Overview
A small-time grifter seeks revenge against a ruthless crime boss through an elaborate con.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- playful
- suspenseful
- classic movie night
- caper film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as stylish, charming, expertly crafted popular entertainment powered by its stars, humor, and intricate deceptions.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Hooker and Gondorff construct an elaborate horse-betting operation involving multiple performers, false identities, and concealed objectives.
The 1930s Chicago setting is shaped by ragtime music, period costumes, art direction, and colorful chapter-like presentation.
After Luther's death, Hooker seeks to punish Lonnegan by joining Gondorff and a team of con artists in a carefully staged financial retaliation.
The film surrounds organized crime and lethal stakes with playful banter, charismatic performances, and an inviting caper atmosphere.
Films like The Sting, and why
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
shares a charismatic buddy dynamic, period crime setting, playful deception, and polished New Hollywood entertainment
Ocean's Eleven
shares con artists, intricate schemes, comic suspense, and an emphasis on charm over brutality
House of Games
shares a period gambling milieu, stylish criminal plotting, and a morally engaging battle of wits
The Spanish Prisoner
shares a sophisticated con-game structure, shifting alliances, and surprise-driven crime storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- George Roy Hill
- Release Date
- 1973-12-25
- Runtime
- 129 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (3115)
Cast
- Paul Newman
- Robert Redford
- Robert Shaw
- Charles Durning
- Ray Walston
- Eileen Brennan
- Harold Gould
- John Heffernan
- Dana Elcar
- Jack Kehoe
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- 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 Sting about?
- A grieving street grifter assembles a flamboyant team of con artists to outwit the gangster who destroyed his life.
- What is The Sting like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Sting as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Sting violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Sting as mild.
- What did critics think of The Sting?
- Critics broadly regard the film as stylish, charming, expertly crafted popular entertainment powered by its stars, humor, and intricate deceptions.
- Which films are like The Sting?
- Films with a similar feel include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Ocean's Eleven, House of Games, and The Spanish Prisoner.
- How long is The Sting?
- The Sting runs 129 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Sting?
- In United States, The Sting streams on YouTube TV.
