Queenpins

Queenpins, released in 2021, is a fun and energizing comedy film based on a true-life cashback coupon scam set within the labyrinthine world of a seemingly innocuous grocery store couponing system. The film investigates themes of friendship, ambition, deceit and the pursuit of a better life. Starring Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Paul Walter Hauser, the film offers an array of compelling performances and a unique, finger-on-the-pulse narrative that sets it apart from typical crime comedies.

Queenpins takes audiences on a quirky journey brimming with unconventional women and audacious escapades. At the center of the narrative, we meet Bell's character, Connie—a down on her luck suburban housewife, who, disillusioned by her humdrum existence, decides to take the reins and adventurously steer her life in a new direction. She takes up couponing and sees it as a potential pathway to a better life she never thought possible.

To execute her grand plan, Connie teams up with her best friend JoJo, played delightfully by Kirby Howell-Baptiste. JoJo is a perfect foil to Connie's character—fun-loving and daring, with her own share of financial worries. The synergy between Bell and Howell-Baptiste is delightfully palpable, offering a narrative that's as much about the power of friendship as it is about an audacious scam.

In their pursuit of this dubious American Dream, the duo turns a domestic hobby into a full-blown underground counterfeit coupon empire. The plot punctuates the seriousness of their crime with several comedic heights, offering the audience bouts of laughter to offset the constant tension. The protagonist duo effectively takes on the dark underbelly of the coupon industry without losing their comic charm and badass manipulation of a system that is keeping them and other middle-class Americans down.

Paul Walter Hauser, famed for his role in Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell, shines equally in Queenpins, playing the determined yet somewhat perplexed Loss Prevention Officer determined to expose the fraud. Parallel to the ladies’ oddly shady entrepreneurial exploit runs the narrative thread of this Officer, Ken, who attempts to bring the embezzling pair to justice. The contrast between the protagonists' audacious crimes and Ken’s relentless chase for justice creates an engaging cat-and-mouse dynamic that keeps the audience hooked.

The film also features Vince Vaughn as the hard-boiled U.S. Postal Inspector. Vaughn injects a level of tenacity and danger into his role, heightening the film’s stakes and ensuring there are real consequences for not-so-real crime. Bebe Rexha marks her feature film debut in a vibrant supporting role that adds more flavor to the movie's dynamic ensemble.

Directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the film's execution is humorous yet poignant, uncovering layers of societal critique within light-hearted misadventures. The directors have done a spectacular job of addressing the larger picture of economic disparity and the gap between the haves and have-nots while never losing sight of the humor, the kinetic energy, and the characters' authentic relationships.

The landscapes of Queenpins are strikingly familiar, with a suburban backdrop that merges everyday life with the consumer culture that defines contemporary living. The cinematography takes us on a journey from tranquil, suburban landscapes to the bustling chaos of high-stakes crime, all the while maintaining an atmosphere that is both quirky and compelling.

Queenpins is a combination of a crime thriller and a buddy comedy, taking us through an audacious story of risk, friendship, and high-stakes crime. The film balances every element perfectly, allowing the audience to intimately understand the characters, their motivations, and the lengths they'll go to overcome their adversity—whether that means a sly smile, a witty comment, or an illegal million-dollar operation. In its essence, ‘Queenpins’ is a story that is an affirmation of the lengths people can go to in search of validation and a better life, even if it means venturing to the wrong side of the law.