No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. "I'm saving money!" Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. "I am not spending money!" She was the only one of the three to receive jail time. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". 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. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Place co-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. But thats just Connie and Jojo. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. The story actually began more than a decade ago, when the women started selling their coupons online. 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. Though most of their fraudulent earnings have been confiscated, the pair have hundreds of thousands of dollars from their illegal activities stashed away, and JoJo starts a relationship with Earl and relocates to Montenegro, a non-extradition country, where the pair can immediately restart the scam upon Connie's release. We just wanted to create our own characters.. By The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. One account had more than $2 million dollars. The duo bond on their mission, with Simon sympathizing with Ken's unwavering devotion. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? 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 Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. 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. As far as the real women involved, stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste admit that they never actually met or spoke to the actual minds behind the crime to learn what sparked it. 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. You could only place an order if you had a referral from a current customer, and you had to pay for your order with a Green Dot Moneypak (prepaid debit card). 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. So they may be the first ones to tell you that coupon crime may make for a great Hollywood comedy but in real life, its no laughing matter. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Queenpins Trailer: Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste Are the Robin Hood of Coupons (Video), Netflixs The Sandman TV Series Casts Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death. Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise. Queenpins tells a comedic story of two down-on-their-luck Phoenix women who discover their path to prosperity by concocting a $40 million counterfeit coupon scheme that all comes crashing down when they get caught. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. For the most part, yes. Thats money in the bank.'. Kirby Howell-Baptiste co-stars as JoJo Johnson, an aspiring YouTube vlogger and Connie's partner in crime. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. 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. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. After six months, the pair figure their money is safe to use, but because the money is dirty, they need to spend and clean it. 'We used undercover and covert operations to make purchases and to identify the three suspects,' Holmes said. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. The last 20 minutes lose sight of whatever point they are trying to make beyond the fun of seeing people get away with breaking the rules. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. [8], In June 2021, Showtime and Paramount+ acquired U.S. pay TV and streaming rights to the film for about $20 million. But thats just Connie and Jojo. While JoJo is released on bail, Rick visits Connie only so he can admonish her, having been informed by Simon that she and JoJo have defrauded over 240 companies of tens of millions of dollars. He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. The REAL story behind Kristen Bell's upcoming movie Queenpins Carly Stern For Dailymail.com Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's - Yahoo! And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. -TIME. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 'Queenpins' Review: How to Scam Audiences with Sophomoric Humor He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. Much the same can be said for Paul Walter Houser, who plays Ken Miller, the loss prevention officer that uncovers and eventually busts Connie and Jojos scam. It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). You know what, I bet if a better actor were playing Ken Miller, thered probably be a little fine tooth combing involved with the world of loss prevention. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Instead we have LPOKen Miller (Paul Walter Hauser), a dedicated but comically awkward stickler for the rules, who is eventuallyjoined by an investigator from the USPS (Vince Vaughn, nailing just the right mix of exhausted irritation and integrity). In Queenpins, its Ken Miller who pleads with the FBI to get involved, but in the end, he ends up working with Vince Vaughns postal inspector character, with the reasoning being that the crime was technically committed via snail mail. David Lake, who was in charge of the coupon investigation at the Phoenix Police Department, "The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type stuff." A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Queenpins movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's Crime Comedy The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. [3] In July 2020, it was announced Paul Walter Hauser and Vince Vaughn had joined the cast of the film. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. It's not a seamless fit. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. But its funny that its gotten so much attention, Lake said. FREE FIRE TOP 3 GAME REAL CHARACTER para SAMSUNG A3,A5,A6 A7,J2,J5,J7 , updated In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. Queenpins. Queenpins - Wikipedia Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. Capitalism always knows how to win. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. In addition to the $40 million in counterfeit coupons that they confiscated, police seized $2 million in assets from the three women, including four homes, 22 guns, a 40-foot speed boat, and 21 vehicles. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. While the characters in the 2021 movieQueenpins call out systemic inequality and the downfalls of capitalism, it's unlikely that their real-life counterparts shared these same sentiments. They were just two normal women, who felt taken advantage of by major corporations, and genuinely wanted to help other women and families who were struggling. Queenpins | Official Trailer [HD] | In Theaters September 10 - YouTube Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. She spends her free time drinking coffee and trying to resist the urge to buy any new books before reading the many she already owns. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. The Coupon Queens cheated as many as 40 major manufacturers (Business Insider). 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. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. 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. Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. 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. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. He described digging through trash cans, conducting surveillance, and ultimately kicking in the doors of the three womens homes, where they found a treasure trove of evidence coupons, cash, guns, along with what they later discovered was an airplane hangar filled with sports cars, a fully decked-out RV and a 40-foot speedboat. Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. A trailer released this month shows how a suburban housewife (Bell) and her coupon vlogger friend (Howell-Baptiste) come up with a scheme to sell fake coupons online, earning them millions of dollars while contributing to costly losses for brands like Proctor & Gamble andUnilever. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. For diapers and toothpaste. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. 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. 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. Kristen Bell leads a strong cast in 'Queenpins,' in theaters Sept. 10 His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. On the real Queenpins website, SavvyShopperSite.com, they sold free-product coupons, with the caveat that you must spend at least $50 on coupons per order. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. I'd call it a buddy film on a couple of levels: The main characters, Connie and Jo, and then the sub-characters, Simon and Ken. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. In May 2019, it was announced Kristen Bell and Leslie Jones had joined the cast of the film, with Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly directing from a screenplay they wrote. However, Ken Miller, a hapless loss prevention officer for the A&G Family Marts stores in the Southwestern United States, learns about the coupons and the losses several companies are taking, and pressures his superiors before ultimately deciding to handle the case himself. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. 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. 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. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. In Queenpins, its Ken Miller who pleads with the FBI to get involved, but in the end, he ends up working with Vince Vaughns postal inspector character, with the reasoning being that the crime was technically committed via snail mail. A charge for forgery was dropped. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As far as the real women involved, stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste admit that they never actually met or spoke to the actual minds behind the crime to learn what sparked it. 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. 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. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. Ame hissed, "Getting partnered with someone like me. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. she says. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. director of photography Film Editing by Kayla Emter . The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. 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." The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. You know what, I bet if a better actor were playing Ken Miller, thered probably be a little fine tooth combing involved with the world of loss prevention. The fake coupon game isnt a joke. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It isvery pleasurable in the moment but likely to leave you feeling empty and a little queasy. Its that simple. 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. Credit: Courtesy STX Films. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. The ladies account is frozen due to suspicious activity, so Connie realizes they need to prove their business is legitimate. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. The women guaranteed a one-hundred-percent return rate if a store rejected one of their coupons. I try to work with police chiefs, at the state and local level, to come up with ways of explaining how important protecting our business infrastructure is, he said. the three womens 2012 arrests for coupon fraud, the major motion picture they inspired is set to open in theaters this Friday, were ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution to Procter & Gamble, REVIEW: Queenpins Takes Coupon Counterfeiting to Extremes, The Cast and Crew of Queenpins Take a Crash Course in Coupons, Coupon Industry Gets Ready For Its Closeup, In Queenpins, A Q&A With the Creators of Queenpins, the Counterfeit Coupon Caper. Queenpins Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? Queenpins vs. the True Story of the Real Counterfeit Coupon Ring 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. She has also worked on soundtracks for movies like Abominable and, most recently, He's All That. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson.
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