Overview
A gripping tale of deception and maternal instinct unfolds in the world of con artists.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- hardboiled
- cynical
- tense
- late night noir viewing
- crime movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a stylish, hardboiled neo-noir driven by sharp plotting, Donald E. Westlake's screenplay, and outstanding lead performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lilly Dillon's response to Roy's hospitalization entangles maternal feeling with the deceptive economy governing both their lives.
The film transposes the pitiless sensibility of its source novel into 1990s Los Angeles, creating tension between period-coded characters and modern locations.
Roy's failed con, Lilly's compromised job, and the overlapping schemes form a tightly connected chain of consequences rather than episodic capers.
Each central character relies on deception as profession and identity, while the film emphasizes the inevitable downside of that lifestyle.
Films like The Grifters, and why
Blood Simple
Shared neo-noir atmosphere, criminal underworld, moral ambiguity, and tightly wound fatalism.
The Last Seduction
Shared hardboiled crime plotting, corrosive relationships, and bleak noir fatalism.
House of Games
Shared con artistry, gambling, stylized crime storytelling, and emotionally detached characters.
The Usual Suspects
Shared ensemble of grifters, intricate criminal schemes, and coolly cynical tone.
Movie Details
- Director
- Stephen Frears
- Release Date
- 1990-08-08
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (498)
Cast
- Anjelica Huston
- John Cusack
- Annette Bening
- Jan Munroe
- Robert Weems
- Stephen Tobolowsky
- Jimmy Noonan
- Richard Holden
- Henry Jones
- Michael Laskin
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Grifters about?
- A mother, her con-artist son, and a dangerous rival collide in a stylish Los Angeles maze where every hustle carries a brutal price.
- What is The Grifters like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Grifters as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Grifters violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Grifters as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Grifters?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a stylish, hardboiled neo-noir driven by sharp plotting, Donald E. Westlake's screenplay, and outstanding lead performances.
- Which films are like The Grifters?
- Films with a similar feel include Blood Simple, The Last Seduction, House of Games, and The Usual Suspects.
- How long is The Grifters?
- The Grifters runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Grifters?
- In United States, The Grifters is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
