The Grifters (1990)
74%RT Audience Score: 54%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
10 wins & 21 nominations total
Coolly collected and confidently performed, The Grifters is a stylish caper that puts the artistry in con
If you’re looking for a movie that’s slick, stylish, and full of clever writing, then The Grifters is the perfect pick. With three exceptional performances and a neo-noir vibe that never gets old, this film is a must-see for anyone who loves a good crime drama. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good crime drama? So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to be grifted.
Production Company(ies)
Evergreen Pictures, Candescent Films, Artemis Rising Foundation
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Bryson Hotel – 2701 Wilshire Boulevard, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1991
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 53m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 5, 1990 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2002
Genre(s)
Crime/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle, J.T Walsh, Charles Napier, directed by Stephen Frears, written by Donald E Westlake, Jim Thompson, crime, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Richard Corliss, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Variety Staff, Stephen Garrett, David Nusair, Rob Aldam, Cole Smithey, Steve Crum, Emanuel Levy, MPAA rating R, Miramax Films, Robert A Harris, Jim Painter, Martin Scorsese, con artist, bookie, Los Angeles, grifter, sleight-of-hand, All-American, neo-noir, hardboiled, Elmer Bernstein, soundtrack, female-driven, manipulative, out-foxing, doomed, stylish, caper, artistry, convergence, danger, fear, trouble
Worldwide gross: $13,446,769
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $29,682,278
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,552
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,236,890
US/Canada gross: $13,446,769
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $29,682,278
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,279
US/Canada opening weekend: $71,034
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $156,800
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,767
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Anjelica Huston – Lilly Dillon
Annette Bening – Myra Langtry
Pat Hingle – Bobo Justus
J.T. Walsh – Cole
Charles Napier – Gloucester Hebbing
Director(s)
Stephen Frears
Writer(s)
Donald E. Westlake, Jim Thompson
Producer(s)
Robert A. Harris, Jim Painter, Martin Scorsese
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
10 wins & 21 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (4)
These doomed grifters deserve instant admission into the film noir pantheon.
February 6, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Best to savor The Grifters for its handsome design — the picture looks as clean as a Hockney landscape — and its juicy performances.
November 6, 2009
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A mannerist thriller that doesn’t begin to work despite the number of talented hands involved.
November 6, 2009
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Cusack underplays Roy, making him an unbelievable wiseguy, a colorless cipher too akin to the saps he loves to fleece.
October 18, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Donald Westlake’s excellent screenplay does some justice to the starkness of Jim Thompson’s novel; and Frears’ direction never fails to grab the attention.
June 24, 2006
Stephen Garrett
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
There’s little doubt that The Grifters ultimately fares quite a bit better than its literary predecessor…
May 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
A slick and stylish neo-noir crime drama featuring three exceptional performances.
November 8, 2018
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
[VIDEO] Although the movie recalls films by the Coen Brothers or the Dahl Brothers, “The Grifters” retains its source material’s voice in a thoroughly original way. Here’s a neo-noir you can never see too many times.
September 13, 2011 | Rating: A
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
Clever writing and fine cast make this tale of thieves among us fun to watch.
March 22, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com
British helmer Frears makes 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
July 22, 2007 | Rating: A
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
February 25, 2007 | Rating: 5/5
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)…
Plot
Lily works for a bookie, placing bets to change the odds at the track. When her son is hospitalized after an unsuccessful con job and resultant beating, she finds that even an absentee parent has feelings for her child. This causes her own job to go wrong as well. Each of them faces the down side of the grift.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Anjelica Huston’s performance in The Grifters is described as “hard-as-nails” and “confidently performed.”
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