Watching movies with intricate plots or playing games are among life’s best guilty pleasures. In this post, we will explore five of the best among them, all of which I have reviewed in earlier posts. For the discerning movie lover, such films provide intellectual fodder. Personally, I find them irresistible.
The Grifters (1990)

A petty grifter finds himself caught in a feud between his mother and girlfriend in this movie starring John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, and Annette Bening in this neo-noir thriller. The plot boasts numerous twists and an unexpected ending.
House of Games(1987)

A psychiatrist who suffers from kleptomania is seduced by a charming conman and his crew in a plot about cons, with layers of deceit within deceit, in this thrilling neo-noir. Joe Mantegna and Lindsay Crouse star in this classic, marking the directorial debut of writer David Mamet.
The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

Also directed by David Mamet, the plot features a geeky engineer who falls for an elaborate con game set up by a sinister stranger. The cast includes Campbell Scott, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ben Gazzara, and Steve Martin, who plays the antagonist.
The Handmaiden (2016)

“The Handmaiden” is a classic period neo-noir Korean thriller set in the early 20th century. Directed by Park Chan-wook, the film follows a fake count’s attempt to woo and take over the inheritance of a wealthy heiress by arranging for her to hire a maid. The count instructs the maid to persuade the heiress to fall in love with him. This visually stunning movie is filled with several unexpected twists.
Parasite (2019)

This Academy Award-winning film from Bong Joon-ho is about a poor family attempting to usurp the home of a wealthy family through a series of cons. It delivers a powerful message on the disparity of wealth between the haves and have-nots
In the company of men (1992)

This powerful film depicts two unscrupulous men attempting to exploit a special-needs woman at their workplace as a means of revenge against ‘womankind’ for perceived hurts. As the plot unfolds, more layers of their plan are revealed.
Wait Until Dark

The plot of “Wait Until Dark” involves an elaborate con game orchestrated by a group of crooks targeting a blind woman. They are after a doll stuffed with drugs hidden somewhere in her apartment. Starring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, and Richard Crenna, this chilling psychological thriller keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
I hope you enjoyed my collection of movies about twisted con artists. Each of these movies has an extremely well-conceived plot. This post is the first part of a series of articles about movies featuring con artists.
