Grade: C-
Synopsis: A psychiatrist becomes involved with a con man (Joe Mantegna).
House of Games is a movie about confidence games, director David Mamet’s script makes this clear pretty early on. What’s not so clear is that the film isn’t really concerned with conning the audience as much as it is with exploring the nature of people drawn to these games.
Those who’ve seen Mamet’s later work, such as The Spanish Prisoner (1997) may walk away from House of Games feeling disappointed. Whereas The Spanish Prisoner revolved around conning a naturally suspicious man, House of Games revolves around conning a woman who, on some level, wants to be taken. This distinction is important, because despite the title, The Spanish Prisoner is all about the game, and House of Games is all about the players.
Looked at in this light, House of Games isn’t as disappointing. It’s still frustrating to see through the deceptions well before the protagonist, but Mamet does a good job of explaining why his protagonist is so blind.
As for the cast, it’s somewhat of a mixed bag. While the casting of Mamet’s then wife, Lindsay Crouse, in the lead is questionable, Joe Mantegna and Ricky Jay shine. Jay in particular, seems born to deliver Mamet’s signature dialog, and his part should have been larger.
Bottom Line: While House of Games has some nice nuances, Mamet’s later film, The Spanish Prisoner (1997), is a better con.
