CrimeDrama

The Grifters

- Seduction. Betrayal. Murder. Who’s conning who?

A small-time conman has his loyalties torn between his estranged mother and his new girlfriend, both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own angles to play.

Release Date : 1990-08-08

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Cineplex-Odeon Films

Production Country : CanadaUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Lilly Dillon

Original Name : Anjelica Huston

Gender : Female

Character Name : Roy Dillon

Original Name : John Cusack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Myra Langtry

Original Name : Annette Bening

Gender : Female

Character Name : Guy in bar

Original Name : Jan Munroe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Racetrack Announcer

Original Name : Robert Weems

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeweler

Original Name : Stephen Tobolowsky

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender

Original Name : Jimmy Noonan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cop

Original Name : Richard Holden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sims

Original Name : Henry Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irv

Original Name : Michael Laskin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mintz

Original Name : Eddie Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Sandy Baron

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Lou Hancock

Gender : Female

Character Name : Joe

Original Name : Gailard Sartain

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse Carol Flynn

Original Name : Noelle Harling

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maid

Original Name : Ivette Soler

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bobo Justus

Original Name : Pat Hingle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor - Young Paul

Original Name : Paul Adelstein

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor - Freshman

Original Name : Jeremy Piven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor - Spooney

Original Name : Gregory Sporleder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor - Stinky

Original Name : David Sinaiko

Gender : Male

Character Name : Drunk

Original Name : Jeff Perry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Drunk's Friend

Original Name : Jon Gries

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waitress

Original Name : Micole Mercurio

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gloucester Hebbing

Original Name : Charles Napier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cole

Original Name : J. T. Walsh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Receptionist 1

Original Name : Teresa Gilmore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Receptionist 2

Original Name : Elizabeth Ann Feeley

Gender : Male

Character Name : FBI man

Original Name : Billy Ray Sharkey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arizona Motel Clerk

Original Name : Frances Bay

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lt. Pierson

Original Name : Xander Berkeley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender (uncredited)

Original Name : John Gillespie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Lilly (uncredited)

Original Name : Juliet Landau

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cab Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Sy Richardson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Opening voice-over (uncredited)

Original Name : Martin Scorsese

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

My son is going to be all right. If not, I'll have you killed. The Grifters is directed by Stephen Frears and adapted to screenplay by Donald E. Westlake from the novel of the same name written by Jim Thompson. It stars Anjelica Huston, John Cusack and Annette Bening. Music is by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Oliver Stapleton. “The best reason I can think of is that you scare the hell out of me. I have seen women like you before, baby. You're double-tough and you are sharp as a razor, and you get what you want or else; but you don't make it work forever. Sooner or later the lightning hits, and I'm not gonna be around when it hits you” 1990 was a grand year for neo-noir, of the dozen + titles that came out that year, The Grifters sits atop of the pile. A superlative film noir that boasts class on the page and on both sides of the camera. Set in modern day Los Angeles, the story follows three cynical and sly con artists through a psychological fog of bluff, double bluff, pain, misery, manipulations and shattering developments. That the trio consists of a boyfriend, girlfriend and an estranged mother only darkens the seamy waters still further. Los Angeles positively bristles with a smouldering atmosphere thanks to the work of Frears, Bernstein and Stapleton. Sexual tension is ripe, Westlake’s adaptation doing justice to Thompson’s novel, while the three leads – and Pat Hingle in super support – are on fire, bringing complex characters vividly to life as they trawl through the devilishly labyrinthine plot, adding biting humour and shallow savagery into the bargain. A top draw neo-noir that doesn’t cut corners or pull its punches, from the split screen opening salvo to the pitch black finale, The Grifters delivers high quality for neo-noir fans. 9/10