Name: Queenpins
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Released: 2021-08-26T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vince Vaughn, Paul Walter Hauser, Joel McHale

The opening shot of Queenpins lingers on Kristen Bell‘s Connie, her fingers dancing across a keyboard as she drafts a scathing letter to General Mills. It’s a moment that promises sharp wit and suburban subversion, but the film quickly devours its own potential.

Directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, Queenpins follows Connie and her best friend JoJo (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) as they transform coupon clipping into a multi-million-dollar counterfeit scheme. The premise is undeniably clever—a pink-collar crime spree that preys on corporate greed—but the execution is uneven at best.

Bell and Howell-Baptiste share an electric chemistry, their banter crackling with genuine humor. Bell, in particular, excels at conveying Connie’s frustration and ambition, making her a compelling antihero. However, the film squanders its strong performances with a script that can’t decide if it wants to be a sharp social commentary or a mindless caper comedy.

The first half of Queenpins is a delight, filled with clever heists and witty one-liners. The scene where Connie and JoJo infiltrate the factory in Mexico is a standout, blending dark humor with genuine tension. But as the stakes escalate, so does the film’s reliance on lazy stereotypes and slapstick gags. Vince Vaughn‘s postal inspector Simon Kilmurry, for instance, is reduced to little more than a bumbling foil, his character arc amounting to nothing more than a series of groaner jokes.

The film’s pacing also stumbles in its final act. What begins as a tightly wound thriller unravels into a convoluted mess of subplots and unnecessary twists. The introduction of Bebe Rexha’s hacker Tempe Tina, for example, feels tacked on, her character serving little purpose beyond delivering exposition.

Queenpins’ biggest sin is its inability to commit to a tone. It wants to be a smart comedy about corporate greed, but it settles for cheap laughs and predictable plotting. The film’s ending, in particular, feels rushed and unsatisfying, as if the writers couldn’t decide how to wrap up their story.

That said, Queenpins isn’t without its merits. Paul Walter Hauser steals every scene he’s in as Ken, the loss prevention officer hot on Connie’s trail. His deadpan delivery and physical comedy provide some of the film’s most genuine laughs. And the film’s central premise—a commentary on consumerism and corporate exploitation—is undeniably timely.

In the end, Queenpins is a film of missed opportunities. With a stronger script and more consistent tone, it could have been something special.