Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. Why the USPS? 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). The Coupon Queens cheated as many as 40 major manufacturers (Business Insider). David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. Connie, JoJo, Simon (Vince Vaughn) and Ken (Paul Walter Hauser) arewhat Aron and I feelwhat we're all often feeling in this life: undervalued and discounted. Queenpins. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 17:23 EST 23 Jul 2021 She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. 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. 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. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers Two cash-strapped neighbors devise a multimillion-dollar coupon swindle in this mildly entertaining comedy. 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. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Real Stories is an ongoing column about the true stories behind movies and TV shows. Queenpins Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From, Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like, Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide, Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. 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. [1] It was released on September 10, 2021. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. In addition, the scenes involving the gun sale include short appearances by co-director Aron Gaudet's brother Nick as a barista, as well as actor and director Nick Cassavetes as the leader of the group buying the guns. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. The duo bond on their mission, with Simon sympathizing with Ken's unwavering devotion. 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. The postal inspector tells Connie it's 1 year for every $100,000 earned fraudulently and that she's looking at 40 years. The other queenpin is Connie's neighbor and close friend JoJo (Howell-Baptiste), who was a victim of identity theft that ruined her credit and her ability to apply for jobs. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. David Lake said. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. We dont want people to think its funny. Credit: Courtesy STX Films. The comments below have not been moderated, By So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? Being clever with coupons makes her feel like she is making a financial contribution. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Slapstick . 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 . Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. Directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the movie stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vince Vaughn, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bebe Rexha. Her sacrifices have never been appreciated and she has been overlooked by her husband Rick, an IRS senior audit specialist, her loved ones and the rest of society. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. 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. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. 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. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. Lets break it down. Users had to be 'invited' to join the site, and fans raved about the impossibly good deals, like a coupon for a free pizza worth $7 that would cost shoppers just $1. 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. Its that simple. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. 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. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. The story actually began more than a decade ago, when the women started selling their coupons online. No. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. 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. The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. [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. Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly's Queenpins concerns two Arizona suburbanites, Connie (Kristen Bell) and JoJo (Kirby . Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. HBOs Rain Dogs Finds Humor, Despair in the Working-Class Mum at its Center, Berlinale Highlights, Part Three: Hummingbirds, Concrete Valley, Afire, The Oneness of All Things: On Sofia Alaouis Animalia, New York International Childrens Film Festival Opens Window to the World. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 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. Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. 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. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. 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. 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). [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having had enough of his lack of support, she declares that she wants a divorce. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. 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. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. Not only does Arizona state law forbid convicted criminals from profiting by selling their story, but writer-directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly have emphasized that their story is an entirely fictional version of the real thing. A Loss Prevention Officer and U.S. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. 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. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. In this film we have one of the world's most adorable people, Kristen Bell, with her delightful "The Good Place" co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two women who almost make a multi-million dollar crime seem cute. 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. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. 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. For diapers and toothpaste. 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. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. [Resumes eating snacks and looking out the window], Watch Queenpins: Gita Pullapilly & Aron Gaudet On Why Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Were Right For Their Roles, Watch Queenpins: Kristen Bell On How She Became Involved In The Film, Watch Queenpins: Paul Walter Hauser On What Drew Him To The Film, Watch Queenpins: Kirby Howell-Baptiste On How She Became Involved In The Film, Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film. Once there, buyers would have access to an array of high-dollar coupons. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. They encounter married employees Alejandro and Rosa Diaz, who agree to send them the unused coupons. 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 film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. 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. Fountain and Johnson both still live and work in the Phoenix area, in professions that have nothing to do with coupons. 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. Watching "Queenpins" is like eating grocery store birthday cake. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. Fountain and Johnson each pleaded guilty to one charge of counterfeiting. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. 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. By mail. 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. Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. From writer-directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the film stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Ba. Dejected and frustrated suburban housewife Connie Kaminski (ne Stevens), a three-time gold-medal-winning former Olympic racewalker, has followed the conventional life path set for her by society ever since she was young. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. Ame shielded her eyes from the sunlight, "It's just that it's been a while since I've been on duty at daytime.". 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. 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. Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. 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). This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". They don't call it robbery; they prefer "removing" or "separating.". Your email address will not be published. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. 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. Paul Walter Hauseras Ken Miller -Paul Walter Hauser plays Loss Prevention Officer Ken Miller, whoserather unexciting job takes a turn when he discovers the fake coupon scheme. 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. 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. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. She has spent her life chatting about popular media to anyone who would listen, even appearing on conference panels to discuss her favorite (and least favorite) shows and movies.