Small Time Crooks

Small Time Crooks

Year: 2000

Runtime: 94 min

Language: English

Budget: $25M

ComedyCrime

A lovable ex-con and his manicurist wife devise a far-fetched plan to quickly get rich. Their ambitious, but flawed, scheme involves a bank heist that quickly goes wrong, leaving them with unexpected and chaotic consequences. The comedy follows their misadventures as they navigate the fallout from their ill-conceived plan.

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Small Time Crooks (2000) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Small Time Crooks (2000), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

In an unexpected twist, Ray and his accomplice, Frenchy, devise a rather ill-conceived plan to tunnel from an abandoned pizzeria to a nearby bank. Their elaborate robbery plot collapses, but serendipitously, the cookie business they established as a front skyrockets in popularity, catapulting them into the luxurious lifestyle of millionaires.

As their newfound wealth flourishes, Frenchy decides to host an extravagant party. However, beneath her gleeful exterior lies a battle with feelings of inadequacy regarding their cultural sophistication. To refine their image, she seeks the help of the art dealer David. Ray, though hesitant, agrees to allow his wife to undergo this transformation, while Frenchy relishes her emerging elegance.

Little does she know that David harbors ulterior motives; he is leveraging her desire for social elevation to fund his own artistic ambitions. As tensions reach a boiling point, Ray eventually walks out on Frenchy. Cast aside, she travels to Europe, immersing herself in arts and culture with David, only to later learn that her accountants have left her financially devastated.

Having lost her cookie business, home, and all her assets, she finds herself abandoned by David. Back home, Ray slips back into his former life, attempting to steal a valuable necklace at an upscale gathering. In a farcical turn of events, he inadvertently swaps the genuine necklace with a counterfeit. When he crosses paths with Frenchy at the same event, she quickly debunks his “find” as a fraud.

However, she’s not easily discouraged. Drawing on her past, she unveils a priceless cigarette case that once belonged to the Duke of Windsor, which she had retrieved from David post-betrayal. This unexpected stroke of luck leads Ray and Frenchy to join forces, sell the exquisite item, and venture towards the sunlit shores of Florida, ready to embrace a new chapter in their lives.

Last Updated: November 19, 2024 at 20:49

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Farcical caper comedies like Small Time Crooks

Lighthearted comedies about ambitious but flawed plans that hilariously backfire.Discover more movies like Small Time Crooks, featuring comedies about botched heists and ambitious schemes. These films share a lighthearted tone and focus on the humorous fallout of plans gone awry, perfect for fans of cheerful crime farces.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a simple 'plan-gone-wrong' structure. A motivated individual or group, often underdogs, devises a seemingly clever plan that immediately unravels due to their own incompetence or sheer bad luck. The story then focuses on their attempts to manage the escalating chaos, with the journey being far more important than the original goal.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared comedic tone, low-stakes intensity, and focus on farce. They appeal to viewers who enjoy watching characters stumble through absurd situations, where the humor comes from the execution of the plan rather than its success.

Movies about accidental fortune like Small Time Crooks

Stories where characters stumble into wealth and comically struggle with the consequences.If you liked the rags-to-riches story in Small Time Crooks, you'll enjoy these films about characters who stumble into wealth. These movies explore the funny and often challenging consequences of sudden fortune with a lighthearted and optimistic feel.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative arc is a twist on the classic rags-to-riches tale. Characters achieve wealth not through hard work but through a lucky accident or a failed venture. The story then follows their often misguided attempts to fit into a new social class, leading to fish-out-of-water humor and a reflection on what truly matters, usually culminating in a reaffirmation of simpler values.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by the central theme of serendipitous wealth and its lighthearted exploration. They share a vibe of optimistic chaos, where financial windfalls create more problems than they solve, but ultimately lead to personal growth and a happy ending.

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Small Time Crooks

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