Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Criminal

Play trailer Poster for Criminal R 2004 1h 27m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
69% Tomatometer 119 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Needing a new partner capable of intricate cons, Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly), recruits Rodrigo (Diego Luna), a crook with a perfect poker face. The two plan a big-time scam: selling a fake Silver Certificate to currency collector William Hannigan (Peter Mullan). Rodrigo distrusts his new associate, but needs money to help out his ill father. The situation becomes more complicated when Rodrigo falls for Gaddis' sister, Valerie (Maggie Gyllenhaal), drawing another player into the game.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Criminal

Criminal

What to Know

Critics Consensus

If you saw Nine Queens, it may feel redundant, but the snappy performances make it fun to watch.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/22/2010
3/5
This con man movie is best for older teens and up. Go to Full Review
Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness 05/03/2005
C+
A second-generation photocopy of a David Mamet cryptogram. Go to Full Review
Susan Walker Toronto Star 09/24/2004
3/5
With dashes of black humour and pointed glimpses of the American class system, Criminal is a taut con-versus-con game whose deft artistry isn't fully revealed until the last few minutes. Go to Full Review
James Mottram The List 04/23/2019
3/5
There's nothing stars John C. Reilly and Diego Luna can do to make you forget you're watching the same story. Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 11/23/2017
3/4
Filmmaker Gregory Jacobs, making his debut here, delivers an opening half hour that's perhaps not as compelling as it could (or should) have been... Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 09/16/2017
C
A witless high-concept action film that's forgettable. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Jeremy A 01/02/2025 A good little con movie. Not predictable and the ending was good. 4* See more Kyle M 04/12/2024 A successful con isn't the expectation simplifying its presentation, it's the sensed trick in the sleeve waiting to be pulled out, and that went meta through the detours to make the slick direction's-built revelation the more surprising even though it couldn't go further for preferred satisfaction. In addition, while you have the con all set up, it needs to be convincing which beneficially relies on the cast to smoothly flow the narrative quite effectively to uphold engagement. (B) See more Jeffrey P 03/25/2024 Uncomplicated and snappy with a twist that works even though you basically know it's coming. Main plot needed to be better explained, and how it was supposed to work. See more Frank P @FrankieP543 10/06/2023 enjoyable film. Saw this on an airplane during an 8 hour flight, which may be the reason I had difficulty understanding the ending. Pretty good plot and acting, but you get the idea that somebody's gonna get screwed from the very beginning, it's just a matter of who. See more Harrison B @emailaddress 05/25/2023 Not the best heist/switcheroo movie ever, but pretty entertaining See more Georgan G 01/08/2023 If you like con artist movies, this is for you. Its complex plot keeps you guessing until the very end. See more Read all reviews
Criminal

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Man on Fire 39% 89% Man on Fire Watchlist TRAILER for Man on Fire Confidence 68% 70% Confidence Watchlist L.A. Confidential 99% 94% L.A. Confidential Watchlist Layer Cake 81% 84% Layer Cake Watchlist The Hard Word 38% 40% The Hard Word Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Needing a new partner capable of intricate cons, Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly), recruits Rodrigo (Diego Luna), a crook with a perfect poker face. The two plan a big-time scam: selling a fake Silver Certificate to currency collector William Hannigan (Peter Mullan). Rodrigo distrusts his new associate, but needs money to help out his ill father. The situation becomes more complicated when Rodrigo falls for Gaddis' sister, Valerie (Maggie Gyllenhaal), drawing another player into the game.
Director
Gregory Jacobs
Producer
Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney
Screenwriter
Gregory Jacobs, Fabián Bielinsky, Steven Soderbergh
Distributor
Warner Independent
Production Co
Warner Brothers, Criminal Films Inc., Section Eight Ltd.
Rating
R (Language)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 10, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 2, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$923.4K
Runtime
1h 27m
Most Popular at Home Now