The Sting. Film Review

Audiences must have left theaters in 1973 chortling at the audacious twists of this tale of a grifter (Robert Redford) out for revenge after his partner is murdered.

Unfortunately, in the past 30 years, con-men and trick endings have become such cliches that the movie has lost its power to surprise. Even when Redford is leaping over rooftops, The Sting feels lethargic.

An impressive supporting cast (Ray Walston, Eileen Brennan, Robert Shaw) and great direction help make up for this. And Paul Newman is a loopy delight as Henry Gondorff: The twinkle in his blue eyes when he signals that the con is on remains undimmed by time. There are three making-of documentaries with interviews with Newman, Redford, et al., but these are more self-congratulatory than informative.