Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Play trailer Poster for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels PG 1988 1h 50m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
89% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Con artist Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine) is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the fruits of his deceptions -- that is, until a competitor, Freddy Benson (Steve Martin), shows up. When the new guy's lowbrow tactics impinge on his own work, Jamieson resolves to get rid of him. Confident of his own duplicitous talents, Jamieson challenges Benson to a winner-takes-all competition: whoever swindles their latest mark first can stay, while the other must leave town.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A buoyant, clever update of the conman flick Bedtime Story, with plenty of comedic jousting resulting from a winning chemistry between Michael Caine and Steve Martin.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
John Mount Empire Magazine 03/13/2021
3/5
Steve Martin does his shtick to perfection and Michael Caine unveils some adroit comic timing in this charming but mediocre comedy. Go to Full Review
Sheila Benson Los Angeles Times 03/13/2021
Blithe, reasonably witty, with as many story twists as a Riviera roadway, its greatest assets are its glorious look (courtesy of Michael Ballhaus' exceptional camera work) and Michael Caine, his hair full of Dippety-Doo, his heart full of larceny. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 03/13/2021
The various twists seem needlessly spun out and implausible, although Martin is allowed to show off his brand of very physical comedy to some advantage, and Miles Goodman contributes a pleasant score. Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 07/07/2022
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is much less sadistic, and much more inventan than Bedtime Stories. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
James Berardinelli ReelViews 03/13/2021
2.5/4
Unfortunately, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels isn't quite clever enough to justify the full 110-minute running length. There's a point at which it starts to feel like it has overstayed its welcome. Go to Full Review
John Ferguson Radio Times 03/13/2021
3/5
Harmless, knockabout fun. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Bob L @TheHumanOracle Sep 29 Classic comedy, one of the greats! See more Taiga B Sep 20 What an absolute brilliant and hilarious movie. The difference in comedy of Steve Martin and Michael Caine works to perfection as their chemistry is off the charts. The situational and physical comedy was on point. The twist at the end should've been predictable, yet it was unexpected. This is how comedies should be made! See more judy b Aug 31 Watching it for the fourth time. One of my favorite Steve Martin movies. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 3 Funny in 1 hour and 50 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $40,900,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Dana B Jun 25 A wonderfully crafted, absolutely charming remake of the 1964 film Bedtime Story. See more Robert R @RobertRiley May 22 It's one thing for a movie to be funny, but for it to be funny *and* a clever caper with a couple of genuinely well-constructed reveals? Well done. At its heart "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" plays like a scummier version of a "Spy vs. Spy" comic strip or like a cinematic improv game where the debauchery just builds on top of one character secretly pulling one over on the other and so on. Steve Martin and Michael Caine make about as unlikely a pair of comedic partners as you'd expect, but damn it if they don't play off one another brilliantly. That first scene of Caine's "Lawrence" pretending to be Dr. Schaffhausen had me legitimately rolling, man. This was one of those movies I sorta always knew I was probably going to enjoy, but just had never gotten around to sitting down and watching. Boy, am I glad I finally did. The fact that this doesn't get brought up more in the pantheon of great 80's comedies is beyond me. See more Read all reviews
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Do You Feel This? Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Do You Feel This? 1:57 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Dinner With Ruprecht Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Dinner With Ruprecht 1:31 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Janet's Return Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Janet's Return 2:12 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy Walks! Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy Walks! 2:12 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Ruprecht Gets Angry Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Ruprecht Gets Angry 1:53 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy's Sad Story Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy's Sad Story 1:55 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Meeting Ruprecht Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Meeting Ruprecht 1:59 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy Goes to Jail Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy Goes to Jail 2:04 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Lawrence Meets Freddy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Lawrence Meets Freddy 2:02 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy's "Suicide" Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Official Clip - Freddy's "Suicide" 2:13 View more videos
Broadway Danny Rose 100% 84% Broadway Danny Rose Watchlist Radio Days 92% 84% Radio Days Watchlist A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy 74% 57% A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy Watchlist Caddyshack II 4% 18% Caddyshack II Watchlist Housesitter 36% 47% Housesitter Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Con artist Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine) is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the fruits of his deceptions -- that is, until a competitor, Freddy Benson (Steve Martin), shows up. When the new guy's lowbrow tactics impinge on his own work, Jamieson resolves to get rid of him. Confident of his own duplicitous talents, Jamieson challenges Benson to a winner-takes-all competition: whoever swindles their latest mark first can stay, while the other must leave town.
Director
Frank Oz
Producer
Bernard Williams
Screenwriter
Dale Launer, Stanley Shapiro, Paul Henning
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$40.9M
Runtime
1h 50m
Sound Mix
Surround
Most Popular at Home Now