Is Queenpins Based on a True Story? Know its Plot and Ending
by Aishwarya R
Updated Apr 27, 2023
Queenpins
Queenpins is a 2021 comedy-crime film directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. The movie stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as a pair of housewives who come up with a lucrative coupon scam that earns them millions of dollars. Paul Walter Hauser also stars in the film as a loss prevention officer who is hot on their trail.
The film takes place in Phoenix, Arizona, where Connie (Bell) is a bored and frustrated housewife who discovers a loophole in the coupon system that allows her to get an unlimited number of coupons for free. With the help of her best friend JoJo (Howell-Baptiste), they begin to print and sell fake coupons online, making millions of dollars in the process. However, their scheme catches the attention of loss prevention officer Ken Miller (Hauser), who is determined to bring them to justice.
The movie is a hilarious and entertaining ride, with Bell and Howell-Baptiste delivering strong performances as the two leads. The chemistry between the two actresses is fantastic, and their dynamic is the heart of the film. Hauser also delivers a standout performance as the determined and somewhat bumbling Ken Miller.
The plot of the movie adds an extra layer of intrigue to the film. It also raises some interesting questions about the nature of white-collar crime and the motivations behind it. Queenpins is a fun and engaging movie that is well worth checking out, especially for fans of crime comedies.
Is Queenpins Based on a True Story?
"Queenpins" is a film loosely based on a true story of a $40 million counterfeit coupon scam that took place in Arizona. The directors and writers of the movie, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, were inspired by the exploits of Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain, who were past their prime when they got involved in the operation. Ramirez, the youngest of the group, was 40 years old when she was arrested for leading the ring.
The movie revolves around two best friends, Connie Kaminiski and JoJo Johnson, who are determined to become debt-free. Starring Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell Baptiste, "Queenpins" presents an engaging storyline that focuses on making quick money with minimal effort. The plot unfolds after Connie complains to a cereal company about receiving a stale product and is sent a coupon as an apology. This inspires her to hatch a plan with JoJo to scam companies with counterfeit coupons.
The duo's scheme gains momentum as they create a whole ring of counterfeit couponing, aided by a tech genius named Tempe Tina to avoid detection by law enforcement. While Connie and JoJo's intentions seem altruistic, they are engaging in a highly illegal operation that could have serious consequences. For many people across the country, couponing is a way of life, and "Queenpins" sheds light on the darker side of this seemingly innocent activity.
Inspired by real-life events, the married filmmakers, Gaudet and Pullapilly, created characters that indirectly represented the three women who orchestrated the massive coupon scam. In an interview with Collider, the duo revealed how department store JCPenney lost up to $4 billion and almost went bankrupt after they stopped couponing.
The filmmakers even traveled to Arizona to understand the gravity of the situation by speaking to a detective in Phoenix. However, they chose to take a comedic turn in their portrayal of the story. The movie showcases how two women, buried in debt and bills, not only cheated the system but also made several mistakes while doing so.
The True Story Behind the Queenpins
Ramirez, the mastermind behind the real-life coupon scam, began her operation in 2007 by sending coupons overseas to be counterfeited and replaced. She would alter the coupons, offering deals like $50 off dog food instead of the original $1 off Pringles. Similarly, in the movie, Connie and JoJo create a website called "Savvy Super Saver" to carry out their scheme.
The success of their plan led Ramirez, Johnson, and Fountain to accumulate immense wealth, enabling them to indulge in luxuries like private airplanes, sports cars, and even guns. Their lavish lifestyle was so remarkable that CBS featured them in their documentary series "Pink Collar Crimes" in 2018.
Local detectives compared the women's wealth and extravagance to that of a drug cartel, cementing their place in history as the orchestrators of the biggest coupon scam. With 93% of Americans using coupons for household items and basic necessities, the story highlights the significant role that coupon culture plays in everyday life.
JoJo publicly shares their money-making scheme on YouTube, while Connie struggles to keep up with the tech genius's plan. The involvement of the postal service adds chaos to the situation. Although the story reflects the reality of real people, it is not explicitly based on the lives of Ramirez, Johnson, and Fountain, giving the filmmakers the creative freedom to embellish the facts. The movie manages to evoke both laughter and horror, making it a captivating watch.
