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Small Time Crooks (2000) More at IMDbPro »

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171 comments in total

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22 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
Ullman Matches Allen, 9 March 2006

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

I doubt if many people share this sentiment, but this is my favorite Woody Allen movie simply because it does what Allen usually sets out to do: makes me laugh. I'm not a big fan of Allen's films but he and Tracey Ullman make a great pair in this 95-minute farce. Ullman has to be one of the most talented ladies to never achieve real movie stardom. She matches Allen laugh-for-laugh in here and, in some respects, even steals the show.

Other than Allen's penchant for using the Lord's name in vain, this has a real classic-film feel to it, one of those old bickering spouse films but with more modern-day humor. Allen and Ullman trade some very funny insults, and there are many of these quality gags. Ullman is just plain hilarious as the bimbo-like "Frenchy."

Add a gigolo (Hugh Grant), a couple of inept crooks, a couple of old-time Elaine favorites, Strich and May, and a pretty funny premise and you have some good entertainment and an underrated Allen film.

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14 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant comedy from the master!, 12 August 2002

Author: Jack Horner from London, England

I didn't think too much of Small Time Crooks the first time I saw it but I absolutely LOVED it the second time. Great jokes , lovely score , amazing cinematography by Zhao Fei. If that's Woody losing it as some people suggest , then I'm all up for it-great stuff , keep 'em coming , Woodsman!!!!! 9 out of 10.

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12 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
pleasant but time-marking comedy, 6 January 2001
Author: Roland E. Zwick (magneteach@aol.com) from United States

Though essentially a time-marking throwaway by writer/director Woody Allen, `Small Time Crooks' provides so many gems of performance that one can overlook the film's derivative plotting and overall lack of comic drive. In this film, Allen more or less abandons his customary obsession with big city neuroses and middle-aged angst in favor of a more straightforward, plot-driven comedy, paying homage in its patchwork and eclectic story to any number of earlier well-known theatrical and cinematic works.

For example, the first half hour of the movie plays like a stateside version of the 1950's Italian comedy `Big Deal on Madonna Street' as a team of bumbling, far-from-intelligent small time crooks, led by ex-con Ray Winkler (Allen), sets up a cookie store as a `front' so they can drill a tunnel into a bank a mere two or three shops down the road. Then the plot of the film suddenly shifts gears when that plan falls apart and the gang hits pay dirt with the surprising success of the cookies that Ray's uncultured but well meaning wife, the former topless dancer Frenchy (Tracey Ullman), is assiduously baking and selling. The highlight of the film comes in the form of a brilliantly satiric pseudo-60 Minutes report in which Steve Kroft himself chronicles the meteoric rise that this ragtag collection of accidental entrepreneurs takes from obscure small business owners to multi-million dollar corporate giants – a report that pokes affectionate fun at the clichéd rags-to-riches theme so essential to our concept of the beloved American Dream.

With this plot switch, we leave Madonna Street and head into `Unsinkable Molly Brown/Pygmalion/Educating Rita' territory as the vulgar, uncouth Frenchy realizes that, even with all her suddenly acquired wealth, she cannot possibly gain true acceptance from the elite cultural snobs she so desperately wants to impress without a little assistance from her own personal Henry Higgins, who arrives in the form of an art dealer named David played by the suave Hugh Grant. Thus, as Frenchy branches out and begins to open herself up to new cultural experiences, the couple begins to drift apart as Ray comes to crave the return to the simpler life of spaghetti and meatball dinners he knows they have left far behind.

Had Allen been able to sustain the cleverness and bite that inform that `60 Minutes' segment throughout the length of the entire film, `Small Time Crooks' might have emerged as more than just the mere piece of entertaining puffery it ultimately is. Indeed, we find ourselves laughing only occasionally and often at jokes or sight gags that would barely register a chuckle in one of Allen's more sophisticated, more edgy and more character-driven works. Special note must, however, be made of some of the actors, prime among them Ullman and the always brilliant Elaine May who, as Frenchy's adenoidal, utterly befuddled and endearingly obtuse cousin, returns to her `A New Leaf' roots and provides some of the sweetest comic moments in the film. Unfortunately, Michael Rapaport, Tony Darrow and Jon Lovitz, as members of Ray's gang, though they all three give outstanding performances, aren't given enough screen time to really let their talents for comic characterization take flight. Hugh Grant is essentially Hugh Grant – which is to say that he fulfills the requirements of his part without having to stretch his thespian muscles too much.

The success or failure of a comedy is ultimately determined by how often it is able to elicit laughs from the person watching it. Given that criterion, `Small Time Crooks' rates no better than a mild recommendation (though there is one very funny scene involving safecracking near the end of the film). Yet, if for no other reason than to relish a number of its dazzling performances, `Small Time Crooks' certainly earns at least a casual once-over from any Allen devotee. Guess we have no choice but to mark time right along with him!

