Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. 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. (edited by) Casting By Ben Harris Allison Jones Production Design by Jennifer Klide Art Direction by Adri Siriwatt Costume Design by Julie Carnahan Makeup Department Production Management Mike Upton . And thats why they make excuses, he said. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 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. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . 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. Read about the latest trends in couponing, get some new coupon alerts and keep up with stories across the country and around the world that have to do with coupons, the companies that issue them and the consumers who use them. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). 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. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. 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). 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. As the Time article notes, couponing became popular not only in the wake of reality television shows like TLCs Extreme Couponing but also due to the economic reality in the wake of the Great Recession. Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. , updated 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. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. But Aron [Gaudet]and Gita [Pullapilly], as storytellers our writer and directors have added so many specific elements of storytelling to this about what Connies career was, what Jojos career was, their circumstances in life in order to create a story that you would root for, and then it sort of goes into the nonfiction aspect that it sort of wasnt maybe as necessary to take on a ton of the real life characteristics of the women.. 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 also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. "We're Robin Hood," the queenpins reassure themselves. 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. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. 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. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. 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. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. 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. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. Meanwhile, Ken is partnered with U.S. postal inspector Simon Kilmurry. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. 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. Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. After a particularly frustrating day, Connie writes a complaint letter to General Mills about the Wheaties she ate being stale, and soon, she receives a coupon for a free box of cereal. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. 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. 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. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. She has also worked on soundtracks for movies like Abominable and, most recently, He's All That. A charge for forgery was dropped. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. Bell plays former Olympian and bored. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid. Lets break it down. The bare-bones blueprint for the story is accurate; a small group of women make millions selling counterfeit coupons. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. A real disc jockey inspired Robin Williams classic character. The women guaranteed a one-hundred-percent return rate if a store rejected one of their coupons. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Ramirezs case was back before a judge as recently as July, when her probation officer reported she was falling behind on her share of the nearly $1.3 million in restitution payments she and her cohorts were ordered to pay. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. That includes the details about the women and the two men chasing after them. Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. But lets be honest: its hard to feel too sorry for the corporations in this instance. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. 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. They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." Lets break it down. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Autumn Cejer is a Movie/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. Your email address will not be published. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. [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. 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." Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [5] In October 2020, Bebe Rexha joined the cast of the film. She lives with her mother and is trying to be an entrepreneur with a series of YouTube videos featuring tips on saving. 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. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. They interview people from grocery stores that the ladies frequent, almost all of whom recognize Connie due to her constantly irritating coupon usage, even successfully linking her to the "Savvy Super Saver" website as she uses its slogan while shopping. Instead, he becomes highly frustrated when the FBI blows off his concerns. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 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. 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. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. Which brings us to Queenpins, a based-on-a-true-story comedy about the suburbanite besties behind the largest coupon counterfeit scam in U.S. history. 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. Had the system been better then, Lake said, we could have arrested probably another 50 people at least, who were buying hundreds of these coupons at a time and saying, I know theyre fake, but they work great.. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. No. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. 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 CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." 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. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. His filmography contains works such as Face/Off, The Astronaut's Wife, and The Hangover Part II, and he will next be appearing inThe Ogilvy Fortune. When Phoenix police seized the counterfeit coupons and the women's assets, they discovered computer records that listed all of the customers who had purchased coupons from the women. The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. 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. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, rented an aircraft hangar to store her cars, 40-foot speedboat, luxury RV, and various off-road toys. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. They don't call it robbery; they prefer "removing" or "separating.". See production, box office & company info. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, playing the lead roles, are as spectacular as ever. Coupons wasnt even the biggest, most interesting case I did.