"These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. She was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lorelei (Frygier), a nurse, and Tom Bell, a television news director. There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. Procter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. 'Queenpins' Plot Summary But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. 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. A charge for forgery was dropped. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. [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. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. [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. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. Ame shielded her eyes from the sunlight, "It's just that it's been a while since I've been on duty at daytime.". In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. 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. 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. 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. And thats why they make excuses, he said. The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. See production, box office & company info. Released in the United States on September 10, 2021 by STXfilms, the film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing only $1.2 million against a $20 million production budget. David Lake said. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. 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. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Bud Miller, who was the Executive Director of the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC), told money-saving columnist Jill Cataldo, "Initial contact was made by a SWAT team removing the front door of a residence by force. The postal inspector tells Connie it's 1 year for every $100,000 earned fraudulently and that she's looking at 40 years. For the most part, yes. Yes. Bud played an instrumental role in taking down the three women who inspired the Queenpins movie.Unlike Bud Miller, Hauser's character doesn't work for the Coupon Information Corporation (a not-for-profit association of consumer product manufacturers dedicated to fighting coupon misredemption and fraud). 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. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. None of the characters are based on the real individuals involved, Gaudet told Coupons in the News. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. Two women create a $40 million coupon scam. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. 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 The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. Dayo OkeniyiasEarl - Okeniyi plays Earl, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, which results in a hilarious interrogation scene with Ken and Simon. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. "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. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? They enjoy their newfound wealth, only to have their criminal enterprise crumble when they are investigated, raided, and arrested. Thats the type of money they had.. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. Annie MumoloasCrystal - Mumolo appears in the minor role of Crystal. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. She lives with her mother and is trying to be an entrepreneur with a series of YouTube videos featuring tips on saving. 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. Bell has extensive experience in Broadway, television, and film, leading successful TV series like Veronica Mars and The Good Place. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. Lets break it down. It's very easy to say their words," says Kristen. director of photography Film Editing by Kayla Emter . Watching "Queenpins" is like eating grocery store birthday cake. Bell will next be lending her voice to the animated show Do, Re & Mi, as well as appearing in the miniseries The Woman in the House. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. 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. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. The women guaranteed a one-hundred-percent return rate if a store rejected one of their coupons. (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 . Having had enough of his lack of support, she declares that she wants a divorce. FREE FIRE TOP 3 GAME REAL CHARACTER para SAMSUNG A3,A5,A6 A7,J2,J5,J7,S5,S6 S7,S9,A10,A20 A30,A50 David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. [6] In December 2020, Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Michael Masini, Paul Rust, Eduardo Franco, Marc Evan Jackson, Lidia Porto, Greta Oglesby, Jack McBrayer and Annie Mumolo joined the cast of the film. They contact the hacker who stole JoJos identity, Tempe Tina, and are taken to her secret location, where she instructs the pair on how to conceal their operation and secure their money, suggesting they use JoJos cosmetics brand Back 2 Black to disguise their coupon business. 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. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. 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.. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. 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. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. (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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. As the Time article notes, couponing became popular not only in the wake of reality television shows like TLCs Extreme Couponing but also due to the economic reality in the wake of the Great Recession. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. But thats just Connie and Jojo. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. The site's critics consensus reads: "Lowbrow humor and inconsistent storytelling undercut Queenpins' talented cast, making this coupon-clipping comedy a disappointingly poor bargain. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. "I am not spending money!" They were a part of a fast-rising category referred to as "pink collar criminals," "nice" suburban women who commit non-violent crimes, mostly fraud or embezzling from businesses or from community organizations like the PTA. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. The CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." Autumn Cejer is a Movie/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant. 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. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons.
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