forward. Plaza is continuing her impressive resume of indie films that allow her to shine bright. There is plenty to say in this film from Ford, and it will certainly get your attention for his future works.
Score: 7/10
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