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12 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Smart and funny with a sense of style, pure Woody Allen. *** out of ****., 17 June 2000

Author: Blake French (dlfspartan@aol.com) from USA

SMALL TIME CROOKS / (2000) ***

Woody Allen's artistic sense of humor is the perfect style of wit for the timid new comedy "Small Time Crooks." Allen wrote and directed the film, which is pure Allen. This amusing filmmaker brings a focused sensation of clumsiness and silliness to the various ensemble of characters; this movie is classy, sharp, and funny.

Woody Allen stars as an ex-con named Ray Winkler, currently employed as a local dishwasher. He is the kind of person who comes up with maniac ideas he explains as beneficial, but they end up causing more grief than gratitude. His mangy wife Frenchy (Tracey Ullman) is sick of her loser lifestyle, so when Ray proposes to burglarize a nearby bank with his old buddies, including Denny (Michael Rapaport), Tommy (Tony Darrow), and Benny (Jon Lovitz), she reluctantly agrees.

Ray comes up with a scheme that consists of renting a storefront next to the bank in order to tunnel a passage way into their destination. To avoid suspicion, Frenchy and her cousin May (Elaine May) open a bakery offering cookies as the four criminals screw everything up in the basement. The cookie sales unexpectedly become a massive achievement, leading to the characters opening up a corporation that makes them rich.

The film's setup introduces the main characters with intelligent humor and riffraff detail. We learn they are unintelligent, desperate, and deprived nobodies living in unmistakable poverty without purpose or hope of a decent future. Also decently developed is the story, with a clear, stable first act and early laughs to capture the audience's attention from the start. This is the kind of movie that relies on situations to pull its characters through the story, and Allen gives the script fresh twists, active subplots, and creativity.

"Small Time Crooks" is a character movie; a study of well-acted personas given funny edge and dimension. The characters are dazzlingly portrayed by some of the most clever names in Hollywood. Woody Allen rehearses his basic charismatic personality that we all know and love, and brackets himself between witty dialogue and well-cast supporting actors. Tracey Ullman is perfect in a role seemingly prepared towards her performance and Hugh Grant's false charming tenderness creates a despicable image in which the audience opposes but enjoys.

The movie's story clearly exhibits the life of Ray and Frenchy, which is probably the smartest level in which it succeeds. We see gradual changes in the two as the story uses side characters as benchmarks that help to propel the plot along. There is minute tension involved with Ray and his spouse, however, although the Hugh Grant character provides a little romantic competition. If I had to change something in this movie, I would increase the level of the story's stakes and change the horridly annoying soundtrack.

Too much of this movie relies on dialogue to pull itself through story slouches; at times the plot seems to drift and the character end up explaining developments and advancements. "Small Time Crooks" does not suffer to immensely in result of this material because Woody Allen often supports his dialogue with visual story and amusing conversations that look as if especially written for each character in each scene.

"Small Time Crooks" furnishes seeking audiences with effective comedy. So often we desire for comic adventures only to find contrived and recycled humor in stale stories. This film succeeds in perspiring light-hearted humor with a surprising human dimensional touch. "Small Time Crooks" will not disappoint fans of Woody Allen's gawky sense of humor.

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11 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
now he's making fun of rich New Yorkers, 12 June 2006

Author: Lee Eisenberg (eisenberg.lee@gmail.com) from Portland, Oregon, USA

I would have never expected a movie like "Small Time Crooks", but one would have to imagine that it could only come from Woody Allen. He plays loser Ray Winkler, who plans to pull off a big heist. But of course, he needs a cover. So, his wife Frenchy (Tracey Ullman) opens a cookie shop above the tunnel that Ray is digging, and lo and behold, the cookie shop is a smash hit, and they never pull off the heist! A year later, Ray and Frenchy are fabulously wealthy, to the point where "60 Minutes" reporter Steve Krofft interviews them. But this all starts exposing the problems in their lives. Maybe crime would have paid after all! Above all, this movie shows that Woody Allen does best when just going for straight comedy. I would say that this was his funniest movie since "Mighty Aphrodite". Also starring are Elaine May, Jon Lovitz and Hugh Grant. You're sure to like it.

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15 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
Absolutely Fabulous!, 13 February 2001
Author: poopsiy (poopsiy@yahoo.com)

This movie is one of those rare gems. A movie with great, seamless performances, a solid story, and a hysterical script. This is one of those movies that you literally need to rush to the video store to rent.

Elaine May is one the most unrelentingly hilarious woman that is so underrated that it should be a crime. The woman is the definition of FABULOUS.

Tracey Ullman is a goddess. She could read a phone book and make it funny. Thats how good she is!

A MUST see! Rush to the store!

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9 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Amusing comedy, but not perfect., 14 April 2001

Author: DancingPotato from Jonquiere, Canada

Woody Allen essentially makes two kind of movies: comedy and movies about relationships. His very first movies were slapstick comedies and then once in a while, after Annie Hall, he made a comedy or two. Small Time Crooks is one of his lesser movies, not on quality but more on terms of release. Small Time Crooks was pretty much ignored on its release.

