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Trailer

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

1988Movie1 h 50 minPG

ComedyCrime
77
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4Metacritic687.6Rotten Tomatoes89%84%

An uplifting, intriguing comedy movie about everyday modern life and crime.

Good for date night · friends night · party vibe

Where to watch

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Not for scares or brutality.

Movies with

Story

Nice guys finish last. Meet the winners.

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.

Feels like

  • Con-Artist Comedy
  • Sophisticated Slapstick
  • Witty Banter
  • Escapist Fun
  • Classic Buddy Comedy
  • Deception and Intrigue
  • European Setting
  • Clever Plot Twists
  • Feel-Good Movie

Cast

17 of 17

Crew

Directed by
Frank Oz
Written by
Paul Henning, Stanley Shapiro, Dale Launer
Produced by
Bernard Williams
Music by
Miles Goodman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 14, 1988 · 1 h 50 min · PG

Released
December 14, 1988
Runtime
1 h 50 min
Age rating
PG
Genres
Comedy, Crime
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$7 million
Box office
$42 million
Available in
133 countries

Tropes

Dirty Cop, Xanatos Speed Chess, Screw This, I'm Outta Here! +9

  • Dirty Cop
  • Xanatos Speed Chess
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
  • Villainous Friendship
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit
  • Pretty in Mink
  • Murder Is the Best Solution
  • Moral Myopia
  • Graceful Loser
  • Admiring the Abomination
  • Undercover When Alone
  • Never Trust a Trailer

12 of 68 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?"

Questions about Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?

PrimeThe RokuKanopyHooplaYouTube TVMGM+Amazon Prime Video Free with AdsFawesome

In the United States, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels streams on Prime, YouTube TV, and MGM+, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Kanopy, Hoopla, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Fawesome, Tubi TV, and Amazon MX Player. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, and Spectrum On Demand. It also streams in 8 other countries.

Is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 77 (IMDb 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes 89%, and Metacritic 68).

Is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels okay for kids?

PG

Not for young kids: it's rated PG in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for teens and adults.

Will Dirty Rotten Scoundrels make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly sharp wit (9 of 10) and situational comedy (8 of 10).

Will I feel good after watching Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting movie: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for hopefulness and 7 for wholesome.

Was Dirty Rotten Scoundrels a box office hit?

Budget$7 million
Box office$42 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $7 million to make and earned $42 million worldwide, 6.5 times its budget.

What tropes does Dirty Rotten Scoundrels use?

Dirty CopXanatos Speed ChessScrew This, I'm Outta Here!Villainous FriendshipWounded Gazelle GambitPretty in MinkMurder Is the Best SolutionMoral MyopiaGraceful LoserAdmiring the AbominationUndercover When AloneNever Trust a Trailerand 56 more

TV Tropes lists 68 tropes for it, including Dirty Cop, Xanatos Speed Chess, and Screw This, I'm Outta Here!.