While the plot for “Queenpins” may sound somewhat outlandish, it’s actually based on the true story of three women who pulled off a similar scam in real life. In 2012, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson were arrested by police in Phoenix, AZ, where they were found to have $25 million in fake coupons.
In the end, Fountain and Johnson testified against Ramirez, and she ended up in prison for two years. All three women were also ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution to Procter & Gamble. Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, who co-wrote and co-directed “Queenpins,” told The Hollywood Reporter that they discovered the news reports while “[taking] deep dives into the internet to try to find stories that are interesting and unique and haven’t been told before.”
As they were doing research, they stumbled upon the premise of their movie on a coupon blog. “We called the detective in Phoenix and talked to him, and he talked about how it was a legitimate case and really happened and the impact that scam has on our economy,” Pullapilly explained.
If the idea of a crime comedy about counterfeiting coupons appeals to you or you want to see what all the hype is about regarding the popular Netflix offering, “Queenpins” can currently be viewed by anyone in the United States with a standard subscription to the streaming service.
