Emily The Criminal Trailer: Aubrey Plaza Breaks Bad In A Thrilling Sundance Darling

When you think of Aubrey Plaza, you probably think of comedy — six years on an acclaimed TV sitcom has that affect. But with her April Ludgate days behind her, Plaza is branching out. The past few years have seen the actress exploring darker territory, with films like the social media satire "Ingrid Goes West," and the dark meta-thriller "Black Bear." Keeping the trend going, Plaza's latest role sees her descending into a life of crime as the titular Emily in "Emily The Criminal."

Set to arrive in theaters later this summer, the film debuted to rave reviews at this year's Sundance Film Festival, currently sporting a 93% rating over on Rotten Tomatoes after being praised for its thrilling pace, sharp social commentary and most of all, Aubrey Plaza's performance. /Film's own Chris Evangelista came down pretty positively in his Sundance review writing:

"Plaza's performance, which grows more desperate and more fierce, is what keeps things going. Tension continually mounts and builds, and writer-director Ford stages several anxiety-ridden set-pieces that inspire a sick-to-your-stomach feeling. This is a pressure cooker of a movie, and sooner or later we know it's all going to explode. Coupled with the prevailing sense of economic hopelessness, "Emily the Criminal" often feels like a crime saga for the gig economy; a "Scarface" for people who work at DoorDash, with capitalism as the film's Big Bad."

Are you sold, yet? If not, the work can certainly speak for itself. Check out the trailer for "Emily The Criminal" below.

This debut feature film from writer/director John Patton Ford, stars Aubrey Plaza as Emily, a woman whose crippling debt pushes her to break bad as a "dummy shopper," someone who buys goods with stolen credit cards. When Emily starts out, the job sounds simple enough — a couple minutes of breaking the law for quick, easy cash? Why the hell not! Plus, the cards are supplied by a handsome, charismatic middleman played by Theo Rossi, who happily brings her in on the scheme. And the deeper Emily gets, the more lucrative her prospects become. Before long, it looks like Emily and her new partner Youcef (Rossi) are poised to take their scam to the next level.

This sounds like a mildly triggering experience for anyone else trying to ignore their insurmountable student debt. In fact, it might even make you want to consider a life of crime — but I'm willing to bet that the feeling will pass, based on the unnerving tone of this trailer. These things always have a way of crashing down and Emily's life seems on the edge of derailing into chaos.

"Emily the Criminal" premieres in theaters on August 12, 2022. Here's the official synopsis:

Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a "dummy shopper," buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef (Theo Rossi). Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black-market capitalism, and increasingly interested in her mentor Youcef. Together, they hatch a plan to bring their business to the next level in Los Angeles.