On D List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
10/03, 11/06, 3/24
11/06:
In the past, I've given Dirty Rotten Scoundrels high marks, but now, no more.
It feels like a boring roller coaster with many twists and turns only to come to a predictable end.
Michael Caine and Steve Martin don't score enough laughter from me. Director Franz Oz should've focused more on the acting
than letting the story run amok for the devious charm of it. The slow pace doesn't help, either.
All in all, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is below average.
3/24:
Upgrading my rating from '4' to '6', Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is an okay movie, but I don't see the point of remaking
Bedtime Story.
The latter was already good in most aspects; it's just that the rear projection effect needed to go and that they should've done the
whole thing on the French Rivieria instead of sound stage. To compare the leading stars, Michael Caine is much better than David
Niven while Steve Martin isn't in Marlon Brando's league and Anton Rodgers can't hold a candle to Aram Stephan.
Oddly, the movie is supposed to be funny, but I hardly laughed. It's been like this every time I've seen the film, going back to 1988,
which is a straightforward story of two con men. The ending is different this time, but the outcome is hardly likely.
All in all, anybody who liked Dirty Rotten Scoundrels needs to check out the original source and realize he's been
conned the whole time.