Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Two common criminals get more than they bargained for after kidnapping the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer who shows no interest in paying the $1 million dollar ransom for her safe return.
Life of Crime is a passable Elmore Leonard adaptation (based on 'The Switch') that benefits from Leonard's typically sharp plotting and colorful characters, but it struggles to match the stylish verve of better Leonard adaptations like Jackie Brown. The ensemble cast is capable but uneven, with Jennifer Aniston delivering a solid performance while others feel underutilized. The Detroit period setting is adequately rendered but cinematographically unremarkable. The film covers familiar crime-caper territory with Leonard's trademark irony intact but doesn't distinguish itself enough to stand out in the crowded crime-comedy genre. The ending satisfies on a basic level without truly surprising.