MovieChat Forums > Criminal (2004) Discussion > Saw Nine Queens, should i see this?

Saw Nine Queens, should i see this?

posted 19 years ago by lovelybunny
31 replies | jump to latest

I saw Nine Queens a lot time ago and liked it. I didn't love it, but it was good. I can't really remember a lot of the movie but I know that I didn't like it until the end when you realize what just happened. But I could be wrong. I might have loved the movie. I have a bad memory. The only reason I want to see Criminal is because I love Maggie Gyllenhaal and John C. Reilly. I'd be interested to hear from people who didn't like Nine Queens but loved Criminal or liked both.

[–] soze_kaiser 19 years ago

i saw "criminal". its not bad , has a nice atmosphere goin on in the movie ,
but i personally enjoyed the original one "9 queens" more.
but maybe thats just me.maggie has not a very large part in the movie,
there are other flickz out with her in a lead role ...
so both are enjoyable , but the original version is best .

[–] nitewalkr 18 years ago

"Nine Queens" and "Criminal" are almost exactly alike except they are after a special U.s. currency instead of stamps, and the ending is a little different (I believe).

[–] elcorreodegaston 19 years ago

Si viste Nueve Reinas, esta bien. no es necesario que veas criminal.

[–] sdsungod 19 years ago

I don't get the remake thing. Nine Queens was pretty good and just came out a few years ago. Why remake it? Is it that hard to read subtitles?

"Enough of that technical talk, Foo!"

[–] lovelybunny 19 years ago

Remakes are not always based on making money off an old idea. Sometimes people do remakes to put their own spin on a film. Since Nine Queens is virtually little known and Criminal did not go to theatres, making money was not the goal here. Someone probably saw the movie, loved it, and wanted to make their own version of the movie.

[–] jrkelly1998v2 19 years ago

'Criminal' did go to the theatres... It made almost a million dollars, and if it had made more it would have been brought out of limited release. However, they got alot of flak for the "flip" ending which left most reviewers giving it a B+ when compared to the original, which was amazing.

[–] REDON-2 18 years ago

"Own version"? Come on, this is no version. It is a clone of "Nueve Reinas", only worsely performed.

Los que vieron Nueve Reinas den un paso atrás antes de ver Criminal. Se van a aburrir, lo garantizo.

[–] andes200 18 years ago

why a remake? well, so that american audiences never leave their little playground and realize there's a world out there. doesnt matter how good the original is, american need to see it english speaking and done in american cities.
Nueve reinas es muchisima mejor pelicula. tiene todo la sofisticacion de buenos aires y la conexion con una lationamerica de ladrones y un mercado financiero inestable. Nada de esto se traduce a la vida estadounidense.

[–] Straightforward 18 years ago

This is not true. There are many kinds of Americans and many of us love to watch foreign films with subtitles.

I just logged on to find out the name of the Spanish version of this film because I'm wanting to see it! If it were not for Criminal I would not have known about Nine Queens, so I am glad to find out. I also enjoy John C. Reilly and Maggie Gylenhall, who are not "big superstars" in hollywood but are really fun actors.

And I heard the director talk at one of the premieres. He is Hispanic I believe and he just loved the movie and wanted to do it. What is so bad about that? There is an old saying: Imitation (or copying another) is the highest compliment (flattery).

Not all Americans agree with our leaders wars, and not all Americans agree with what the Hollywood machine cranks out for us to watch!!!!!

[–] andes200 16 years ago

You're right straighforward. Lots of americans like watching foreign films in their original language.

It's also perfectly fine to do a remake. They probably have better marketing strategies than the argentinean movie. It'd be interesting to look at what was modified from the original version. It's been a while since I saw those two movies. In the Latin/Spanish/Italian/etc culture there is a figure of the street smart person who by taking advantage of the system/society survives. You can watch "Lazarillo de Tormes" for an early depiction of this character in Spain. However, I think such figure is not a common place within anglosaxon society. Thus a remake of nueve reinas will miss that cultural backing.

