X
- 1990
- R
- Miramax Films
- 1 h 50 m
- 1990
- R
- Miramax Films
- 1 h 50 m
Summary When small-time cheat Roy Dillon (Cusack) winds up in the hospital following an unsuccessful scam, it sets up a confrontation between his estranged mother Lilly (Huston) and sexy girlfriend Myra (Bening). Both Lilly and Myra are ruthless confidence artists playing the con game in a league far above Roy ... and always looking for their ne...
Directed By: Stephen Frears
Written By: Jim Thompson, Donald E. Westlake
- 1990
- R
- Miramax Films
- 1 h 50 m
- 1990
- R
- Miramax Films
- 1 h 50 m
The Grifters
7.5
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Summary When small-time cheat Roy Dillon (Cusack) winds up in the hospital following an unsuccessful scam, it sets up a confrontation between his estranged mother Lilly (Huston) and sexy girlfriend Myra (Bening). Both Lilly and Myra are ruthless confidence artists playing the con game in a league far above Roy ... and always looking for their ne...
Directed By: Stephen Frears
Written By: Jim Thompson, Donald E. Westlake
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 18 Critic Reviews
86
83% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
17% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 18 Critic Reviews
86
83% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
17% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Mr. Frears is as good with the small touches as he is with the big ones – and that means they're great. [24 Jan 1991, p.A8(E)]
The Grifters moves with swift unsentimental resolve toward a last act as bleak as any in recent American screen literature. In a less skillful work, it would be a downer. The Grifters is so good that one leaves the theater on a spellbound high. [5 Dec 1990]
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 48 User Ratings
7.5
75% Positive
36 Ratings
36 Ratings
19% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
6% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 48 User Ratings
7.5
75% Positive
36 Ratings
36 Ratings
19% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
6% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Report
Nov 22, 2022
Roy Dillon, petty crook, has managed to build a solid fortune over the years. Rushed to the hospital, he is visited by his mother, who is ready to do anything to separate him from his girlfriend who reveals to be way more cunning and smarter than him. This movie Is a great noir, easilyome of Frears bestmovoes. Directing Here Is no showy but Is at the service of the story in a subtle way. Good performance by the cast too, John Cusack and an extraordinary Annette Bening.
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Indeed, as the film unreels to its extraordinary climax - a scene that will make your skin crawl - Frears has the larger target right in his sights and, bang, pulls the thematic trigger, taking no prisoners.
Westlake's screenplay has the right combination of vivid characters, mordant wit and avaricious savagery which distinguishes the best noir.
By Staff (Not Credited) FULL REVIEW
More than anything, The Grifters isn't dramatically shot; black-and-white would have made a huge difference. [5 Dec 1990]
While the filmmakers manage to keep things interesting (sexy, kinky, and ambiguous) much of the time, the self-conscious piety that Frears lavishes on this material places it in an uncertain netherworld that prevents it from ever becoming fully convincing, even as a stylistic exercise.
Aug 14, 2024
An excellent screenplay (Donald Westlake adapting Jim Thompson!) that is let down by the direction. Frears is not a good fit for this material. Angelica Huston breathes weary life into her character, but Cusack and Benning just deliver what's on the page without nuance or irony. Benning's happy-go-lucky slut/scam artist is particularly one note - she comes across like a naughty little girl. The sound design is awful and does nothing to build atmosphere - there is no music to it.
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Jun 20, 2012
An indie crime-drama fixes on a veiled Oedipus complex relationship between a mother and his son, which also involves another pivotal figure, the son's femme fatale girlfriend. One background consensus is that they are all grifters, while the mother is an old-hander, the girlfriend is a slutty self-seeker, they are pros, bar the son is just a small-time crook and being too righteous to go down with the swindle business, what
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Jun 26, 2015
The Grifters ultimately left me feeling quite disappointed. The ending is quite intriguing and well done, but the first three quarters of the film are pretty terrible. Though John Cusack is strong and the premise is interesting, the premise winds up being the only interesting part for much of the film as it winds up just dragging along and never really feeling like anything ever happens. Anjelica Huston is terrible here (seriously, her pronunciation of Los Angeles made me question my decision to watch this one at all) and Annette Benning is alright, but her character is so poorly written and sexist, it is appalling. Honestly, her character is resigned to being nothing more than an object to have sex with, in spite of showing some serious talents as a "grifter". Anyways, the last little bit does save this one from being worse because it is interesting and the film itself is well made, though the direction from Stephen Frears was quite disappointing to say the least. Overall, The Grifters is a sub-par film that should have been way better than it was.
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Apr 19, 2025
Some of the cheesiest and most poorly written lines of dialogue ever committed to a serious film. The characters are caricature. And the over the top performance from Annette Benning doesn't help. Cusack was also miscast. Hard to believe Frears directed and Scorsese was even involved. This film is just a poorly done attempt at neo noir that never feels genuine or even remotely intriguing. The critics truly missed the mark on this one.
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Production Company
- Cineplex Odeon Films
Release Date Dec 5, 1990
Duration 1 h 50 m
Rating R
Tagline Who's Conning Who?
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 4 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
