SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

stjohn1253 From beginning to end (appetizer to dessert) Dirty Rotten Scoundrels delivers. The opening sequence showcases Oz's comedic restraint: the charade of one of the scoundrel's compromising his principles because it benefits children forces you to smile. (Phony politicians love to say that they're doing something "for the children" when that something is purely self-serving.) Throughout the film Martin, Caine, and Headley perform flawlessly, with particularly hilarious scenes featuring Martin. The "Oh, Lady Fanny of Omaha!" ruse is priceless, as are others. Caine exhibits his superb subtly and timing. And Headley displays her acting range. The movie's "entree" satisfies to perfection.Topping things off, however, is dessert. Oz could have ended the film in the second-to-last scene and still have had a winner; however, he goes one further with the final one--and it's simply comic genius.If only more films were so complimentary of an audience's intelligence.

LeonLouisRicci This may be one of the Least Funny Most Overrated Comedies Ever. That doesn't Necessarily mean that it isn't Amusing. it Occasionally is Humorous and on Rare Occasions it is Hilarious. But it is Inconsistent and Dull at Times and the Pacing is Laborious. It Seems to take Great Care with the Costumes and the Sets going for Luscious and Beautiful (in a comedy?). Well OK, but to what End. The Strengths of the Film are the Actors, Steve Martin and Michael Cain. Cain is Fine but Martin is for Some Reason, Painfully Restrained.Director Oz is Attempting Class and does Succeed with that (in a comedy?) and it is a Throwback to what used to be Called a Sophisticated Comedy. It Works Somewhat but the Film seems Out of Time, maybe even Dated. But Folks and Critics Love this Movie and it does have a Charming Innocence that was Rare at the Time and Now is Nonexistent.Inoffensive Bit of Fluff that Never Alienates or Distances the Viewer with Outrageousness or an Over the Top Reach. No it just sort of Lies There and Casually Asks You to Like it and many took the Bait. Steve Martin Fans may give the Comedian Kudos for Underplaying and Still Managing to be Steve Martin Funny. He and the Movie are Somewhat Successful, but Overall it isn't much, but has a Certain Easy Appeal.

Robert W. You may think from the title of my review that I didn't enjoy this movie. That couldn't be further from the truth. I thought Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was perfectly fun! I love Steve Martin, especially old school Steve Martin and this was the type of film that he was the King of in the eighties. This is absolutely made for him and showcases his awkward, quirky character comedy like fans of his look for. The only issue with the film (and maybe its not an issue at all) is that it is a by the book con-man comedy. You can read the back of the movie, look at the cover, and you know exactly what you're in for right down to the T. There are no surprises. Although the film has a fairly big twist in the end, I actually figured it out before the reveal and its a fun twist and absolutely made me smile but the film plants itself firmly in a neat little genre box and doesn't ever try to go outside of that for any reason. For fans of this genre or either Martin or Caine then you will absolutely love this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I just didn't get anything extraordinary out of it either. It was decent and I would watch it again. The gags are well placed and almost entirely in conjunction with the con angle.Steve Martin is absolutely perfectly Steve Martin in this. I love Martin, he is one of my favourite SNL/80's slapstick comedians and this is what he was born to do. We saw it in Roxanne, The Jerk, Mixed Nuts, My Blue Heaven and so on. His performance as the slimy, moronic Freddy is perfect for the film. You hate him, you love him, you laugh at him. Pure Martin! Michael Caine is perfectly cast as Martin's adversary at conning. He is suave and sophisticated and has more heart than Martin's character but he also sort of plays a back seat to Martin as well. Even the scenes of them together I feel like Caine isn't quite matching the comedic timing or exuberance of Martin which is understandable. Still Caine is good to be Martin's Yang to his Ying. Glenne Headly is also perfectly cast as the naive young target of Martin and Caine. Headly is quirky and fun and sort of irritating in a syrupy cute sort of way. She is the glue that holds the story and cast together and her and Martin are terrific together and easily have the best scenes.Its actually a very small cast, yes there are a host of small bit players but this film lives and breathes its main cast. They have the spotlight firmly placed on Steve Martin and that's where we want it. A legend in the film making business Frank Oz does directing duty and it definitely showcases his style. He has always been a terrific story teller and gets way more out of a script than what it presents. I mean, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels could have been completely forgettable if not for Martin and I think Frank Oz getting the most out of it. I must admit that I sort of expected a little more physical comedy and stunts but regardless its a fast paced, witty little story that will keep you watching and keep you laughing. Its an 80's classic for a reason. 7.5/10

