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Criminal (2004 film)

Criminal
Criminal (movie poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gregory Jacobs
Produced by George Clooney
Gregory Jacobs
Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay by Gregory Jacobs
Sam Lowry
Based on Nueve Reinas
by Fabián Bielinsky
Starring John C. Reilly
Diego Luna
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Music by Alex Wurman
Cinematography Chris Menges
Edited by Stephen Mirrione
Production
company
Distributed by Warner Independent Pictures
Release date
September 10, 2004 (2004-09-10)
Running time
87 minutes
Country United States
Argentina
Language English

Criminal is a 2004 US film based upon the Argentine film Nine Queens. Directed by Gregory Jacobs, it stars John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Maeve Quinlan and is a production of Section Eight, the production company of Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney.

Richard Gaddis is a small-time crook with a penchant for con games. To hook marks, he acts like a well-to-do businessman, dressing like one and driving a Mercedes-Benz S500, believing that one must look like a professional in order to be a successful conman.

Gaddis is searching for a new partner with whom he can perform more sophisticated cons. He discovers Rodrigo (Luna) after he sees the young man playing some minor con games in a casino-bar. When Rodrigo is caught, Gaddis acts the part of a vice officer to save him from being arrested. Rodrigo's contribution is a face and naive manner so trustable that he is able to con anyone, while Richard is both completely unprincipled and clever. After several small tests to determine Rodrigo's confidence ability, he suggests a partnership, to which Rodrigo quickly agrees.

Although Rodrigo distrusts Richard greatly, he agrees to partner him on a gigantic scam, provided he gets a percentage of the money gained to help his ailing father, who is in trouble because of his gambling debts. Richard accepts, and they plan to sell a fraudulent version of a silver certificate currency note to William Hannigan, a rich collector who is in town.

Gyllenhaal plays Gaddis' sister Valerie, a concierge at a hotel. When Hannigan takes a fancy to the uptight but very sexy Valerie, Gaddis is forced to pull her into the scam, the price of which is Richard's admission to their brother Michael that he has cheated him out of his share of their inheritance. The plot twists constantly as each of the characters becomes more deeply invested in the scam, and the ever-deceitful Richard tries to cheat Rodrigo, Valerie and Michael out of their share of the take.


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