Rating: 
Summary: A powerful Greek tragedy set in America or I Oedipus
Review: The Grifters is one of the most underrated films ever made in my opinion.
Oedipal conflicts simmer and ultimately boil over in a timeless American landscape populated by small time con artists, a brutal mafia boss and a dysfunctional mother and son whose reunion initiates many of the diverse plot twists and turns.
Houston's masterful performance is delivered with such blistering intensity that you can smell the burning celluloid as she wiggles her way across the screen.
The other performances are very fine indeed, this is definitely a movie that connoisseurs of fine acting will enjoy.
The pace is fast moving and engaging, the filmic equivalent of a page-turner, I'm easily bored and distracted, and this movie had me gripped until the final incredible scene.
One of the things I really appreciate about The Grifters are the way that the frailty of the human body is communicated realistically. No chairs splintering over people's heads or men punching each other repeatedly in the face before getting up again for more.
A swift pool cue handle jammed into in the guts is enough to cause a critical organ rupture, a small burn on the back of the hand is agonising and the damage done by a drinking glass is unimaginably worse than intended. I'm not going to even discuss the terrifying scene involving a bag of oranges. Just like in real life, violence is swift, unpredictable and causes all kinds of visible and hidden damage.
The other thing I really liked was the way that each of the characters had different personas depending on who they were relating to and the situation they found themselves in. Lily could be a tender mother to her injured son one moment, the next she becomes a monster as she threatens an innocent doctor, telling him she will have him killed unless her son recovers fully.
The evil gangster Bobo is terrifyingly sadistic in his punishment of a female underling, the next almost paternal as he lends her his overcoat so she can leave his home with her injuries hidden. With the coat wrapped around her trembling shoulders and stuttering with terror she compliments Bobo on his suit, telling him that he looks tall in it.
I found that moment of the movie symbolic of the whole, on one level The Grifters is all about the masks people wear to survive in their terrifying and desperate world. Things are hidden and things are revealed. People higher up the chain must be appeased, those lower down can be screwed mercilessly. Nothing is secure; nothing can be relied on to be good or true.
The complex plot twists of betrayal; manipulation, incest and murder are reminiscent of the celebrated BBC production of I Claudius. The inevitability of the characters' doomed fates, the ruthlessness with which they try to escape them and the way that the disparate plot elements resolve themselves suggest that this is a classical Greek tragedy set in modern America.
I don't want to give too much away so will say no more other than to highly recommend the film. The music and cinematography is great too. A masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Film, Sleazy Characters
Review: The Grifters provides an extremely interesting look at some genuinely sleazy parasite con-artists who pretty much ended up living the lives they deserved. The story is well told and the characters quite credible (albeit squalid).Myra Langtry, however, certainly appeared to be a fun date.
Rating: 
Summary: Grift away with The Grifters.
Review: The Grifters was the film that put the Miramax studio on the map back in 1990. Dark and dirty, it's the story of three twisted individuals that put foxes and rats to shame in the sly and cunning stakes. All three of the film's players are professional con artists of one sort or another. To use the 1950s term, they're 'grifters'. Rather than going about their separate businesses ripping off the unwary and the gullible, our three charlatans find themselves pitted against each other. Why? Because as much as they make a living from the naïve and honest, a grifter gets the ultimate thrill from shafting another charlatan. Roy (John Cusack) is what's known in the caper as a short-con. He runs quick little scams on the unsuspecting to earn his living. His repertoire includes flashing a $20 bill at a bar tender as he orders a beer, only to deftly substitute it for a tenner when the barman returns with the beer, gaining an extra $10 in change if he's lucky. Roy's 25 years old, and has been on the grift since he was 17 and quasi-apprenticed to an old time grifter. Roy subscribes to his old mentor's philosophy of sticking to the short sharp tricks to fleece people. The