morrison-dylan-fan With having recently found out that a friends favourite film genre is Comedy,I decided to try and find a title,that she could hopefully watch with her family over the Christmas period.Struggleing to find any comedies which contained the comedic style that I was searching for,I suddenly remembered,seeing a recent review by a fellow IMDb'er for a title that sounded like the exact type of movie that I was looking for.Taking a look at the IMDber's reviews page,I was delighted to find that the film sounded as dirty,rotten and scandalous as I was hoping it to be.The plot:Heading home on a plane to Beaumont-sur-Mer after stealing a necklace from an heiress.by convincing her that he needed cash to save a village from Communism,con artist Lawrence Jamieson's relaxing flight is interrupted,when he notices a man conning a woman out of a meal.Moving down the plane,Jamieson's hopes of an easy flight,are left in tatters when the dining con artiest takes a seat next to him.Introducing himself as Freedy Benson,Benson tells Lawrence that he is travelling to Beaumont-sur-Mer,due to hearing that there are a high number of wealthy individual's living in the area,who he hopes will be very easy to con.Desperate to be the only con artist in the city,Jamieson contacts his close friend,and Beaumont's police chief officer Andre,who arranges for Freedy to miss his drop-off point.Delighted over having the necklace in his hands and also having out witted a wannabe con artiest,Lawrence's celebrations are cut short,when Benson knocks on Jamieson's door,and gives him the good news that he has ran into someone who has been conned by Jamieson.Reliseing that he is stuck in a corner,Lawrence caves in to Freedy's demands,and begins training him,so that Benson can become the most sophisticated con- artiest.Being desperate to show that he is now the ultimate con artiest,Benson gets Jamieson to agree to a daring challenge,where one of them must con an heiress out of $50,000,in order that either Freedy or Lawrence can be declared the king of Beaumont-sur-Mer.View on the film:Featuring in almost every scene together,Steve Martin and Michael Cain give superb performances that compliment their contrasting comedic styles.Shown to be living the high life,Caine gives Jamieson a strong dose of dry wit,whose texture deepens as he finds himself at risk of being out manoeuvred by a fellow con.Perfectly complimenting Caine's sharp performance,Steve Martin gives a wonderfully brash performance,which despite occasionally going into an outrageous direction, (with one of the movies highlights being Martin pretending that he is a war vet) is kept balanced by Martin showing Benson's wild & wicked con tricks to be the flip side of Jamieson's silky smooth cons.Joining the boys,Glenne Headly gives a great performance as the "air head" heiress who Benson and Jamieson are battling over,with Headly showing Janet Colgate to be far more quick witted than either of the guys can ever guess.Along with Headly,the film also features a terrific performance from Anton Rodgers, (known in the UK for his lead role in the sitcom May To December,and for also narrating the children's TV show Old Bear Stories)less than by the book cop Andre.Breaking away from the "90 minute" rule of Comedy movies for their adaptation of the 1964 movie Bedtime Story,the screenplay by Paul Henning and Stanley Shapiro keeps the film's plot moving at an extremely swift pace,with Henning and Shapiro showing Benson and Lawrence to use increasingly desperate measures,as the con reaches the finish line.For the excellent comedy in the movie,the writers smartly decide to keep it rooted in Freedy and Jamieson's "game" ,which along with letting the comedic elements to gradually take a delightfully crazy direction,also allows Henning and Shapiro to show how dirty,rotten and scandalous Benson and Jamieson really are.