Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
A novice con man teams up with an acknowledged master to avenge the murder of a mutual friend by pulling off the ultimate big con and swindling a fortune from a big-time mobster.
The Sting is a masterclass in caper filmmaking — its intricately layered con plot, full of misdirections and perfectly timed reveals, earns a genuine 4 for Plot. Newman and Redford's chemistry is electric and the entire supporting cast is impeccably chosen, warranting top marks for Acting. The Ending is one of cinema's most celebrated twists, delivering enormous payoff. Novelty is high: the film's distinctive period ragtime aesthetic (Marvin Hamlisch's Scott Joplin arrangements), its vaudeville-chapter-card structure, and the sheer bravado of its multi-layered deception give it an unmistakable singular voice. Cinematography, while competent and appropriately stylized for the 1930s setting, is the one category that doesn't reach the same heights as its other elements — functional and period-evocative but not visually groundbreaking.