financial rewards aren't as lucrative as those gained from more elaborate long-con operations, but you're also less likely to go to prison for your troubles. Like all con artists, Roy's charismatic when he wants to be. However, as a result of so many years on such an anti-social career path, he's also a little strange. He lives in a seedy looking old hotel room, and hordes money like a squirrel hordes nuts. Roy's a troubled soul. Myra (Annette Bening) has a part-time job modeling for the word 'amoral' for Websters Dictionary. Myra's way of doing things includes cheerfully offering her greasy old landlord the choice of cash or sexual favors as her rent payment. Older than she looks, Myra's an experienced seductress in the long-con game. Bristling with sexual energy, she also happens to be Roy's new girlfriend. Lilly is Roy's Mum. She's also a gofer for a mobster/bookmaker. Her scam is to go around placing bets at the race track on rank outsiders in order to bring their odds down, and therefore protect her bosses exposure should one get up in a race. She's a crafty old vixen, that's only 14 years older than her son. Such is their relationship, Roy calls her by her "Lilly" rather than the conventional "Mum". Lilly easily matches Roy and Myra in the devious department, and gives the distinct impression that she'd take anyone down for a dollar, including her son. Thus the stage is set! One of Roy's show-em-twenty-and-give-em-ten scams doesn't go according to plan. An astute bartender gives the would-be shyster a good hard smack in the stomach with a baseball bat. Such was the pounding, Roy ends up in hospital. During visiting hours, Lilly and Myra meet each other for the first time and the sparks immediately fly. In a man-bewildering display of a women's intuition, Myra and Lilly recognize exactly what sort of woman the other is. They're looking in the mirror and they don't like what they see. The story rolls nicely from there with some fascinating twists and turns as the battle of wits between the three gathers momentum. Will Roy and Myra team up for a long-con? Will Myra pull the wool over Roy's eyes? Will Lilly protect her son, or will true instinct kick in and see her take Roy down instead? What will Myra and Lilly do to each other? You wont have a clue until the very end, and then it's an ending you're not expecting! Con artists aren't your usual criminals. They don't rely on thuggery or even your absence to get what they want. No, for the likes of Roy, Myra, and Lilly, the game is to pluck it right from under your nose without you even noticing. They get what they want because they're smarter than their opponents. Watching our three players is like watching a rattlesnake with a delightful smile. You find them all charismatic, but you're ready to recoil because you sense that they're dangerous. In many ways the snake oil salesman is far more interesting to watch than the mugger. I'm a solid fan of John Cusack's work. I've enjoyed everything from Better Off Dead to Grosse Point Blank. However, I must admit that his female co-stars have outgunned him in The Grifters. Cusack's Roy is a little two flat and not as charismatic as he should be. I can't help but think that Brad Pitt, with a Fight Club caliber performance, could produce a better Roy. The role needs a little more sparkle. Annette Bening is delightful in a darker, sluttier role. Getting her gear off and strutting around topless didn't hurt my interest, but she also brought the character of Myra to life scene after scene. Bening is the glue and the wildcard in The Grifters. She makes you watch and wonder what'll happen next. Additionally, I wont be singing "the old gray mare, she aint what she use to be" about Angelica Huston's performance. Like Bening, she's quite sensational as the sexy reptile. Her ability to constantly maintain the shifting mirage involved in being Roy's Mum, a seductress, and a ruthless con artist is quite superb. Full marks for Angie! The Grifters is based on the 1950s Jim Thompson novel of the same name. With full credit to director Stephen Frears, the film (set in the 90s) retains a certain old fashioned feel to it. In many ways the story needs it to be plausible, but it also gives the film a unique aura. Grifting is probably the second oldest profession in the world, so it's befitting that its agelessness is hinted at in the film. The Grifters was nominated for four Oscars, and it's easy to see why. It's smooth, intoxicating, and, most of all, addictive. You'll find yourself fascinated by the three players and their outrageous behavior. All up, I'm giving The Grifters four out of five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Good film, good book...
