110 minutes Cast Kristen Bell Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Paul Walter Hauser Vince Vaughn Joel McHale Bebe Rexha as Tempe Tina Dayo Okeniyi Nick Cassavetes Michael Masini Paul Rust Eduardo Franco Marc Evan Jackson Lidia Porto Greta Oglesby Jack McBrayer Annie Mumolo Director Aron Gaudet Your email address will not be published. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Thats why they say Robin Hood, thats why they say the fat cats on Wall Street deserve it, thats why they say these corporations are evil. Not because they believe any of that, but so they dont feel guilty about their own actions. His message to coupon wrongdoers is, yes, you got a good deal. [3] In July 2020, it was announced Paul Walter Hauser and Vince Vaughn had joined the cast of the film. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Perhaps the most telling sign that things weren't on the up-and-up was the fact that the site advised, "Please do not share this information with people that you don't actually know. Procter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. Paul Walter Hauseras Ken Miller -Paul Walter Hauser plays Loss Prevention Officer Ken Miller, whoserather unexciting job takes a turn when he discovers the fake coupon scheme. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. But during Proctor & Gamble'sroutine audits ofthird-party coupon processors, the discovered fakes in circulation and hired private investigators to do some more digging. Queenpins is Rexha's first major acting role. But lets be honest: its hard to feel too sorry for the corporations in this instance. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Much the same can be said for Paul Walter Houser, who plays Ken Miller, the loss prevention officer that uncovers and eventually busts Connie and Jojos scam. But Aron [Gaudet] and Gita [Pullapilly], as storytellers our writer and directors have added so many specific elements of storytelling to this about what Connies career was, what Jojos career was, their circumstances in life in order to create a story that you would root for, and then it sort of goes into the nonfiction aspect that it sort of wasnt maybe as necessary to take on a ton of the real life characteristics of the women.. Bell plays former Olympian and bored. Eventually, they brought in Phoenix police, who conducted aneight-week investigation. But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). No. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. Queenpins tells a comedic story of two down-on-their-luck Phoenix women who discover their path to prosperity by concocting a $40 million counterfeit coupon scheme that all comes crashing down when they get caught. [10], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 47% based on 62 reviews with an average rating of 5.40/10. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. After multiple, very expensive fertility treatment failures, she and her IRS auditor husband (Joel McHale, given nothing to do) are estranged and deeply in debt. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. But thats just Connie and Jojo. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. Visitors to the Savvy Shopper Site website could buy high-value coupons offering free items like detergent, diapers, pet food and more, for pennies on the dollar. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. Lets break it down. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race. Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. The story actually began more than a decade ago, when the women started selling their coupons online. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. The Phoenix Police Department conducted undercover operations in which they purchased the counterfeit coupons. When Phoenix police seized the counterfeit coupons and the women's assets, they discovered computer records that listed all of the customers who had purchased coupons from the women. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. She was most likely added to the script for comedic reasons in order to frame Connie and JoJo as being in over their heads and desperately needing outside help. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . .aspect-ratio-box { height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-top: calc(720 / 1280 * 100%); background: #f9f9f9; position: relative; margin-bottom:30px; } .aspect-ratio-box-inside { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }, Read original story Queenpins': Heres the Real Story Behind Kristen Bells Crime Comedy At TheWrap, July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Queenpins': Heres the Real Story Behind Kristen Bells Crime Comedy, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works', How to watch every Oscars 2023 Best Picture nominee. The film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. Connie, JoJo, Simon (Vince Vaughn) and Ken (Paul Walter Hauser) arewhat Aron and I feelwhat we're all often feeling in this life: undervalued and discounted. The filmmakers are not trying to hurt anybody, or glorify the crime, theyre just trying to make a funny story. But, he cautioned, we cant say that it doesnt matter that a person is only selling coupons when we look at the amount of economic damage that does., Counterfeiters like the three Phoenix women, and the many customers who bought coupons from them, are fully aware that what theyre doing is wrong, Lake believes. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. Jack McBrayerasAgent Park - McBrayer has extensive experience in comedy. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. He also explained the counterfeit coupon case to Gaudet and Pullapilly, who sought him out after their curiosity was piqued when they first read about the crime. Marilyn Johnson, 54, Robin Ramirez, 40, and Amiko Fountain, 42, were taken into custody, and in a press conference, police said a search warrant served resulted in the seizing of $40 million worth of coupons and $2 million worth of assets from the womens homes, including $240,000 in vehicles, 22 guns, and a 40-foot speedboat. While it's hard to know how many customers knew they might be engaging in criminal activity, there were a few red flags that should have at least made them suspicious. [13], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 04:25, "STXfilms' Kristen Bell Coupon Clipping Scam Comedy 'Queenpins' Sells US For $20M+ To Paramount+ & Showtime", "Leslie Jones-Kristen Bell Coupon Caper 'Queenpins' Lands With Rocket Science Cannes", "Vince Vaughn & Paul Walter Hauser Join Comedy 'Queenpins' With Leslie Jones & Kristen Bell", "Kristen Bell & Kirby Howell-Baptiste Coupon Scam Comedy 'Queenpins' Snapped Up By STX Toronto", "Bebe Rexha Joins Kristen Bell in Comedy 'Queenpins', "Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Michael Masini, Eduardo Franco, Paul Rust And 3 More Join 'Queenpins'; Jack McBrayer And Annie Mumolo To Cameo", "And so it begins #Queenpins", "STX Dates 'Queenpins', 'National Champions', 'Violence Of Action' & Untitled Guy Ritchie Movie For 2021 & Beyond", "Paul Walter Hauser Quietly Steals Delightful Crime Comedy 'Queenpins', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Queenpins&oldid=1139643182, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 04:25. director of photography Film Editing by Kayla Emter . The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Connie initially comes up with the couponing scheme, eventuallyteaming up with her friend to help her pull off the biggest coupon scam in U.S. history. