My son will be fine. Otherwise, I'll have you taken care of. Stephen Frears directed The Grifters, with a screenplay by Donald E. Westlake based on Jim Thompson’s novel. Anjelica Huston, John Cusack and Annette Bening lead the cast; Elmer Bernstein composed the music and Oliver Stapleton was responsible for the cinematography. “The best reason I can think of is that you scare the hell out of me. I've encountered women like you before, baby. You’re tough and clever, and you get what you want one way or another; but you can’t keep it going forever. Eventually something bad happens, and I won't be there when it does.” 1990 was a strong year for neo-noir films; among the more than a dozen released that year, The Grifters is the best. It’s an outstanding film noir with quality evident in both the script and the production. Taking place in contemporary Los Angeles, the story centers on three cynical con artists navigating a murky world of deception, pain, manipulation, and shocking twists. The fact that this group consists of a couple and a mother separated from her son only makes the already dark situation even more so. Los Angeles has an intense atmosphere thanks to Frears, Bernstein and Stapleton’s work. There's palpable sexual tension, Westlake’s adaptation does well by Thompson’s novel, and the three main actors – along with Pat Hingle in a very good supporting role – are excellent, portraying complicated characters and bringing them to life as they move through a difficult plot, adding sharp humor and brutal behavior. It's an exceptional neo-noir that doesn’t hold back, from the opening sequence using split screens to the extremely dark ending, The Grifters offers a high level of quality for fans of the genre. 9/10

Source on TMDB