Review: The movie is based on the book (same title) by Jim Thompson, and stays fairly close to the theme of the book. (Though, they touch on the nurse in the movie, the nurse actually had a little more of a part in the book.) To me, it's important that a movie based on a book does it's original source justice, and I think this movie does just Jim Thompson's crime noir justice. This is amongst my Top 5 Movies of All Time. And, I think, is amongst the best work John Cusack has ever done in his career. The interaction between the characters is executed well. Anjelica Huston, Annette Benning, and John Cusack all play their roles to the tilt, and when I read the book, I could see each actor playing their particular characters. Though, the book was set in the '50s, you never really know what era they are in in the movie. I like the mystery of that. The women in '40s dresses and John wearing a skinny tie which was popular both in the '60s and '80s. I think that's how the movie has aged so well, and that will keep it timeless. I read someone else's review here that their DVD/this particular DVD doesn't have any bonuses. If you get the special edition DVD of The Grifters, you'll get bonuses. There's a section about Jim Thompson and the book version, as well as interviews with the cast and crew.
Rating:
Summary: Cusack at His Best
Review: This darkish comedy depicting the life of a young man who's career is that of what people call a "grifter". Cusack is a hustler that performs small cons that make the easy buck. Stephen Frears does an excellent job with the fluidity and movement of the story. Not only does Anjelica Huston give one of her best performances ever, but she makes the movie. She plays Cusacks mother, while Annette Bening plays Cusacks girl-friend. It's a story about the turmoil of life and the things that drag us down. A few good laughs, some excellent drama, and just an all around great movie.
Rating:
Summary: The towering work of Stephem Frears!
Review: This is a splendid film. One of the hard movies of this decade. A chess game in the purest sense of the word. The underworld of these little gamblers ond fortune seekers was depicted with origianilty and built on a solid script and secondary characters that enrich even more this story.
Angelica Huston is her best performance (I like even her Award performance Prizzi's honor) ; John Cussack made a brighting performance and Anette Benning superb.
The film plays hard . It's a neo film noir but it keeps for the viewer several smart bits and clever twist of fate: a little homagge to "The sting" ; in the middle of the movie and fine dialogues ; specially in the tour de force dialogue Huston and her son and the frenetic and anguishly fight Huston - Benning in the motel .
Frears is a very original film maker but besides its intimate character this film may be well considered his masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the worst experiences I ever had
Review: This is a very well made film. It's also one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Maybe it's just me. I'm not one for gangster movies, for example. And this thing absolutely left me speechless. Why would I be interested in a movie about three sad, abject, lonely, pathetic excuses for humanity whose entire goal in life is to rip off anybody they meet---and ultimately each other? And why in the world would anybody find the ending anything but repugnant? Absolutely one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen. Humorless, depressing.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly Smart with Powerhouse Performances!
Review: This is an extremely entertaining and fascinating look into the lives of con-men and con-women. Angelica Huston gives her best performance as the icy blonde con-mother of Roy, she is simply masterful in this film. John Cusack also gives his best and grittiest performance as Roy, a small-time con who wants to get out. Annette Bening is also excellent as Roy's knockout girlfriend who is looking for the long-con. The split-screen introduction sequence is great. Stephen Frears directs with cold assurance. Fascinating characters and plot, intelligent sharp dialogue and 3 powerhouse performances. One of the best movies of 1990. Extras: that's Martin Scorcese's voice narrating at the beginning of the film, he also produced. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!
Rating:
Summary: Instant Classic
Review: This is the stuff of Greek tragedy. Long after repeated viewings, you find yourself thinking that yes indeed, it is that good. A must. A perfect gift for Mother's Day.
Rating:
Summary: Greek tragedy is a great description
Review: This was an extraordinarily good movie, Huston, Cusak, and Benning are superb, the screenplay even better. I'd been meaning to see it for years, was finally motivated to buy it after reading Thompson's "Pop 1280" and watching "Coup de Torchon", just very impressed with a unique twist of vision. "The Grifters" is wonderful at making the point that although con artists are often portrayed as purveyors of victimless crimes, or that their victims somehow deserve what they get by being stupid, these con artists are merciless predators. They are so predatory that when they run out of marks, they begin preying on each other. Their predatory instincts are so overwhelmingly dominant that they overcome the more normal genetic imperative for perpetuating one's own genes.
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