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. Had the system been better then, Lake said, we could have arrested probably another 50 people at least, who were buying hundreds of these coupons at a time and saying, I know theyre fake, but they work great.. Bell has extensive experience in Broadway, television, and film, leading successful TV series like Veronica Mars and The Good Place. The leader, Ramirez, pleaded guilty to fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise. Some of the coupon enthusiasts featured on the TLC show Extreme Couponing routinely purchased coupons from clipping services.In response to the Arizona coupon counterfeiting ring that inspired the Queenpins movie, the CIC's Bud Miller stated, "Coupon buyers expose themselves to the possibility of becoming involved with counterfeits, stolen property, or other criminal activities. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. Now, with their story back in the spotlight, theres no escaping it, even nearly ten years later. The Coupon Information Corporation got wind of the scheme, and brought it to the attention of investigators, which is how it eventually landed on the desk of Phoenix Police Sergeant David Lake. From writer-directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the film stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Ba. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. When we use coupons, we feel like we're getting away with something, like we're smart and special. Unilever also claimed losses, pointing to five particular coupons that had been founded in Ramirezs home, though a judge ruled that they couldn't prove that the three women were responsible for selling them. For diapers and toothpaste. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. In reality, thewomen seemed to have a better grasp of how to stay under the radar than the movie portrays, which enabled them to avoid police detection for so long. Queenpins. But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Queenpinshits theaters on September 10th and will be available to stream via Paramount+ on September 30th. "I am not spending money!" The two women in the movie, Connie Kaminski (Kristen Bell) and JoJo Johnson (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), are not directly based on any of the real-life women.Kristen Bell's character's background of being a former Olympic race walker who turns to couponing after having no luck getting pregnant (and spending tens of thousands on in vitro treatments) is fictional, as is Kirby Howell-Baptiste's character's unsuccessful efforts to make it as a vlogger. 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. [12] Hauser's performance as fraud specialist Ken Miller received praise from critics who praised his onscreen chemistry with Vaughn while noting that the film established him as a comedic actor after his breakthrough role in 2019's Richard Jewell. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, playing the lead roles, are as spectacular as ever. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. Marilyn Johnson, 54, Robin Ramirez, 40, and Amiko Fountain, 42, were taken into custody, and in a press conference, police said a search warrant served resulted in the seizing of $40 million worth of coupons and $2 million worth of assets from the womens homes, including $240,000 in vehicles, 22 guns, and a 40-foot speedboat. Illegal couponing doesn't seem like ahigh-levelcrime, but the two women manage to grow rich off their scheme. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. And thats why they make excuses, he said. Much the same can be said for Paul Walter Houser, who plays Ken Miller, the loss prevention officer that uncovers and eventually busts Connie and Jojos scam. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. This happened after various companies that had been impacted by the bogus coupons hired private investigators to uncover the origins of the coupons. Alienated by her uninspiring existence being unemployed and having suffered a miscarriage in an attempt to conceive a child, Connie commiserates with her best friend Joanna "JoJo" Johnson, who has been unable to secure proper employment since having her identity stolen and thus lives with her mother Josephine, attempting to generate revenue by making YouTube videos while being amorously pursued by the local mailman, Earl. According to Sgt. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. HBOs Rain Dogs Finds Humor, Despair in the Working-Class Mum at its Center, Berlinale Highlights, Part Three: Hummingbirds, Concrete Valley, Afire, The Oneness of All Things: On Sofia Alaouis Animalia, New York International Childrens Film Festival Opens Window to the World. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Except that these ladies sold unauthorized or forged coupons for a fraction of the face value to consumers who used them to get lots and lots of stuff without paying for it. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Autumn Cejer is a Movie/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Instead, he becomes highly frustrated when the FBI blows off his concerns. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. Those are intriguing issues but themovie is less interested in exploring them than it is giving the queenpins makeovers and silly plot detours involving a militia and extended scatological humor. She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. They were just two normal women, who felt taken advantage of by major corporations, and genuinely wanted to help other women and families who were struggling. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly.
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