110 minutes Cast Kristen Bell Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Paul Walter Hauser Vince Vaughn Joel McHale Bebe Rexha as Tempe Tina Dayo Okeniyi Nick Cassavetes Michael Masini Paul Rust Eduardo Franco Marc Evan Jackson Lidia Porto Greta Oglesby Jack McBrayer Annie Mumolo Director Aron Gaudet It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. But thats just Connie and Jojo. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. 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. [4] In September 2020, Kirby Howell-Baptiste joined the cast of the film, replacing Jones, with Ben Stiller joining as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner, with STX Entertainment set to distribute. Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. 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. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. The cast, with Kristen Bell and Paul Walter Hauser, is outstanding The Arizona women, Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, pleaded guilty, Ramirez to. "I am not spending money!" 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. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. Because at Coupons In The News, we believe an educated consumer is the best couponer! 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. They don't call it robbery; they prefer "removing" or "separating.". No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. While the movie is focused on two women, there were three at the heart of the real coupon ring. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. [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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. 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. Except that these ladies sold unauthorized or forged coupons for a fraction of the face value to consumers who used them to get lots and lots of stuff without paying for it. Yes. Queenpins: Dirigido por Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, playing the lead roles, are as spectacular as ever. 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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. It's very easy to say their words," says Kristen. 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. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Your email address will not be published. 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. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. This happened after various companies that had been impacted by the bogus coupons hired private investigators to uncover the origins of the coupons. After a shootout breaks out at a jazz club in the heart of town over a 'transaction' gone wrong, the Shrimps of Ocean Street and the Deadbeats of Industrial Way prepare to fight. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). But thats just Connie and Jojo. According to Sgt. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in the. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. That's one reasonbeyond saving moneythe scam was so successful. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. The CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." The real-life Queenpins: How three Arizona women were busted with $25 MILLION in counterfeit coupons they were selling online - and inspired a new movie starring Kristen Bell [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. Ramirez, then 40, Fountain, then 42, and Johnson, then 54, were arrested andcharged with counterfeiting, forgery, money laundering, operating an illegal enterprise, and other crimes. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. 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. 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. Talk about extreme couponing! In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. 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. 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.. Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. Her term of probation was recently extended for another five years, after she fell more than $4,000 behind in her restitution payments. They start buying things like sports cars, boats, planes, and guns, but Tina then criticizes their overspending and tells them that because their money was always clean, their purchases are just making them look more suspicious, instructing them to withdraw money from the bank in small increments and to sell off all their big purchases. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. 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. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." Ame shielded her eyes from the sunlight, "It's just that it's been a while since I've been on duty at daytime.". Bell plays former Olympian and bored. Here . It appeared the women were making so much money, they werent even sure how to spend it all. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. Capitalism always knows how to win. 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. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. The comments below have not been moderated, By Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). You Are Reading :Queenpins Cast And Character Guide Where You Know The Actors From. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? "[Ringleader Robin Ramirez] would bring in these coupons from overseas in large quantities, quantities we never could imagine and she would sell them on her website for about 50 percent of face value," said Sgt. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Now, with their story back in the spotlight, theres no escaping it, even nearly ten years later. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. Yes. 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. 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. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. 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. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? But during Proctor & Gamble'sroutine audits ofthird-party coupon processors, the discovered fakes in circulation and hired private investigators to do some more digging. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. 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. "We knew, based on our research on past films, the more we dig into the real lives, it becomes much more serious, much more dramatic," Pullapilly told the, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Yes. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com Queenpins is playing in theaters with plans to stream on Paramount+ in the near future. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. 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. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. 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. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. 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. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. Greg Garcia, a cashier at her local A&G Family Marts store, explains to her that companies habitually respond to complaint letters by sending coupons for free items. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. 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." For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Paul Walter Hauser's character, Ken Miller, seems to be a very loosely-inspired caricature of Bud Miller, the Executive Director of the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC). Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. 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. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. The vehicles included a custom Corvette that was worth over $150,000. That's not how the world works y'know. Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? 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. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. The details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. -TIME. Queenpins. Analysts Predict More Deals in the Grocery Store This Year, Savings Apps Are All the Rage This One Most of All, Grocery Shoppers Shrug Off A Tumultuous Year, Couponer Is Dealt A Final Setback In Decade-Old Dispute. The only real-life individual you could say was better off after the case than before, is the man who cracked the case. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? Lets break it down. 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, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. Having had enough of his lack of support, she declares that she wants a divorce. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. A charge for forgery was dropped. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers Two cash-strapped neighbors devise a multimillion-dollar coupon swindle in this mildly entertaining comedy. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. Perhaps the most telling sign that things weren't on the up-and-up was the fact that the site advised, "Please do not share this information with people that you don't actually know. Real Stories is an ongoing column about the true stories behind movies and TV shows. Credit: Courtesy STX Films. 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? They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. It is also revealed that Connie, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive following her miscarriage, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. 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. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). We dont want people to think its funny. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. 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. 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. Although both women also had to financially reimburse P&G, they did not have to serve jail time for their part in the scheme. 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. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. 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 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. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Thats the type of money they had.. There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. 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 duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. [9], Other box office grosses include Russia ($326,012), Ukraine ($221,109), But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. 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. 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. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. Vince Vaughnas Simon Kilmurry -Vince Vaughn plays Simon Kilmurry, a U.S. postal inspector who works with Ken to investigate the coupon scam. 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. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. Queenpins Writers Balance Comedic Tone with Real-Life Drama in Coupon Caper By: Shanee Edwards Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson and Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski in QUEENPINS. -Daily Mail. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. 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." The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. 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. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. 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. Required fields are marked *. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works', How to watch every Oscars 2023 Best Picture nominee. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. [1] It was released on September 10, 2021. 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.
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