Today’s quick review: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Con artist Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine) has the perfect setup: an estate on the French Riviera, help from the local police chief, and plenty of wealthy women to swindle out of their money. When Freddy Benson (Steve Martin), a low-class hustler, moves in on Lawrence’s turf, Lawrence challenges him to a bet: the first to con Janet Colgate (Glenne Headly) gets to stay in town, and the loser must leave.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a comedy about a pair of rival con artists. Lawrence is a wealthy aesthete who brings class to his cons, posing as a deposed prince struggling to free his people. Freddy opts for a blunter approach, using a sob story about his dying grandmother to score dinner and petty cash. The target of their competition is Janet, a kind-hearted American woman who becomesm entangled in their most elaborate schemes.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels features a well-picked pair of leads, a fairly strong plot, and a sense of humor that’s neither too dry nor too silly. The cons perpetrated by Lawrence and Freddy are just transparent enough to be funny without descending into pure farce. The story does tend to wander early on, but the arrival of Janet gives the two con men a clear purpose that keeps the plot on track until the end.
Give Dirty Rotten Scoundrels a shot when you’re in the mood for an entertaining game of lies and one-upsmanship. How much you get out of the movie will depend on how much you like Michael Caine and Steve Martin, but its all-around solid craftsmanship makes Dirty Rotten Scoundrels well worth a shot. For a slightly wilder movie with a similar feel, check out A Fish Called Wanda. For a con artist comedy with meta elements, check out The Brothers Bloom.
7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid humor and a talented pair of leads.