Queenpins
Short description
Queenpins is a crime comedy about Connie, a bored and frustrated homemaker in suburban Phoenix, and her best friend JoJo, an aspiring vlogger. After a complaint letter about a stale box of cereal earns the pair an apology and a pile of free coupons, they turn their enthusiasm for clipping coupons into an illegal operation. Their scheme defrauds large corporations of millions while supplying discounts to a growing network of fellow coupon users. As the operation expands and the two women enjoy the rewards it brings, a supermarket loss prevention officer and a U.S. Postal Inspector work together to track them down. The film is based on real events.
Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly directed and wrote the screenplay, and Ben Stiller is among the producers. Kristen Bell plays Connie, with Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo, Vince Vaughn as Inspector Simon Kilmurry, and Paul Walter Hauser as Ken. Joel McHale and Bebe Rexha also appear. Released in August 2021, the film runs 110 minutes.
Made for about 7 million dollars, Queenpins earned roughly 1 million dollars worldwide, a small return against its budget. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.4 from around 29,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.5 from over 500 votes, placing it in middling but not negative audience territory. The critics' rating stands at 5.5 from about 60 reviews, slightly below the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- This story, based on real events, was previously featured in the "Queen of Coupons" episode of the documentary series "Pink Collar Crimes" (2018). In July 2012, the Phoenix Police Department raided and seized counterfeit coupons totaling $25 million, 22 firearms, 21 vehicles, and even a yacht. In February 2013, Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko Fonteyn pleaded guilty. Johnson and Fonteyn were charged with and convicted of forgery, while Ramirez was convicted of fraud and unlawful activity. Ramirez was sentenced to 2 years in prison and 7 years of probation, and the defendants were ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble over $1.2 million.
- When Connie (played by Kristen Bell) discusses anonymous sperm donors at the fertility clinic, it is mentioned that one man fathered over 400 children in this way. This line may have been a reference to Vince Vaughn, who played Simon in the film, and more specifically, his role in Ken Scott's comedy "Delivery Man" (2013). In that film, his character, David Wozniak, becomes the father of 533 children, after which 142 of them filed a class-action lawsuit against the fertility clinic demanding the disclosure of their biological father's identity.
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