MovieChat Forums > The Grifters (1991) Discussion > What am I not getting here?

What am I not getting here?

posted 18 years ago by tresjoli
8 replies | jump to latest

First off, let me just say that i'm a big fan of film noir, John Cusack and Donald E. Westlake. I STILL didn't like this movie.

Having just finished watching Grifters I came here to read about just what the hell went wrong, and instead find out it has a cult status and is thought of as a bit of a forgotten classic.

The film noir references were VERY blunt and I felt like I was being hit in the head with a hammer.

"THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE MALTESE FALCON YOU KNOW."

The characters never had a chance to really develop into anything. It just felt like I was being introduced to them over and over again. I didn't care about them and I have no idea why I should have.

The twists in the story were very predictable and both deaths were pretty anticlimactic. The sexual tension just wasn't there and the dialogue felt slightly cliched.

So apart from some nifty directing and oranges what am I supposed to get?

[–] kabra33 18 years ago

I saw this film for the first time 14 years ago, and I loved it. For me it was one of the best films I had ever seen. But I saw it again the other day and I couldn't believed it: had they changed the movie??? I found it not horrible bit near. So I guess it's me who's changed (I'm more mature now, I guess):

[–] Byzantine15 18 years ago

I'm kind of replying late to this. Interesting assumption about maturity but according to the stats, people under 18 gave this film 3.8 and people 45 or older gave it 7.1. "I'm more mature now, I guess"...um, don't jump to any rash conclusions.

[–] pj-123 17 years ago

I have to say as a 25 year old who LOVES old movies, (favorite is butch Cassidy) I really really didn't like this movie. I did think the dialog was very wooden, not natural at all. I understand naturalized dialog is a newer film technique but The Conversation took place well before grifters so there is no excuse. I also must say that I didn't like the acting. Anjelica had her moments but by and large it felt phony, and the murders were out of left field, but not in the way that makes you think. I sort of was confused.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] non200 17 years ago

Butch Cassidy (and the Sundance Kid) is not an 'old movie' - very much part of a New Wave. Just because it was made before you were born doesn't make it 'old'. It is of course ok to call BC&tSDK 'overated'! :0)

[–] xandr05 17 years ago

I was really excited to see this film, in large part due to Annette Bening and Anjelica Huston, and while they give fine performances, the film as a whole just doesn't work. There is NO story! I sat through an hour waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did. I love noir, I love stylized dialog, but it has to be used to tell a story. The whole thing just felt like a tease. And John Cusack was miscast.

[–] Byzantine15 17 years ago

No story? Nothing ever happens? Are you sure you were paying attention?

[–] 17 years ago

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