Allen plays Ray Winkler, officially the world's lamest looking criminal. Allen and his friends (Michael Rapaport, Tony Darrow) plan to break into a bank and get rich. How? Well, it's a complicated plan. Ray's wife, Frenchy, (Tracey Ullman) is to rent a pizza shop and make cookies as a coverup for the men drilling in the basement. However, to Ray's disarray, the pizza shop is already rented out. Ray checks it out and realises that he knows the guy who rented it. Turns out they were cellmates. The guy (Jon Lovitz) joins them into the plan. Ray turns out to be a huge dumbass and can't make the tunnel under the bank. On top, however, Frenchy is having a huge success with her cookies. She hires her cousin May (Elaine May) to help her. The timeline then jumps a year and Ray and Frenchy have become extremely wealthy. They own a huge chain of cookie shops and are now part of the nouveau rich. They meet with David (Hugh Grant), whom Frenchy hires to teach her about culture. Without revealing more, let's just say it screwed up.

Woody is his usual, neurotic self and as usual gives a solid if unimpressive performance. Ullman, as his stripper-turned-cookie-mogul wife, is very good and very funny. It's a shame she isn't in movies more. The rest of the cast is also good, with standouts being Elaine May and Jon Lovitz even though he's not on screen very long.

Small Time Crooks starts out as a funny, slapstick comedy but then takes a turn when they become rich. Now, the title is Small Time Crooks. I was expecting some crookery. I saw some crookery, but not enough. It should have been called Cookie Mogul or something. I realises that it wouldn't have been very good as an all-out caper comedy but about 20 minutes of more crookery wouldn't have hurt. There's also the fact that this movie lags at times, enough to hurt it. And Hugh Grant is unimpressive in a role that could've been more.

Woody Allen is an acquired taste. You may not like it or you may worship it. Small Time Crooks is actually a good way of getting introduced to Allen. 7/10

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6 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
A film of three thirds, 22 July 2003
Author: Fuzzbomb from Londonsville

We'll get this out of the way first - I'm a huge Woody fan, and will fight anyone who disses...

HOWEVER,

This is one of his minor works (see also - Manhattan Murder Mystery, Everyone Says I Love You), and as such comes as a bit of a disappointment if you are intimate with such masterpieces of cinema as Annie Hall, Manhattan and Hannah and her Sisters.

Woody seems to have faxed in his performance (a little hazy like Robin Williams in Deconstructing Harry, perhaps?) and the character is totally wrong for him. Tracey Ullman, however, is just just perfect.

Oddly, the film changes styles every half hour - the first starts like a golden-age caper comedy, then switches to a comedy of manners (very french) and ends up with a traditional Woody 'love lives falling to pieces' plot. Of course, the final third is the most satisfying.

So, a must for Woody fans to stick to the end with, but the question has to be asked -

Is he not too old for this now?

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6 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Hilarious!!, 4 May 2003

Author: torified from Los Angeles, CA

I thoroughly enjoy watching Small Time Crooks over and over again because the humor is so goofy, yet so timeless. This is classic material, derived from the style of comedy that Woody so loves...the old masters, the Marx Bros. and other old-time greats. I recommend it to everyone.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Woody Lite, 30 May 2000

Author: EThompsonUMD from Massachusetts

Like Mighty Aphrodite and Manhattan Murder Mystery, Small Time Crooks is the kind of movie Woody Allen would have made lots more of if he hadn't, in the post Annie Hall 1970s, started thinking of himself primarily as film auteur, rather than comedian. I count myself among those who are very glad he made the detour into Art that produced such original and challenging films as Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Husbands and Wives, and Deconstructing Harry. Small Time Crooks has a much lower level of ambition. Still, like most people in the audience at the showing I attended, I found much in it very amusing.

The film's comic plot starts out like Take the Money and Run revisited, but then takes a number of surprising turns. Along the way, Tracy Ullman, Elaine Stritch, and - especially - Elaine May all give scene-stealing performances. Early Woody one-liners and sight gags sparkle through the script (along with, unfortunately, a higher frequency of duds and chestnuts than in early Woody). Also adding an interesting dimension to the comedy is the influence of The Honeymooners on the relationship between Ray and Frenchie Winkler (Woody and Tracy) and on the film's fish-out-of-water class-based situation comedy. Woody has often professed his admiration for The Honeymooners, but this is the first film where he seems to have consciously reached for similar themes and effects.

On the down side, some of the plot twists seem downright arbitrary and amateurish, especially those involving Frenchie's comeuppance. Inadequate comic use is made of Ray's gang of losers (Jon Lovitz has one good line and too little screen time). And Hugh Grant as a Bluebeard wannabe is too much to ask of any audience. As to Woody himself .... what can you say? It's painful to watch his late career hardening of the comic arteries into stiff, unintentional self-parody. Let's hope the next Allen movie marks a return to high directorial ambition and low (as in "no") acting profile.

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