Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Seen it?1988 | 110 min | Comedy, Crime
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes), it made about 6 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime fans and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved A Shot in the Dark, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 50 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
Con artist Lawrence Jamieson is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the lavish fruits of his deceptions -- that is, until a competitor, Freddy Benson, shows up. When the new guy's lowbrow tactics impinge on his own sophisticated work and believing him to be the infamous conman 'The Jackal', Lawrence resolves to get rid of him. Confident of his own duplicitous talents, he challenges Freddy to a winner-takes-all competition: whoever swindles their latest mark, American heiress Janet Colgate, out of $50,000 first can stay, while the other must leave town.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 68 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$42 million worldwide on a $7 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 230K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Frank Oz
- Steve MartinFreddy Benson
- Michael CaineLawrence Jamieson
- Glenne HeadlyJanet Colgate
- Anton RodgersInspector Andre
- Barbara HarrisFanny Eubanks
- Ian McDiarmidArthur
- Dana IveyMrs. Reed
- Meagen FayLady from Oklahoma
- Frances ConroyLady from Palm Beach
- Nicole CalfanLady in Dining Car