Pick of the Day: “Emily the Criminal”

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Pick of the Day: “Emily the Criminal”

“Ingrid Goes West,” “The Little Hours,” “Black Bear,” “Happiest Season,” “Legion” — Aubrey Plaza has delivered some truly smart, layered, idiosyncratic performances in the years since “Parks and Recreation,” her breakout project. In “Emily the Criminal,” a thriller taking on capitalism and the gig economy, she proves yet again she is one of the most interesting actors working today.

Emily (Plaza) is clever, pragmatic, and hardworking, but she also has a record, meaning she has a hard time passing a background check and getting hired for anything that isn’t a menial “independent contractor” role (i.e. an hourly service gig with no benefits or rights). She’s buried with student debt, barely able to pay off the interest on her credit card, and considering moving back home to New Jersey to live with her stepdad.

But then a co-worker at her food delivery gig tells her about a quick way to make $200. This leads her to Youcef (Theo Rossi), who runs a dummy shopper credit card scam. After getting away with that scheme, Youcef asks Emily to consider taking on another, with higher stakes and better money. It’s not long before Emily is completely in the thrall of this exciting, dangerous new lifestyle. She likes Youcef, she likes the cash, and she likes the thrill.

“Emily the Criminal” could’ve devolved into a morality tale, and it could’ve portrayed Youcef and everything he represents as scary and reprehensible. But it doesn’t. The film neither condemns nor condones the characters’ actions, and Youcef’s journey mirrors Emily’s. He has his own dreams and worries about money, and like her, finds that breaking the rules is the only way to win a game that’s rigged. With the multi-biased way our country functions — not to mention the current inflation woes — I very much doubt they are alone.

Plaza is so good as Emily, a tough broad who isn’t afraid of hustling or fighting, and will not tolerate mistreatment. (A scene late in the film, in which Emily questions the ethics of unpaid internships, is just begging to go viral.) Her sardonic voice and bored gaze signify she will be able to handle the risks of her new job with no problem — yet they also belie how vulnerable she is, how naive she was when she signed up for it.

Plaza is so believable as a desperate 30-something trying to get a sliver of the American Dream, that I’m even more psyched for the second season of “The White Lotus,” in which, presumably, she will portray someone from the other side of the economic divide. If history is any indication, it’s sure to be another compelling performance from a terrific talent.

“Emily the Criminal” will be in theaters tomorrow, August 12.