Vince VaughnandKristen Bellhave had a lot of hit films during their lengthy careers. After breaking into the business thanks to his charisma and comedic timing inDoug Liman’s buddy comedy,Swingers, Vaughn proved he had a genre-crossing range with his appearances in drama flicks likeJurassic Park: The Lost World,Hacksaw Ridge,andBrawl in Cell Block 99. Likewise, Broadway stage actress and Golden Globe nominee Bell is much more than her voice work in theFrozenfranchise (although we love those films too, so please don’t come for us), as her television career has seen the performer star in titles such asVeronica Mars,The Good Place,andNobody Wants This. With a similar taste for roles and an overlapping of friends, Bell and Vaughn have worked together not only once but twice, in the 2009 productionCouples Retreat, and then over a decade later inQueenpins. Soon, the latter will be making its way off Netflix, giving audiences a limited window to check out the pair in action.
Part comedy and part true crime drama,Queenpinscenters around two women, Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), who are feeling drained by their mundane lives. In another life, Connie was a three-time Olympic gold-winning competitor, but now she lives in the suburbs and is overshadowed by her husband, Rick (Joel McHale). Also down on her luck, Jojo is starting over again and living at home with her mother after her identity was stolen, losing everything in the process. The pair inadvertently walk into a scheme so good they can’t pass it up when they uncover a way to steal from brands and companies thanks to a coupon heist. One clip at a time, thefemale duobuilds upon their financial standing all while getting a bump of adrenaline, but when their crimes are spotted by loss prevention officer, Ken Miller (Vaughn), their big savings come to an even bigger halt.
The Big Names Behind ‘Queenpins’
Along with Vaughn, Bell, Howell-Baptiste and McHale,Aron GaudetandGita Pullapilly’s crime comedy also featured performances from a handful of notable names, includingPaul Walter Hauser(Black Bird),Bebe Rexha(The Voice),Jack McBrayer(30 Rock) andEduardo Franco(Stranger Things). The film is one of many falling underBen Stiller’s Red Hour Productions, with the Emmy-winning actor serving as an executive producer. After a limited theatrical release,Queenpinsfound a permanent streaming home onParamount+and met largely negative reviews from critics. OnRotten Tomatoes, the title holds a 48% critics’ approval rating, while audiences seemed to enjoy the heisty hijinks more, giving it 82%.
Those interested in determining the movie’s success for themselves can head over to Netflix to streamQueenpinsbefore it leaves on January 17.
WATCH ON NETFLIX
