No review available.
The Grifters (1990)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:33
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.8/10
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: THE GRIFTERS is an intense character study of a group of people caught up in a world where nobody can be trusted. Stephen Frears presents this cool and brutal adaptation of Jim Thompson's stylish... THE GRIFTERS is an intense character study of a group of people caught up in a world where nobody can be trusted. Stephen Frears presents this cool and brutal adaptation of Jim Thompson's stylish noir novel, which centers on the complex lives of three con artists. Shady Roy Dillon (John Cusack), a low-level Los Angeles con man and petty thief, and Roy's sexy, amoral girlfriend Myra (Annette Bening), a con artist who is down on her luck and willing to do whatever it takes to get back on top of her game; are the focal point of the action. Rounding out the trio is Roy's mother, Lilly (Angelica Huston), a veteran con artist who shares little with Roy other than a bizarre oedipal attraction. The seedy underbelly of LA life is played out in evocative tableaux, as Myra and Lilly compete for Roy's attention until they ultimately drive him away. [More]
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, John Cusack, Stephen Tobolowsky
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, John Cusack, Stephen Tobolowsky, Michael Laskin, Eddie Jones, Sandy Baron, Lou Hancock, Gailard Sartain, Pat Hingle, Jeremy Piven, Charles Napier, J.T. Walsh, Frances Bay, Xander Berkeley, Juliet Landau
Director: Stephen Frears
Director: Stephen Frears
Story: Jim Thompson
Producer: Martin Scorsese, Robert A. Harris, Jim Painter
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Get This Movie
Reviews for The Grifters
A mannerist thriller that doesn't begin to work despite the number of talented hands involved.
This is a movie of plot, not episode. It's not just a series of things that happen to the characters, but a web, a maze of consequences.
The Grifters is a cynical film that continually catches the audience off-guard; if you're into dark film noir, it doesn't come much darker than this.
British helmer Stephen Frears makes an auspicious American debut with this light, speedy, perfectly executed noir, based on Jim Thompson's novel, boasting three terrific performances; one of the best films of the year
Latest News for The Grifters
December 04, 2009:
Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
Five or six years ago, the Sundance Film Festival was more famous for showing dozens of worthy, politically correct movies that instantly disappeared than the odd breakout hits... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Grifters at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


