Thirty-one years after
Take the Money and Run,
Woody Allen returns to a life of crime in this broad comedy. Allen plays Ray Winkler, a low-brow con man who is married to Frenchy (Tracy Ullman), a former stripper. Ray and his buddies concoct a scheme to rob a bank by digging a tunnel from a defunct pizza place next door; as a cover, Frenchy opens a cookie shop in the storefront while Ray and company dig in the back. Ray's burglary is a failure, but Frenchy's cookies are a rousing success, and within a year the store has spawned a nationwide franchise that makes the Winklers rich. However, while Ray wants to move to Miami and bask in the sun,
nouveau riche Frenchy now aspires to join high society, with posh art dealer David (
Hugh Grant) as her guide. Written and directed by Allen and shot in New York City, Small Time Crooks features one of Allen's trademark strong supporting casts, including
Michael Rapaport,
Elaine Stritch,
Jon Lovitz, and
Elaine May. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide