Queenpins (2021) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). 'Queenpins' Plot Summary We dont want people to think its funny. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. Authorities eventually traced Ramirezs activity back to 2007. Queenpins - Wikipedia The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. 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. Queenpins - Contemporary Robin Hoods grounded in the real world 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers Two cash-strapped neighbors devise a multimillion-dollar coupon swindle in this mildly entertaining comedy. The only real-life individual you could say was better off after the case than before, is the man who cracked the case. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. Couponing goes criminal in the new trailer for Queenpins. [8], In June 2021, Showtime and Paramount+ acquired U.S. pay TV and streaming rights to the film for about $20 million. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. Paul Walter Hauser's character, Ken Miller, seems to be a very loosely-inspired caricature of Bud Miller, the Executive Director of the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC). And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). But during Proctor & Gamble'sroutine audits ofthird-party coupon processors, the discovered fakes in circulation and hired private investigators to do some more digging. (edited by) Casting By Ben Harris Allison Jones Production Design by Jennifer Klide Art Direction by Adri Siriwatt Costume Design by Julie Carnahan Makeup Department Production Management Mike Upton . Because they arent exactly hardened criminals, they think that the money theyve made through their shell company has to be laundered, so they bought all these high priced items with the intent to just immediately resell them. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." You know what, I bet if a better actor were playing Ken Miller, thered probably be a little fine tooth combing involved with the world of loss prevention. No. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. Watching "Queenpins" is like eating grocery store birthday cake. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell - TheWrap After a shootout breaks out at a jazz club in the heart of town over a 'transaction' gone wrong, the Shrimps of Ocean Street and the Deadbeats of Industrial Way prepare to fight. Lets break it down. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. One local law enforcement official at the time told the news: The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste star in this based-on-a-true-story film about a pair of women whose coupon-counterfeiting operation turned into more than they bargained for. The leader, Ramirez, pleaded guilty to fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. When we use coupons, we feel like we're getting away with something, like we're smart and special. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. Vince Vaughnas Simon Kilmurry -Vince Vaughn plays Simon Kilmurry, a U.S. postal inspector who works with Ken to investigate the coupon scam. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com, Dax Shepard wishes wife Kristen Bell a happy 41st birthday: 'Here's wishing you another 100 years in the saddle', Conwoman, 60, accused of posing as gem expert to swap diamonds worth 4.2m for pebbles was caught on CCTV outside Mayfair jeweller Boodles the day before heist, court hears. The movie, which premieres September 10, offers a comical take on the true story ofRobin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson of Phoenix, Arizona, who were arrested in 2012 for their years-long counterfeitingracket and ordered to pay P&G millions in restitution. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. 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. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. Her sacrifices have never been appreciated and she has been overlooked by her husband Rick, an IRS senior audit specialist, her loved ones and the rest of society. They interview people from grocery stores that the ladies frequent, almost all of whom recognize Connie due to her constantly irritating coupon usage, even successfully linking her to the "Savvy Super Saver" website as she uses its slogan while shopping. While it might seem outrageous and is played for laughs in the movie, in July 2012, a SWAT team really did raid the Phoenix residences of the three women who played a part in the counterfeit coupon operation. the three womens 2012 arrests for coupon fraud, the major motion picture they inspired is set to open in theaters this Friday, were ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution to Procter & Gamble, REVIEW: Queenpins Takes Coupon Counterfeiting to Extremes, The Cast and Crew of Queenpins Take a Crash Course in Coupons, Coupon Industry Gets Ready For Its Closeup, In Queenpins, A Q&A With the Creators of Queenpins, the Counterfeit Coupon Caper. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. 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. Queenpins - Chapter 3 - Elias_Pedro - Archive of Our Own 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. She has previously appeared with Bell on Bad Moms, buther claim to fame has been in screenwriting. You know what, I bet if a better actor were playing Ken Miller, thered probably be a little fine tooth combing involved with the world of loss prevention. Directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the movie stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vince Vaughn, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bebe Rexha. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. Your email address will not be published. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. According to Sgt. There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. 'Queenpins' Review: Coupon Clippers Go Rogue in a Sly Crime Satire Because they arent exactly hardened criminals, they think that the money theyve made through their shell company has to be laundered, so they bought all these high priced items with the intent to just immediately resell them. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. 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.. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. 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. 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. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. 