[–] gabrielh-1 18 years ago

Its a money thing.
The original argentinian actors are not known in the U.S., so it wont make millions in box office as when played by Hollywood actors.
IMHO, 9 Queens is MUCH better.

[–] emokillss 8 years ago

because the original maker sell the rights for a remake. why the fvck people keep on asking this things in every remake/remade movies. it's pretty obvious

[–] ireibs 19 years ago

Another hollywood re-make...doesnt matter if the performances are great or if it's technically perfect etc, it steals the original idea so there's few merit.

In my opinion there's no point in watching re-makes

[–] lovelybunny 19 years ago

They didn't steal the original idea. They remade the movie. Stealing is taking the idea and putting your name on it.

[–] ireibs 19 years ago

I think everybody understand what i mean...the actual merit lies in writing a good story and develope it in a movie.

Whats the point in 'copying' the idea? It's got half merit at least

[–] misterwendel 19 years ago

Actually, there can be value in a remake. The real merit lies in spell check.

[–] Straightforward 18 years ago

WARNING: SPOILERS CONTAINED HEREIN....SPOILER WARNING...!

The merit is that many more people will see this film -- including the original!

Many of the greatest plays and movies are remade again and again. Do you have a son or daughter. What if your daughter paints a daisy at school. Are you going to tell her that her art work is meaningless because others have painted daisies before? No. Unless you do not love her, you will just enjoy another painting of a daisy in this world. It may not be as beautiful of a daisy as her older sister painted last year, but it is still her own precious art.

I have little doubt in my mind that the director and the actors for Criminal are all in their ways like the daughters painting daisies. They were doing their best to create this movie, this art, with the art of directing and acting. To copy another film is just to celebrate it as a good film.

Okay. Enough of this silly discussion. I am excited that I will finally get to see Nine Queens tomorrow! I enjoyed Criminal very much, and I am expected to enjoy Nine Queens just as much, and hopefully MORE...!!!!!!!!! ;) ;) ;)

Proud to be an Anti-War American who chooses not to hate, and I love how this movie takes the man who is so low-down and will hurt anyone and everyone, and the majority of folks involved in the elaborate scheme are making sure he gets put in his proper place -- and quite poetically. Just lovely!! ;)

Your neighbor who just happened to be born in another country,
A.C.

[–] jrkelly1998v2 19 years ago

Greg Jacobs' gets credit for co-writing "Criminal" - despite the fact that Bielinsky wrote (and directed) the original. There are: no significant changes or improvements to the original story; some insignificant setting changes; and a more confusing ending. Putting your name on a script that is fundamentally the same as the original - does that count as stealing the idea and putting your name on it?

[–] D_Parton 19 years ago

Lovelybunny the question you should ask yourself is "do you want to see Nine Queens again?" If yes then see criminal. If no then don't bother. It is exactly the same movie played by different actors in different locations. I you really love Maggie and John then see it for them but the story is exactly the same and in my mind the actors performances, although good (John my fav actor), aren't mindblowing.

[–] micaelapalomo 18 years ago

Nine Queens is far better, I saw Criminal yesterday and the end was not quite as good as the one in the original movie. While the one in "Nueve Reinas" is seamlessly achieved, I think the one in the remake lacks from that 'je ne sais pas quoi', meaning that little something which makes the film stand out for the plot twist. I might be biased since I am from Argentina, however I'm not a great fan of Argentinian movies, I have always enjoyed more the ones from foreign countries but this case is an exception. I also think the performances of Darín and Pauls are better than that of Diego Luna and John C. Reilly.

Excuse me for my english.

[–] t_mac 18 years ago

yeah, she doesn't have a large role. but she does a good job. as always.
if you wanna see a great movie with her in a more prominent role,, see Happy Endings. fantastic. and she does the best performance I've seen out of her. well, next to Secretary

[–] 18 years ago

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