Heartbreakers

Plot

A mother and daughter con team seduce and scam wealthy men.

Release Year: 2001

Rating: 6.1/10 (26,828 voted)

Critic's Score: 47/100

Director:
David Mirkin

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Gene Hackman

Storyline
Max and Page are a mother and daughter con team. Max seduces wealthy men into marrying her, then Page seduces them into infidelity so Max can rake them over the divorce court coals. And then it's on to the next victim.

Writers: Robert Dunn, Paul Guay

Cast:

Sigourney Weaver
–

Angela Nardino
/
Max Conners
/
Ulga Yevanova

Jennifer Love Hewitt
–

Wendy
/
Page Conners
/
Jane Helstrom

Ray Liotta
–

Dean Cumanno
/
Vinny Staggliano

Jason Lee
–

Jack Withrowe

Anne Bancroft
–

Gloria Vogal
/
Barbara

Jeffrey Jones
–

Mr. Appel

Gene Hackman
–

William B. Tensy

Nora Dunn
–

Miss Madress

Julio Oscar Mechoso
–

Leo

Ricky Jay
–

Dawson's Auctioneer

Sarah Silverman
–

Linda

Zach Galifianakis
–

Bill

Michael Hitchcock
–

Dr. Arnold Davis

Pierre Gonneau
–

Priest at First Wedding

Shawn Colvin
–

Minister at Second Wedding

Taglines:
Caution: Dangerous Curves Ahead

Details

Official Website:
MGM |

Release Date: 23 March 2001

Filming Locations: Ambassador Hotel – 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $35,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $11,801,323
(USA)
(25 March 2001)
(2750 Screens)

Gross: $40,334,024
(USA)
(5 August 2001)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min
 |
Portugal: 110 min
(TV version)

Did You Know?

Trivia:

The most expensive shot in the movie was when Jennifer Love Hewitt leaned against the car to talk to Ray Liotta near the end of the movie. Because it was cold on set, she had a white sweatshirt around her waist that was in the shot, and it had to be digitally taken out.

Goofs:

Continuity:
Page brings a wine glass to her mouth, and in the next shot her hands are at her side.

Quotes:

Page Conners:
Excuse me, may I grab your nuts? Mmm. Salty.

User Review

Good old-fashioned dirty-minded fun, even when Jennifer Love Hewitt isn't on screen.

Rating: 7/10

Director David Mirkin used to write for "The Simpsons," which explains why
Danny Elfman did the main theme for "Heartbreakers" – a movie that,
success-wise, has more in common with The Greatest TV Show Ever than with
Mirkin's earlier "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion," and not just
because Shawn Colvin makes a guest appearance here as well. Don't get me
wrong, it's not nearly as clever – but it IS often as funny. Plus you get
to
look at Jennifer Love Hewitt a lot.

Mother/daughter grifter duo Sigourney Weaver and JLH are on the verge of
splitting up, but agree to do One Last Big Score (isn't it always the way)
in order to get out of trouble with the IRS and part sufficiently loaded;
Gene Hackman, as a chain-smoking pensionable zillionaire ("His liver spots
are positively luminous") is their mark in Palm Beach and also the source
of
a lot of the fun. In fact, he and an under-used Ray Liotta come close to
swiping the film from the leads, but Sig and Love make a good team, each
complementing the other – Weaver's the better actress, but Hewitt holds
her
own; and though the former's attractive, the latter – even in her blonde
disguise – is smokin' (something the film never forgets – you get to look
at
Jennifer Love Hewitt a lot).

The Robert Dunn/Paul Guay/Stephen Mazur script won't win plaudits from the
PC brigade; "Heartbreakers" is often a farce in a good sense, but the
female
characters come off for the most part not as morally upright as their male
counterparts (though Hackman's moneybags is by far the most repellent
person
here). Pacy for sure, and often funny if not always in what the late
British
DJ Kenny Everett's Cupid Stunt character called "the best possible taste"
(witness the oral sex gags early on), there's a distinct slowing down as
the
tale unfolds and Jen's growing feelings for a potential mark (Jason Lee)
makes it more sentimental than cynics would like; the first half of the
movie is funnier and edgier than the second. But you get to look at
Jennifer
Love Hewitt a lot.

In the end, "Heartbreakers" has a tone a bit too much like the likes of
"Are
You Being Served?" to be a must-view for all; the movie sometimes comes
across like a "Carry On" film. Only with a budget. And good performances.
And decent writing. And funny. And with a fine soundtrack. Okay, so it's
not
much like a "Carry On" film, but it does make for a good two hours'
watching; Weaver fans will get a particular kick out of her rendition of
"Back In The U.S.S.R.", and Hackman fans will enjoy seeing him upstage
everyone except for Hewitt's anatomy; I gave this 7 out of 10, but I
should
have given this an 8 purely on that count. This is one movie that lives up
to its title.

And did I mention you get to look at Jennifer Love Hewitt a
lot?