I remember going to see this in the theaters when it came out in 1990. Everyone seemed to be talking about it in LA and, I think I thought it was "OK" back then. I remember thinking how weird it was that they all drove cars from the early 80s and 70s when it was set in the (90s) current time. Somehow things are always cooler in previous eras perhaps?
When catching it on cable recently I'd actually forgotten how the films ends which is kind of interesting (my theory on films is that if it "stays with you" and is memorable then it has served its job. I saw the Sand Pebbles when I was a kid and never forgot it. I never forgot the ending.
The Grifters sets itself up as a heist or Big Con movie in the way of The Sting but there IS no big con. We get to see the con Annette Bening did in a previous gig but we're sorta waiting for the three of them to get going and it never happens - which is a sort of con on the audience. It's almost like there's a missing character, someone cut out of the script and there's a big logic hole because of it. If Cusack's character is making $20 here and there from conning bar tenders out of change then how does he have paintings on his wall stuffed with thousands of $$??
Annette Bening having sex with a nasty, fat landlord to save $5? She's behind on the rent. Really. She's hotter than a frying tamale and even hotter in this film so she's really going to roll in the hay with some slob? Why not just do a quick con, after all, she's the queen at this sort of stuff. I mean this was 1990 not 1890. C'mon!
Fleeing from the mob and sleeping next to a loaded gun and full of fear, Angelica Huston finds no trouble falling to sleep and, in fact, sleeps so soundly that she doesn't hear Annette Bening rattling at least THREE keys trying to get into her motel, doesn't hear her walking in the motel room (this is after a previous scene where she (Bening) picks out the "perfect" motel key from a massive wad of keys) and is shocked to wake up to find her hands around her throat. Really??
Angelica Huston has great gams, Annette Bening is a doll for sure and, as much as I love seeing Bening naked, it does seem gratuitous now. Some of the other reviews nail why this film is flawed but it's not THAT bad and there are some great beats along the way.
When catching it on cable recently I'd actually forgotten how the films ends which is kind of interesting (my theory on films is that if it "stays with you" and is memorable then it has served its job. I saw the Sand Pebbles when I was a kid and never forgot it. I never forgot the ending.
The Grifters sets itself up as a heist or Big Con movie in the way of The Sting but there IS no big con. We get to see the con Annette Bening did in a previous gig but we're sorta waiting for the three of them to get going and it never happens - which is a sort of con on the audience. It's almost like there's a missing character, someone cut out of the script and there's a big logic hole because of it. If Cusack's character is making $20 here and there from conning bar tenders out of change then how does he have paintings on his wall stuffed with thousands of $$??
Annette Bening having sex with a nasty, fat landlord to save $5? She's behind on the rent. Really. She's hotter than a frying tamale and even hotter in this film so she's really going to roll in the hay with some slob? Why not just do a quick con, after all, she's the queen at this sort of stuff. I mean this was 1990 not 1890. C'mon!
Fleeing from the mob and sleeping next to a loaded gun and full of fear, Angelica Huston finds no trouble falling to sleep and, in fact, sleeps so soundly that she doesn't hear Annette Bening rattling at least THREE keys trying to get into her motel, doesn't hear her walking in the motel room (this is after a previous scene where she (Bening) picks out the "perfect" motel key from a massive wad of keys) and is shocked to wake up to find her hands around her throat. Really??
Angelica Huston has great gams, Annette Bening is a doll for sure and, as much as I love seeing Bening naked, it does seem gratuitous now. Some of the other reviews nail why this film is flawed but it's not THAT bad and there are some great beats along the way.