Remakes are a double-edge sword, especially when comparing it to the original film. One person that has managed to find a formula for successful remakes has been director Steven Soderbergh. Soderbergh, who’s been a great filmmaker in his own right with his 1989 landmark film “sex, lies, & videotape” and latter-day films like “Out of Sight”, “The Limey”, “Erin Brokovich”, and “Traffic”. In 2001, Soderbergh did a remake of the old 1960s movie “Ocean’s Eleven” that some felt was superior to the original film with an upcoming sequel set for 2004. In 2002, Soderbergh and his producing partner/collaborator George Clooney did a remake of Andre Tarkovsky’s landmark sci-fi film “Solaris” to some good reviews. In 2004, Soderbergh decided to another foreign film remake, leaning towards the new wave of Latin American cinema by letting his longtime associate Gregory Jacobs to remake Fabian Bielinsky’s 2000 con artist caper “Nueve Reinas (Nine Queens)” entitled “Criminal”.
“Criminal” in some cases is more of a tribute rather than a mainstream-like remake with all of the Hollywood clichés and cheesy endings. Directed by Jacobs and co-written with Soderbergh (under his Sam Lowry alias), “Criminal” is about two con artists in Los Angeles trying to swindle a conglomerate businessman into buying a forged American currency paper. With the con artists trying not to con each other, the two find themselves in trouble where one of the con artists ask for his sister, who hates them both, for help. Starring John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Mullan, and Jonathan Tucker, “Criminal” might seem like a foreign film remake that falls under its American settings but thanks to Soderbergh and Jacobs’ hand-held directing style, “Criminal” is an exception into a remake that is smart and funny.
It’s a hot day in Los Angeles as young Latino kid named Rodrigo (Diego Luna) tries to scam his way into a casino by trying to scam a few waitresses into giving him more money. Watching Rodrigo with his trick when things go wrong is Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly), pretending to be a cop, who arrests Rodrigo. After Richard frees Rodrigo outside of the casino where Richard renames him Ryan where the two go on a scamming spree. After scamming a grandmother, a waiter, and a woman in an elevator, Richard learns that his sister Valerie (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has been calling because of an associate of his named Ochoa (Zitto Kazann) is in the hotel she’s working at as a concierge. Richard doesn’t want to meet Valerie since she’s suing him over the estate of their late mother, which he’s trying to block. Richard and Rodrigo go to the hotel where they meet Valerie, who accompanies them to see Ochoa.
Ochoa reveals to Richard about a rare American currency he had forged that he’s hoping to sell to a conglomerate businessman named William Hannigan (Peter Mullan). Ochoa falls ill as Richard decides to do the deal for a huge cut while Rodrigo wants a cut for himself so he can free his father (Juan Carlos Cantu) from a huge gambling debt. Richard takes Rodrigo in to meet Ochoa’s wife (Lillian Hurst) who doesn’t like Richard’s attitude but Rodrigo’s charm wins her over where she gives Rodrigo an envelope with the forged currency. They return to the hotel to meet with Hannigan but a cop named Henry (Jack Conley) tries to arrest Richard in front of Hannigan and Rodrigo but Henry too, is a scam artist who wanted a cut since his job was to make an impression of Hannigan.
Hannigan meets with Richard and Rodrigo over the currency they showed him a copy that they have and he wants it if they give him the actual currency paper. Richard waits a bit so he can plan his scam while he encounters Valerie again and their younger brother Michael (Jonathan Tucker) who works in the hotel as a bellboy.
With Richard holding the forged currency, they meet with Hannigan again, who along with a currency checker (Enrico Colantoni) checks the thing. The checker says its real as they two make a deal for $750,000 in which, the money can be given in a few hours. Richard is happy until the checker, who knows it was a fake, wants a cut of the deal himself. Things go great until a thief (Manuel Gomez Jimenez) takes the briefcase with the forged check and ruin things. They go to Ochoa, who had the real currency all along but he will give it to them for a third of what they got. Rodrigo didn’t want to grab the money he’s saved to pay off his father’s gambling debts and Richard doesn’t want to use their money but both give in along with Richard’s car to Ochoa. Then, the two turn to Valerie for help where Richard decides to give Valerie what she wants. Hannigan shows up, to learn that Valerie is Richard’s sister. He wants Valerie where Richard is forced to re-think everything. He still wants the money as he decides to give Valerie a cut, only if he confesses to Michael. Valerie goes in for the deal where things go great, or does it…?
