Review of House of Games (1987) by Zane T — 10 Apr 2009

David Mamet has one weakness and it is he has to cast his spouses they can't handle. At the time he made this movie, he was married to Lindsay Crouse who plays the protagonist in this movie. She does what she can, but being Mamet's first directing gig and a bias, Crouse is not as interesting as Joe Mategna's con man.

Maybe because Mantegna is a natural with Mamet's work and can fire off Mamet's dialogue as if he's actually speaking it instead of reciting it. This movie is about con artists and the tricks of their trade.

Most interestingly, we know Crouse's character is being conned from the beginning and can see where it's leading. The ending left a few more questions than answers, as if there was another twist in this con.

Mamet has a hard time directing action and the climax of the movie doesn't work well. Just something about the way it's directed. You'll know what I mean if you've seen it. Still, it's one of his best movies and a nice look at what he used to be like before the audience became too aware of his twists.

Compared with the horrible Redbelt, this is a directoiral debut comparable to Orson Welles' Citizen Kane or The Coen Brothers' Blood Simple. I wished Mamet would go back to making movies like these.

I would rather the movie have focused on the con artists than Crouse's character.