Overview
Two con men go head-to-head in a battle of wits and deception on the French Riviera.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- buoyant
- irreverent
- lazy sunday
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film buoyant, clever, charming, and wonderfully crafted, with Michael Caine and Steve Martin's chemistry at its center.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lawrence and Freddy contest control of the French Riviera by trying to out-con one another.
Lawrence's polished aristocratic persona clashes with Freddy's brash American improvisation.
The French Riviera's affluent visitors provide the targets and social theater for the cons.
The fifty-thousand-dollar wager forces each con man to adapt his performance to the other's interference.
Films like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and why
The Sting
Shares an elegant crime-comedy premise, charismatic con artists, escalating deception, and buoyant buddy chemistry.
Dirty Dancing?
Combines sophisticated scams, comic rivalry, class performance, and a playful battle of wits.
Catch Me If You Can
Shares fast-paced con artistry, mistaken identities, and stylish comic caper energy.
The Italian Job
Uses mismatched criminal partners, elaborate schemes, and escalating comic competition in an entertaining caper structure.
Movie Details
- Director
- Frank Oz
- Release Date
- 1988-12-14
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (1092)
Cast
- Steve Martin
- Michael Caine
- Glenne Headly
- Anton Rodgers
- Barbara Harris
- Ian McDiarmid
- Dana Ivey
- Meagen Fay
- Frances Conroy
- Nicole Calfan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- 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 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels about?
- Two rival Riviera swindlers turn a fifty-thousand-dollar wager into a dazzling contest of charm, deception, and comic one-upmanship.
- What is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as mild.
- What did critics think of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?
- Critics broadly found the film buoyant, clever, charming, and wonderfully crafted, with Michael Caine and Steve Martin's chemistry at its center.
- Which films are like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?
- Films with a similar feel include The Sting, Dirty Dancing?, Catch Me If You Can, and The Italian Job.
- How long is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?
- In United States, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels streams on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