For those who saw the original “Nueve Reinas” will know what is going to happen since it’s a remake. While it doesn’t retain some things like the economic issues along with longer scenes involving the currency’s history, it’s still a remake that lives up to the original. Gregory Jacobs does a fine job with his direction for making sure the film is faster paced and relaxed for an American audience while his hand-held style gives the film a more realistic style since it involves the con artists a chance to walk a lot in Los Angeles. The screenplay by Jacobs and Soderbergh is a bit funnier than the original version by Bielinsky since it plays more to Reilly’s quick-wit comedic dialogue while some stuff in “Criminal” and settings are changed from the original film. Plus, the ending in “Criminal”, though similar than “Nueve Reinas” is a bit clearer though a crucial scene of morality got cut in the end. In the end, both films do play like a real con film where everything gets surprised, especially in a David Mamet-writing style of scams and manipulation that made “Nueve Reinas” an appealing film to begin with which “Criminal” does well at.
With Jacobs, Soderbergh, and producer George Clooney doing a fantastic job, credit should also go to its crew. Cinematographer Chris Menges does an exquisite job in capturing Los Angeles in its 24-hour setting in the exterior scenes and diverse settings while in the interior scenes at the hotel, does a lovely job with shooting its intimate viewing with help from production designer Phillip Messina, who brings a true setting of the Latino-setting of East L.A. With a nice, stylized editing by Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione, who both give the film a nice pacing, Alex Wurman’s electronic, jazzy score really gives that film a nice, cool feel of a con film.
The film’s casting is excellent though some notable actors are underused which is in the case of Malik Yoba, a fellow con artist in the film, is only seen in two scenes. Jonathan Tucker doesn’t do much in the film either, even though his character in the original scene had more to do. Tucker unfortunately, falters in the confrontation scene where he doesn’t really get a chance to stretch his acting since he’s only in it for 5 minutes while the original actor had 10-15 minutes of screen time. While Zitto Kazann, Lillian Hurst, Enrico Colantoni, and Michael Shannon have nice scenes, notably Kazann, the best supporting performance is Peter Mullan as the sleazy, brash Hannigan. Mullan brings his Irish, roguish style to such sleaze that for someone who’s bad, he’s also someone who is likeable.
While Maggie Gyllenhaal didn’t approach the more aggressive style that Leticia Bredice did in the original film, Gyllenhaal chose a more restrained approach to her performance. Playing more of a motherly type to Tucker’s character, she displayed both a sexiness and frustration to her character while presenting herself as someone, who doesn’t want to deal with Reilly. Though she could’ve been meaner in the film, Gyllenhaal’s decision for a more subtle performance was really surprising and playing more to her strengths. Diego Luna delivers a real breakout performance as Rodrigo by being both charming, street-wise, and someone with morals. While he displays some of his comedic wit when speaking Spanish in some scenes, he proves to a perfect, straight man foil to Reilly while being manipulative and cunning his scamming scenes. John C. Reilly delivers another charismatic, funny performance that is filled with hilarious one-liners, mean ethics, and a determination that is wonderful. Reilly is truly an actor that just continues to get better with each performance as he delivers once again.
While it may not be as good as “Nueve Reinas”, “Criminal” is still an excellent, stylish scam film from Gregory Jacobs and Steven Soderbergh with stellar performances from John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Peter Mullan. Fans of the original film will miss some really important, key scenes and some changes while its approach does remain true to its Mamet-style tone. With Jacobs’ directing and Soderbergh’s involvement, it’s another fantastic remake though Soderbergh should stop doing remakes since there is so many in production. “Criminal” is still a fine film to watch though it’s more recommendable to watch the superior, fresher “Nueve Reinas”.
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