The pandemic has created a unique set of problems for filmmakers. Here’s how John Patton Ford overcame them.
Emily the Criminal was one of my most anticipated Sundance movies this year. I love a crime story, I love movies set in LA, I love Aubrey Plaza and the choices she makes as an actor. And John Patton Ford’s feature directorial debut doesn’t disappoint. It’s a taut crime thriller with black comedic elements, and a story of desperation that many of us will relate to deeply.
Saddled with student debt, Emily (Plaza) works a grueling food delivery job. One day, she gets roped into “dummy shopping.” Yusuf (Theo Rossi) takes stolen identity information to create fake credit cards, distributed to his shoppers. They buy expensive stuff, turn over the goods to Yusuf, and get paid cash in return. It seems an easy enough racket, so Emily gets in on it, despite her concurrent attempts to make money legally.
After the film’s premiere this week, No Film School hopped onto Zoom with Ford and talked about his process and how he made a pandemic film.
Author: Jo Light
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
