• The Grifters (1990)

    Hard-as-nails Lily Dillon (Anjelica Huston) works as a swindler for dangerous bookie Bobo (Pat Hingle), probably the only man she fears. Arriving in Los Angeles on "business," Lily looks up her son, Roy (John Cusack), a small-time con artist content with paltry sleight-of-hand cheats. Roy's girlfriend, Myra (Annette Bening), looks like an All-American type but is a grifter looking to pull off another big-time con. The convergence of the three hustlers inevitably means trouble for all of them.

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The Grifters
86
metacriticBased on 18 Critics
89
Based on 58 Users

Release Date: December 5th, 1990

DVD Release Date: June 30th, 1998

R |1 hr 53 min

Plot Summary

Hard-as-nails Lily Dillon (Anjelica Huston) works as a swindler for dangerous bookie Bobo (Pat Hingle), probably the only man she fears. Arriving in Los Angeles on "business," Lily looks up her son, Roy (John Cusack), a small-time con artist content with paltry sleight-of-hand cheats. Roy's girlfriend, Myra (Annette Bening), looks like an All-American type but is a grifter looking to pull off another big-time con. The convergence of the three hustlers inevitably means trouble for all of them.

Cast: John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle, J.T. Walsh, Charles Napier

Director: Stephen Frears

Genres: Crime drama

Production Co: Cineplex-Odeon Films

Distributors: Miramax Films

Keywords: Revenge , Hospital , Son , Mother , Rivalry , 1990s , Intense , Quest , Los Angeles ,

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 100
    San Francisco Chronicle

    [Frears] has not only captured the bleak qualities of the old film noir melodramas but supplied an undercurrent that is as sly as it is unsettling. [25 Jan 1991]

  • 100
    Roger EbertChicago Sun-Times

    The performances are all insidiously powerful. show more

  • 100
    Julie SalamonWall Street Journal

    Mr. Frears is as good with the small touches as he is with the big ones – and that means they're great. [24 Jan 1991, p.A8(E)]

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

Awards

Nominated Actress in a Supporting Role
British Academy of Film & Television Arts (1992)
Nominated Actress in a Supporting Role
Oscars Academy Awards (1990)
Nominated Directing
Oscars Academy Awards (1990)
Nominated Writing (Screenplay - Based on Material From Another Medium)
Oscars Academy Awards (1990)