MovieChat Forums > The Grifters (1991) Discussion > Annette Bening mistaken for John Cusack'...

Annette Bening mistaken for John Cusack's mom?

posted 10 years ago by bonheura
8 replies | jump to latest

I've always wondered how can anyone, let alone cops, could ever think that a 32 y/o woman would be mistaken for a 24 y/o man's mother? even if her face was totally butchered.
This ruined the movie for me lol, and after a recent rerun... I buy it even less!

[–] Nikon11 10 years ago

Eh, it would've been a little more believable had they picked someone to play Lilly who was a little younger looking, more attractive, and similar to Bening.

I could believe that Myra was mid-30's and Roy just 20-21. So if they'd had a similar actress playing Lilly, the mother/son relationship would work - especially with the ambiguously weird relationship that it seems that they had.

Also, people kept confusing one for the other - especially at the end, of course - and that baffled me on the first go, as they didn't resemble each other at all.

[–] cookiela2001 10 years ago

Also, people kept confusing one for the other - especially at the end, of course - and that baffled me on the first go, as they didn't resemble each other at all.

They don't look exactly alike, of course. But they have the same hairstyle, the same basic height and build, and they dress very similarly in close-fitting, short dresses with a simple silhouette, headscarves, high heels and big, dangly earrings.

Also, when Lily and Myra are mistaken for each other, aside from the coroner's office, they're being seen from a distance or in dim lighting (as when Myra checks into the motel).

I think this is an aspect we're just supposed to accept, because we grasp what the filmmakers are going for, even if it's not executed perfectly.

.

[–] Nikon11 10 years ago

Oh, I get that, and have learned to accept it. Just when it's being discussed, it's, to me, the elephant in the room. I know that some people love Huston, but I must be different, because all I see is a bit of a hag. And absolutely no resemblance at all to Bening, who is a total babe.

[–] chilone 10 years ago

Meh... With a butchered face and the son's confirmation, I can see the cops buying it. The main problem with the whole thing though, is that that little gun would not destroy her face. There'd be just a little hole.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

[–] Fred-333 9 years ago

Remember it was mentioned that she was 14 when Roy was born.

[–] The_Sweeney 8 years ago

Remember it was mentioned that she was 14 when Roy was born.

And I seem to recall Roy saying he was 25..... so that would make Lilly 39. And how old was Anjelica Huston when the film was made? Yep.... 39.

"We live in an era where pizzas show up faster than the police" (Claude Chabrol)

[–] pepetoony (1744) 4 months ago

I want to know how the coroner could've ruled it a suicide! The blood spatter would've been all wrong since Annette was shot facing downwards (nobody commits suicide in that position) + Anjelica's body blocked a bunch of the blood spatter from reaching the sheets, thus proving someone else was there. Anjelica also would've smeared a bunch of it as she scooted herself up and off the bed.

[–] Stratego (30501) 4 months ago

Bening has always looked ancient.