Life of Crime (film)
Life of Crime | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Daniel Schechter |
Written by | Daniel Schechter |
Based on | The Switch by Elmore Leonard |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Eric Alan Edwards |
Edited by | Daniel Schechter |
Music by | |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 99 minutes [3] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $12 million [4] |
Box office | $1.5 million [5] |
Life of Crime is a 2013 American black comedy crime film written and directed by Daniel Schechter, based on Elmore Leonard's novel The Switch (1978), which includes characters later revisited in his novel Rum Punch (1992), which was adapted into the Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Brown (1997). Life of Crime was screened on the closing night 2013 Toronto International Film Festival,[6] on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival,[7] at the 2014 Traverse City Film Festival[8] and released in theaters on August 29, 2014 by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.
Plot
In Detroit in 1978, stoic socialite Mickey Dawson becomes the target of an ill-planned kidnapping plot by a pair of fumbling ex-cons, Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara, looking for a get-rich-quick scheme. However, things become complicated for the duo when her wealthy husband, Frank, refuses to pay the ransom, as he is on the cusp of filing for divorce to make way for his mistress, Melanie Ralston. The two kidnappers have to figure out how to quickly turn the tables before their time runs out.
Cast
- Jennifer Aniston as Margaret "Mickey" Dawson
- Mos Def as Ordell Robbie
- Isla Fisher as Melanie Ralston
- Will Forte as Marshall Taylor
- Mark Boone Junior as Richard
- Tim Robbins as Frank Dawson
- John Hawkes as Louis Gara
- Charlie Tahan as Bo Dawson
- Seana Kofoed as Kay
- Chyna Layne as Loretta
- Clea Lewis as Tyra Taylor
- Kevin Corrigan as Ray
- Leonard Robinson as Officer Dixon
- Jenna Nye as Shelly Taylor
- Alex Ladove as Pamela Taylor
- R. Marcus Taylor as Borsalino
Production
Dennis Quaid was originally cast as Frank Dawson, Mickey's husband.[9]
Principal photography lasted 26 days. The major portion of the film was shot in Greenwich, Connecticut.[10] Tod A. Maitland did the sound mixing.
Reception
Life of Crime has received generally positive reviews from critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 68% based on reviews from 80 critics, with an average rating of 5.84/10. The site's consensus reads: "It may not stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best Elmore Leonard adaptations, but Life of Crime has enough ambling charm—and a sharp enough cast—to get by."[11] Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score from 1 to 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gave the film a 60 based on 28 critics.[1]
References
- ^ a b Life of Crime at Metacritic
- ^ Tatiana Siegel. "Toronto: Elmore Leonard's 'Life of Crime' Selling to Lionsgate, Roadside". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "LIFE OF CRIME (15)". Artificial Eye. British Board of Film Classification. August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ "Life of Crime (2013)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- ^ "Life of Crime (2014)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ^ "Nelson Mandela biopic to have world premiere at Toronto". BBC News. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2013 opens with Life of Crime". The National. Abu Dhabi.
- ^ "Traverse City Film Fest to feature Elmore Leonard premiere, screenings on the water". Detroit Free Press.
- ^ "Jennifer Aniston and Dennis Quaid Join JACKIE BROWN Prequel, SWITCH". Collider.
- ^ "Jennifer Aniston: Bundled Up on "Untitled Elmore Leonard Project" Set". GossipCenter. February 5, 2013. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- ^ "Life Of Crime (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
External links
- 2013 films
- 2013 black comedy films
- 2010s crime comedy films
- Adultery in films
- American black comedy films
- American crime comedy films
- American films
- English-language films
- Films about kidnapping
- Films based on American novels
- Films based on crime novels
- Films produced by Jennifer Aniston
- Films set in 1978
- Films set in Detroit
- Films shot in Connecticut
- Films about hostage takings
- Lionsgate films
- Echo Films films
- Roadside Attractions films
- American neo-noir films
- Films scored by the Newton Brothers
- Films based on works by Elmore Leonard