Director: Daniel Schechter

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Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, Yasiin Bey, John Hawkes, Isla Fisher, Will Forte, Mark Boone Junior

Rating: **1/2

What's it about:

Set sometime in the 70s, Life Of Crime, has Ordell Robbie (Bey, the artist formerly known as Mos Def) and Louis Gara (Hawkes) set a kidnapping plan in motion that is expected to get them richer by at least $1million. It would've worked as well, if the rich husband Frank Dawson (Robbins) were willing to pay that ransom for the safe release of his wife, Mickey (Aniston).

What's hot:

t's not difficult to love a film set in the 70s. The music was simpler and yet more nuanced than it is know. People dressed cooler, too. Plots were less complicated. And even in this caper, an Elmore Leonard adaptation, things rarely get heavy. Also, Aniston puts in a restrained act, something she's become exceedingly good at (unless she's working, you know, with the likes of Adam Sandler and Jason Sudeikis. Well, you know, because the role doesn't require her to be?). Well, that restraint shines through the film's most dramatic moments, which seem like purely her character, Mickey's creation. And yeah, she has to be the most co-operative kidnapping victim ever!

What's not:

Boone Jr plays Richard Monk, who could well be worst neo-Nazi ever. His perverse pleasures are supposed to provide comic relief, but you just feel sorry for his state. Hawkes' Louis comes across as too sympathetic of his victim, Frank too disinterested in what happens to Mickey, Melanie (Fisher) too calculating and too easy at the same time. And for a caper, where's the tension? Everything, however unusual, is so taken for granted... like going to sleep and knowing you're going to get up. You could step out  for several minutes and would still have missed nothing. 

What to do:

If you're gonna watch this one, do it for Aniston. She is near about the only spark you'll get from this lazy attempt of a movie.