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    Small Time Crooks

    • 20002000
    • PGPG
    • 1h 34min
    IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    37K
    YOUR RATING
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Trailer
    Trailer0:32
    1 Video
    34 Photos
    ComedyCrime

    A loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.A loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.A loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.A loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.A loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.

    • Director
      • Woody Allen
    • Writer
      • Woody Allen
    • Stars
      • Woody Allen
      • Tracey Ullman
      • Hugh Grant
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Woody Allen
    • Writer
      • Woody Allen
    • Stars
      • Woody Allen
      • Tracey Ullman
      • Hugh Grant
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 199User reviews
    • 97Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 4 nominations

    Videos1

    Small Time Crooks
    Trailer 0:32
    Small Time Crooks

    Photos34

    Press Release Photo from Premiere
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Woody Allen, Hugh Grant, and Tracey Ullman in Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Tracey Ullman and Brian Markinson in Small Time Crooks (2000)
    Michael Rapaport and Tony Darrow in Small Time Crooks (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Woody Allen
    Woody Allen
    • Rayas Ray
    Tracey Ullman
    Tracey Ullman
    • Frenchyas Frenchy
    Hugh Grant
    Hugh Grant
    • Davidas David
    Carolyn Saxon
    • Candy Salespersonas Candy Salesperson
    Michael Rapaport
    Michael Rapaport
    • Dennyas Denny
    Tony Darrow
    Tony Darrow
    • Tommyas Tommy
    Sam Josepher
    • Real Estate Agentas Real Estate Agent
    Jon Lovitz
    Jon Lovitz
    • Bennyas Benny
    Lawrence Howard Levy
    • Dynamite Dealeras Dynamite Dealer
    • (as Lawrence Levy)
    Diane Bradley
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Crystal Field
    Crystal Field
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Cindy Carver
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Ray Garvey
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Bill Gerber
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Olivia Hayman
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Laurine Towler
    Laurine Towler
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Fanda Nikic
    • Cookie Store Customeras Cookie Store Customer
    Brian Markinson
    Brian Markinson
    • Copas Cop
    • Director
      • Woody Allen
    • Writer
      • Woody Allen
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Dishwasher and small-fry criminal Ray hits on a plan with his partners in crime to re-open a local pizza place and dig through to the bank down the street. As his wife can't cook pizza but does great cookies, that's what they sell. While the no-hope tunnellers get lost underground, the cookie operation really takes off and the team find themselves rich business people. But the other local money isn't quite ready to accept them. —Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
    heistrestaurantbakeryteachingcriminal26 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Explodes with big-time laughter.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Crime
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG for language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Woody Allen claims he cast Tracey Ullman because she's one of the few comedians that makes him laugh.
    • Goofs
      When Denny, Ray, Tommy and Benny first begin digging the tunnel, while discussing who can use the drill, Denny appears to call Ray (played by Woody Allen) Woody. However, after Ray has just said to Denny "Whaddya mean?", Denny starts to repeat Ray's question, saying "Whaddy... I don't know how to work a drill like that."
    • Quotes

      Ray: Remember my nickname when we were in the joint?

      Benny: The Brain?

      Ray: The Brain. That's what the guys used to call me, right?

      Benny: But, Ray! That was sarcastic!

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Dinosaur/Road Trip/Small Time Crooks/Shanghai Noon (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      With Plenty of Money and You
      Music by Harry Warren

      Lyrics by Al Dubin

      Performed by Hal Kemp

      Courtesy of Columbia Records by arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

    User reviews199

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Woody Lite
    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.
    helpful•10
    4
    • EThompsonUMD
    • May 30, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 19, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Woody Allen Spring Project 1999
    • Filming locations
      • Doyers Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Dreamworks Pictures
      • Sweetland Films
      • Magnolia Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $17,266,359
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,880,723
      • May 21, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $29,934,477
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 34min
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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