The Facts:

Synopsis: A small-time conman has torn loyalties between his estranged mother and new girlfriend–both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own angles to play.

Stars: Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle

Director: Stephen Frears

Rated: R

Running Length: 110 minutes

TMMM Score: (6.5/10)

Review:  In 1990 Angelica Huston played two very bad women.  In The Witches, Huston was delightfully over the top as the Grand High Witch that can’t stand children and while she doesn’t play a witch in The Grifters, her lack of a moral compass is just as chilling.  The performance rightfully earned her an Oscar nomination alongside Best Supporting Actress nominee Annette Bening in the movie that really put her on the map.  They are the mother and girlfriend of a two-bit con artist played well by John Cusack in this dark comedy noir by UK director Stephen Frears.  The three actors work some interesting cons along the way, with Bening in particular using her considerable assets to almost walk away with the movie.  Still, anytime Huston is on screen she rules the roost with her platinum hair and scheming plans.  With Donald E. Westlake adapting the slick film from a novel by Jim Thompson, this is a treasure chest of double crosses, dead bodies, and one very scary sack of oranges.