I Love You Phillip Morris is the story of real-life con man Steven Russell who made a living faking “slip and fall” accidents claiming tens of thousands of dollars on the insurance. To fund his extravagant lifestyle, he conned his way into a CEO role at a top company embezzling a huge sum of money. After his imprisonment, he escaped from jail and organised the release of his partner Phillip Morris after posing as his lawyer. So with the release set for next week, here’s a list of some of the great con movies to get you in the zone.
THE STING (1973)
Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford
In 1930s Chicago, Johnny Hooker is a small-time con man making a living from rolling drunks and pulling scams with his partner Luther Coleman. After a lucrative con, they are on a high but neither realise that their ‘mark’ worked for a big-time gangster and very soon there’s a contract out on their heads. When Coleman is killed, Hooker vows to avenge his death and teams up with the greatest con-artist ever Henry Gondorff for a dangerous ‘sting’.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002)
Starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo Di Caprio. Directed by Steven Spielberg
A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. Set in the 1960s, a young Frank goes to New York vowing to earn some money for his father who is in trouble with the IRS. Just a few years later, he’s tracked down by the FBI and jailed for passing more than $4million in bad cheques.
DIRTY ROTTEN SOUNDRELS (1988)
Starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin. Directed by Frank Oz
Lawrence is a big-time con man attracting rich ladies whilst Freddie lives off women by waking their compassion with shocking stories about his fake fate. They unsuccessfully attempt to work together but find that this town (Beaumont sur Mer) ain’t big enough for the both of them. After agreeing on a bet in which the loser leaves town, they spot their female target which brings out the best and the worst of them both.
CONFIDENCE (2003)
Starring Ed Burns, Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weisz
Jake Vig is a consummate grifter about to pull his biggest con yet to avenge his friend’s murder. After being summoned by the LA crime lord called The King, Jake and his team are told that they now work for him and are assigned a task to steal money from his rival.
Having no options, Jake gets to work on developing a new con. He enlists the help of his two remaining partners, and also convinces an independent con artist named Lilly to join them. Unfortunately, The King, a wiry, manic man demands that one of his men also work on the con which involves bribing a vice president at the bank into wiring money offshore. The plan hits a major snag a Special Agent shows up looking to finally bust Jake, whom he has followed for years.
MATCHSTICK MEN (2003)
Starring Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell. Directed by Ridley Scott
A phobic con artist Roy Waller and his protégé are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the former’s teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly
An obsessive-compulsive con artist Roy Waller and his partner Frank sell $50 water filters to people for over $300 promising them that they have won a big prize, which they will never receive. As they are about to pull off a really big con, Roy’s 14-year-old daughter arrives. She has never seen her father and now she has put the big swindle in jeopardy. However, Roy has plans for her and puts her to work turning her into a little con artist.
HEARTBREAKERS (2001)
Starring Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt
Maxine and Page Conners are a mother and daughter con team. Max focuses on seducing very wealthy men into marrying her with Page taking part in the next stage, seducing them into an affair so her mother can take them to court and divorce them, reaping financial benefits. However, they plans change drastically when Paige falls in love!
THE GRIFTERS (1990)
Starring John Cusack, Angelica Huston. Directed by Stephen Frears
A small-time conman has torn loyalties between his estranged mother and new girlfriend both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own angles to play.
THE PRODUCERS (1968)
Starring Gene Wilder. Directed by Mel Brooks
Down-on-his-luck theatrical producer Max Biyalistok is forced to romance rich old ladies to finance his efforts. When timid accountant Leo Bloom reviews Max’s books, the two hit upon a way to make a fortune by producing a sure-fire flop. Their combined expertise points them toward the ultimate scam: Raise more money than you need for a SURE Flop Broadway Show. No one will expect anything back and you can pocket the difference. They need the ultimate bad play to do this. They find it in the Musical Springtime for Hitler.
PAPER MOON (1973)
Starring Ryan O’Neal and Tatum O’Neal. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
During the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.
I Love You Phillip Morris is in cinemas March 17. 2010. Here’s the trailer:
