The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne

Play trailer

The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne

2013

1h 14m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Octogenarian Doris Payne discusses her 60-year career as a jewel thief with filmmakers Matthew Pond and Kirk Marcolina.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Cliff Lee

Globe and Mail

There is wonderful source material here; it's easy to root for Payne's transgressions. But her story is dying for a multimillion-dollar Hollywood treatment.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 20, 2014

Full Review

Linda Barnard

Toronto Star

As much a social and psychological study as a fascinating look at a woman who lived by her own rules.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 19, 2014

Full Review

Farran Smith Nehme

New York Post

It's obvious that Pond and Marcolina can't resist the woman, any more than she can resist yet another heist.

Rated: 3/4

May 29, 2014

Full Review

Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

The film reconstructs her remarkable life with too many cheesy re-enactments. But as Payne goes on trial for the theft of a diamond ring from a department store, she plays the game all the way to the end with glittering authenticity.

Aug 13, 2019

Full Review

Ren Jender

Bitch Flicks

The filmmakers, with their clumsy reenactments, don't seem quite up to dissecting the complexities that Doris's life presents, but we still think about them, even after the movie is over.

Mar 12, 2019

Full Review

Sarah Gopaul

Digital Journal

This documentary is enjoyable because Payne is a firecracker. Even now her eyes sparkle as she recounts barely escaping arrest in Monte Carlo.

Oct 25, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Great documentary!!! I loved the fact that she was able to tell her own story!!!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Incredible story ... Mediocre Documentary . Would've been cool if HBO could had done it. We only got about half the story. I feel like it would make a great movie or series . She deserves (or her story does anyway) better than this. It's a story that should be told.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

,AWSOME MOVIE I LOVE DORIS PAYNE, GIRL YOU CAN COME STAY W ME IF YOU NEED A PLACE!!! DORIS PAYNE IS MY FORM OF TODAY ROBIN HOOD, DORIS ......YOU KICK ASS GIRL!! LOVE YOU TONS

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

walter m

While it is true that the documentary "The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne" is not without its share of flaws, where else are you going to have an opportunity to see a real life jewel thief talk about their life of crime? In this case, it is Doris Payne, now 84, who has been at it for decades; at first so she could help her abused mother escape a life of desperate poverty in West Virginia. As the documentary is about how we perceive others, it is ironic that Doris, who is of black and Cherokee parents, sidesteps the racism of the era in order to allow her access to high society, so she can perform her sleight of hand to subtly steal diamonds. The question remains is she still doing the same, especially considering her recent arrest after being accused of theft from a Macy's in San Diego. But then it does not help that the filmmakers get drawn in a little too closely, too intent on any possible answers to maintain proper distance.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Matthew Pond

Director

Kirk Marcolina

Director

Matthew Pond

Producer

Mark Rivett

Original Music

Peter Holland

Cinematographer

Darmyn Calderon

Film Editing

View more photos

Synopsis

Octogenarian Doris Payne discusses her 60-year career as a jewel thief with filmmakers Matthew Pond and Kirk Marcolina.

Director: Matthew Pond, Kirk Marcolina
Producer: Matthew Pond
Production Co: Treehouse Moving Images
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2016
Runtime: 1h 14m

Most Popular at Home Now