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. Eventually, they brought in Phoenix police, who conducted aneight-week investigation. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. But thats just Connie and Jojo. Marilyn Johnson, 54, Robin Ramirez, 40, and Amiko Fountain, 42, were taken into custody, and in a press conference, police said a search warrant served resulted in the seizing of $40 million worth of coupons and $2 million worth of assets from the womens homes, including $240,000 in vehicles, 22 guns, and a 40-foot speedboat. Unilever also claimed losses, pointing to five particular coupons that had been founded in Ramirezs home, though a judge ruled that they couldn't prove that the three women were responsible for selling them. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). While it's hard to know how many customers knew they might be engaging in criminal activity, there were a few red flags that should have at least made them suspicious. 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. At $300 a month, even if she stays current in her payments, it will take more than 120 years to pay off her share of the restitution order. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's - Yahoo! The postal inspector tells Connie it's 1 year for every $100,000 earned fraudulently and that she's looking at 40 years. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. [8], In June 2021, Showtime and Paramount+ acquired U.S. pay TV and streaming rights to the film for about $20 million. Heres how the real Queenpins counterfeit coupon ring worked: shoppers would purchase the coupons on websites like eBay and/or be invited or referred to the rings personal website, savvyshoppersite.com. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Thats the type of money they had.. Previously, she worked as a singer and songwriter, penning hitslike Eminem and Rihanna's "The Monster" and collaborating with bands such as Florida Georgia Line. The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. 'Queenpins' Review: How to Scam Audiences with Sophomoric Humor The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. -Investigative Consultants. Queenpins. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. That would be too prestigious for Hauser's wannabe-cop Miller (Hauser borrows from his 2019 performance in Richard Jewell). Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. 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. Bell plays former Olympian and bored. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Alienated by her uninspiring existence being unemployed and having suffered a miscarriage in an attempt to conceive a child, Connie commiserates with her best friend Joanna "JoJo" Johnson, who has been unable to secure proper employment since having her identity stolen and thus lives with her mother Josephine, attempting to generate revenue by making YouTube videos while being amorously pursued by the local mailman, Earl. The film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. When Connie discovers that a complaint letter about stale cereal earned her a coupon for a free box, it's a short road to finding a $2 an hour employee at the Mexico coupon printing plant (moved from the US to save money) who is willing to send them extras. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. Netherlands ($200,244), United Arab Emirates ($123,281), Hungary ($88,609), Croatia ($41,810), Lithuania ($18,354), Iceland ($11,774), South Africa ($5,900) and Portugal ($5,501). MSN Article 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. Kirby Howell-Baptiste co-stars as JoJo Johnson, an aspiring YouTube vlogger and Connie's partner in crime. Her term of probation was recently extended for another five years, after she fell more than $4,000 behind in her restitution payments. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's Crime Comedy The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. It all sounded so unbelievable and over the top, and we knew the story had the makings for a great comedy., So while the women may not be thrilled to see their pasts dredged up and played for laughs on the big screen, Lake is hopeful that moviegoers wont come away with the wrong idea about creating or using counterfeit coupons. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. If you watch the movie 'Queenpins,' you will see, what I believe, is the first film in Hollywood to feature AEW in the film." Furthermore, Paul Walter Hauser reveals that he has actually had minimal wrestling training with several names from The Nightmare Factory including Anthony Ogogo, Preston Vance, and even WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas . "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. Kristen Bell, her The Good Place co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and singer Bebe Rexha are set to star in an upcoming comedy calledQueenpins, in which they play a trio of women who make bank in a coupon counterfeiting scam but the massive real-life fraud that inspired the film was no laughing matter. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life "Queenpins"? She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. Required fields are marked *. It isvery pleasurable in the moment but likely to leave you feeling empty and a little queasy. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. The true story behind Queenpins reveals that the women bought them in bulk overseas and then posted them for sale on sites like eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com, which is now defunct. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. [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. Here . However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Lets break it down. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." 'We used undercover and covert operations to make purchases and to identify the three suspects,' Holmes said. It's not a seamless fit. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. director of photography Film Editing by Kayla Emter . Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. On the other side we have faceless and barely acknowledged corporations (always a convenient bad guy) and an LPO (loss prevention officer, a fancy title for private security). How Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste's Real-Life Friendship Led 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. 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. 17:23 EST 23 Jul 2021 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. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. Credit: Courtesy STX Films. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. Ame hissed, "Getting partnered with someone like me. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. Is Queenpins on Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, or Prime? -TIME. Authorities eventually traced Ramirezs activity back to 2007. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson were charged and convicted for running their very own $40 million counterfeit coupon scheme, for which theyre still paying the price and may well be for the rest of their lives. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. 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. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race. 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. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. Bell plays Connie, whose life is smaller and sadder than she expected, following her early success as a gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete (but in a low-profile event, race-walking). I have never purchased coupons from a clipping service or an auction site." 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. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. The cruelty-free sacred oil that will anoint Charles as King: Monarch breaks Coronation Day tradition with 'I have nothing to say to you': Father of Mallory Beach - who was killed in a boat crash while Alex Murdaugh's Alex Murdaugh is seen with his prison buzz cut as he starts two life sentences without parole for killing his Family 'mortified' after being thrown out of Mother Goose panto for bringing their baby with them, after venue Is this Britain's most despicable man? Bud Miller, Executive Director of the Coupon Information Center, told money-saving columnist Jill Cataldo at the time, "These customers should expect contact in the future." 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. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. Thats money in the bank.'. But its funny that its gotten so much attention, Lake said. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. Because at Coupons In The News, we believe an educated consumer is the best couponer! For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. This is based on the true story of three women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. The pair are currently starring as crooked coupon buddies in the crime comedy "Queenpins," written and directed by husband-and-wife duo Aron. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? No. Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film Photos 17 Top cast Edit Kristen Bell Connie Kirby JoJo (as Kirby Howell-Baptiste) Paul Walter Hauser Ken Bebe Rexha Tempe Tina Lidia Porto Mrs. Flores Joel McHale Rick Greta Oglesby Mama Josie Eduardo Franco Greg (Cashier) Ben Sidell Man in Line Nneoma Sampson This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. Queenpins - Chapter 3 - Elias_Pedro - Archive of Our Own The filmmakers are not trying to hurt anybody, or glorify the crime, theyre just trying to make a funny story. But, he cautioned, we cant say that it doesnt matter that a person is only selling coupons when we look at the amount of economic damage that does., Counterfeiters like the three Phoenix women, and the many customers who bought coupons from them, are fully aware that what theyre doing is wrong, Lake believes. 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. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. Now that theyve done their time and are working to pay off their debt, the women appear to be trying to put the incident behind them. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell - TheWrap After he retired from the force, he took what he had learned from this case and others like it to found the Center on Shadow Economics, which works to mitigate the economic impact of black market crimes like counterfeit couponing. Although both women also had to financially reimburse P&G, they did not have to serve jail time for their part in the scheme. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. So even though the events of nearly a decade ago seem like old news to the rest of us, its something the culprits continue to live with. 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. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson are now having to live with what they did. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debt burying her and her husband. 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. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. 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). We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? Thats why they say Robin Hood, thats why they say the fat cats on Wall Street deserve it, thats why they say these corporations are evil. Not because they believe any of that, but so they dont feel guilty about their own actions. His message to coupon wrongdoers is, yes, you got a good deal. Westlake Membership Fees, Dr Rochelle Walensky Parents Nationality, Articles Q