Queenpins Plot
Connie Janikowski, a former Olympic racewalker who has won three gold medals, lives a conventional suburban life that has left her feeling dejected and frustrated. Despite her sacrifices, she feels unappreciated by her husband Rick, who works as a senior audit specialist at the IRS, and by society as a whole. Connie is unemployed and has suffered a miscarriage in her attempt to conceive a child, which has left her feeling alienated. She confides in her best friend JoJo Johnson, who is living with her mother Josephine after her identity was stolen and is trying to make money by creating YouTube videos. JoJo is also being pursued by Earl, the local mailman.
One day, Connie Janikowski vents her frustration about the stale Wheaties she ate by writing a complaint letter to General Mills. To her surprise, she receives a coupon for a free box of cereal in return. Greg Garcia, a cashier at her local A&G Family Marts store, tells her that companies often respond to complaint letters with free item coupons. Connie and JoJo learn that the coupons come from an Advanced Solutions factory in Chihuahua, Mexico, and decide to travel there to collect unused coupons to distribute to other mothers and wives.
They meet Alejandro and Rosa Diaz, who agree to send them the unused coupons. Connie and JoJo then start a website and small business called "Savvy Super Saver" to sell the coupons and make a profit. However, Ken Miller, a loss prevention officer for A&G Family Marts in the Southwestern United States, finds out about the coupons and the losses several companies are experiencing. He pressures his superiors and ultimately decides to handle the case himself.
The duo's business account is frozen due to suspicious activity, leading Connie to realize they need to prove the legitimacy of their business. They seek the help of Tempe Tina, the hacker who stole JoJo's identity, and she takes them to a secret location where she gives them advice on how to conceal their operation and secure their money. She suggests using JoJo's cosmetics brand, Back 2 Black, to disguise their coupon business. After six months, they believe their money is safe to use. However, since the money is dirty, they need to spend and clean it. They start buying extravagant items such as sports cars, boats, planes, and guns. But Tina criticizes their overspending and warns them that their purchases make them look more suspicious. She advises them to withdraw small amounts of money from the bank and sell off their big purchases to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
Queenpins Ending Explained
Ken is teamed up with U.S. postal inspector Simon Kilmurry. As they work together on the case, the two men begin to bond, with Simon showing understanding and empathy for Ken's single-minded determination. They interview people at grocery stores where the ladies often shop and discover that Connie is widely known for her constant coupon usage, with many people connecting her to the "Savvy Super Saver" website due to her use of its slogan while shopping. They also talk to a group of postal workers who remember JoJo, particularly because of Earl's interest in her videos.
After accumulating enough evidence, Simon and Ken arrest Connie and JoJo. While JoJo is released on bail, Rick comes to see Connie only to criticize her, as Simon has informed him that she and JoJo have defrauded over 240 companies of tens of millions of dollars. Tired of his lack of support, Connie declares that she wants a divorce. Although the pair face up to forty years in prison, the affected companies secretly advocate for leniency to avoid bad press, leading to JoJo serving ten days in jail and one year of probation, while Connie is sentenced to eleven months in jail, but is eligible for parole in eight months.
Despite most of their illegal earnings being confiscated, the duo has a large amount of money stashed away, and JoJo starts a relationship with Earl and moves to Montenegro, a non-extradition country where they can resume their scam once Connie is released. Additionally, it is revealed that Connie, who had been trying to conceive after a miscarriage for some time, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization.
Is Queenpins Based on a True Story - FAQs
Queenpins is a comedy film that follows the story of two suburban housewives, Connie and JoJo, who become master coupon scammers, defrauding several companies of millions of dollars.
The lead actors in Queenpins are Kristen Bell, who plays Connie, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, who plays JoJo.
Yes, Queenpins is inspired by a true story of three women who ran a similar coupon scam in the early 2010s.
Queenpins was directed by husband-and-wife duo Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly.
Queenpins was released in the United States on September 10, 2021.