Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Yaiin Bey, Isla Fisher Will Forte, Mark Boone Jr, Tim Robbins, John Hawkes, Charlie Tahan.
Distributor: Madman Entertainment
Runtime: 93 mins. Reviewed in Sep 2014
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Life of Crime is a very generic title for this kind of kidnapping fraud drama. It is based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, set in Detroit 1978, with the title, Switch, which may not be much better than Life of Crime.
This is a rather slight entertainment, something of an amusing diversion from more serious films.
We are introduced to 2 criminals, Ordell and Louis, played by Yaiin Bey (aka Mos Def) and John Hawkes. They have a big plan to abduct the wife of a real estate entrepreneur, Frank, played very smugly with the touch of brutality and dumb deceitfulness, by Tim Robbins. He is a golf champion, with many trophies – including, says he, his wife. She is played by Jennifer Aniston, the society wife, with a son, but lost in some bewilderment at the behaviour of her husband.
The abduction happens, though a friend of Mickey, the wife, turns up to make a move on her but finishes up knocked out. Some later comic and serious scenes with him. In the meantime, a room has been prepared for Mickey during her abduction, but she has to wear a mask to avoid seeing the kidnappers. Ordel and Louis enlist the help of a pot-bellied, rough-haired Nazi sympathiser expertly played by Mark Boone Jr to ensure complete audience antipathy – as well as the disgust of Mickey.
It does get rather complicated because Frank has said he was going to the Bahamas, but he didn’t, going instead to a little love nest with Melanie, Isla Fisher. The kidnappers seem to know all about his financial frauds and demand $1 million.
It gets even more complicated when Ordell goes to threaten Frank personally and Melanie wants to do a deal. But, the abduction experience does a lot for Mickey’s self-confidence and, as might be expected, tables are turned at the end. Hence, Switch (rather than Life of Crime).
Lightly entertaining while on screen – but a bit of in one eye and out the other!
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