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. A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years probation. 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.. That's one reasonbeyond saving moneythe scam was so successful. Queenpins movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert The cast, with Kristen Bell and Paul Walter Hauser, is outstanding The Arizona women, Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, pleaded guilty, Ramirez to. Required fields are marked *. After a particularly frustrating day, Connie writes a complaint letter to General Mills about the Wheaties she ate being stale, and soon, she receives a coupon for a free box of cereal. 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. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. Bebe Rexha is the tech genius, Tempe Tina. 'Queenpins' Review: How to Scam Audiences with Sophomoric Humor 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. Which brings us to Queenpins, a based-on-a-true-story comedy about the suburbanite besties behind the largest coupon counterfeit scam in U.S. history. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Vince Vaughn's other moviesincludemany big-budget action films and comedies such as The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Wedding Crashers. "I am not spending money!" When we're with Connie and JoJo, the tone of "Queenpins" is upbeat and sit-com-y, with Dolly Parton on the soundtrack telling us everything is going to be all right. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. Its that simple. At the time of her arrest, investigators discovered Ramirez had four online accounts and 12 bank accounts. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Why the USPS? I'd call it a buddy film on a couple of levels: The main characters, Connie and Jo, and then the sub-characters, Simon and Ken. Queenpins vs. the True Story of the Real Counterfeit Coupon Ring You could only place an order if you had a referral from a current customer, and you had to pay for your order with a Green Dot Moneypak (prepaid debit card). A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. Upon realizing that they could get a coupon for a free item sent to them just by complaining to the manufacturer, they come up with a plan to smuggle and steal cases of those coupons, to then sell to people. In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. Watch Queenpins | Prime Video - amazon.com Yes. But thats just Connie and Jojo. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. 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. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, rented an aircraft hangar to store her cars, 40-foot speedboat, luxury RV, and various off-road toys. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. As far as the real women involved, stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste admit that they never actually met or spoke to the actual minds behind the crime to learn what sparked it. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. The other queenpin is Connie's neighbor and close friend JoJo (Howell-Baptiste), who was a victim of identity theft that ruined her credit and her ability to apply for jobs. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? 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. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. she says. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Coupons in the News features daily news stories and information about coupons, grocery shopping and saving money. "[Ringleader Robin Ramirez] would bring in these coupons from overseas in large quantities, quantities we never could imagine and she would sell them on her website for about 50 percent of face value," said Sgt. Greg Garcia, a cashier at her local A&G Family Marts store, explains to her that companies habitually respond to complaint letters by sending coupons for free items. "We knew, based on our research on past films, the more we dig into the real lives, it becomes much more serious, much more dramatic," Pullapilly told the, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Kristen Bell leads a strong cast in 'Queenpins,' in theaters Sept. 10 For diapers and toothpaste. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. On the real Queenpins website, SavvyShopperSite.com, they sold free-product coupons, with the caveat that you must spend at least $50 on coupons per order. While JoJo is released on bail, Rick visits Connie only so he can admonish her, having been informed by Simon that she and JoJo have defrauded over 240 companies of tens of millions of dollars. "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. (67) 6.3 1 h 50 min 2021 X-Ray R. A suburban homemaker and her best friend turn a hobby into a multi-million-dollar counterfeit coupon caper. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. I have never purchased coupons from a clipping service or an auction site." Ramirezs case was back before a judge as recently as July, when her probation officer reported she was falling behind on her share of the nearly $1.3 million in restitution payments she and her cohorts were ordered to pay. But can you live with what you did?. In Queenpins, its Ken Miller who pleads with the FBI to get involved, but in the end, he ends up working with Vince Vaughns postal inspector character, with the reasoning being that the crime was technically committed via snail mail. On a message board, one fan raved about paying $7 for a mega pack of Pampers, with no max value meaning a shopper could get more than $50 worth of product free. And after reading the script and falling massively in love with it, because it was such a grounded comedy, I did some research about these women. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. He'd be scary if the film didn't make him the literal butt of the joke. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The movie takes a more lighthearted angle on the real story, having to combine ortweak some of the people involved in order towork better as a film. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. I went to the detectives and I said, we have what appears to be a large multimillion-dollar, maybe hundreds of millions of dollars, theft affecting over 240 victims, the now-retired Lake told Coupons in the News. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. .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.

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