Overall this movie was a fine effort by a young David Mamet. There was some awkward dialog at different points but I think the overall story more than made up for those moments. While some may think that the movie is about con men I think the last scene cements the fact that the film was about a woman who was lost only to find herself after a series of odd events. The con men are all excellent (I miss Ricky Jay!) but Lindsay Crouse left something to be desired. This film reminded me of Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner, although I preferred that movie over this one even though it also suffered from some shoddy delivery.

"House of Games" is a thriller that takes its time to unfold, initially relying on a slow burn approach with a curious absence of music. This creates an almost unsettling atmosphere, heightened by dialogue that often feels sparse and unconventional. While the film eventually introduces a fitting bluesy soundtrack that complements its noir themes, the pacing may not appeal to all viewers. One of the film's more jarring elements is the female protagonist's abrupt shift in behavior. Initially portrayed as a composed and insightful writer, her actions at the House of Games seem out of character and lack a smooth transition. This inconsistency, combined with the film's overall quirky tone, makes "House of Games" a unique but somewhat uneven viewing experience. Despite its flaws, the film offers an intriguing exploration of deception and manipulation that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Probably a fun movie back in the 80s, but doesn't really hold up that well today. I did expect a different ending though, so that was a nice surprise if nothing else. [spoiler]Unfortunately watching this with today's expectation of twists in every movie I of course realized it was a "scam the housewife" thing the second the "cop" in the hotel "accidentally" talked on the walkie-talkie _while the door was still open_ 😒and from there you realize it was a setup from the start all the way back to her patient and you kind of just have to wait for the rest of the 40 minutes to play itself out. For a few minutes I expected the ending to be a double-scam because it seemed a bit weird to send her patient back so I kind of thought they were either scamming more money from her or it was going to be some kind of a twisted happy ending.[/spoiler]

Deception, on fraud, and on fraud, scam.