You remember Dirty Rotten Scoundrels? I do. I thought that film was hilarious. Heartbreakers takes it's cue from that picture as Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt play a mother and daughter con artist team who prey on the rich and take them for all they have.

There latest conquest is a tobacco company tycoon (played to the hilt by Gene Hackman). During their con, tempers flair as Hewitt is now grown up and wants to go out on her own. This doesn't go over well with mom who will do anything to keep her daughter at he side. To make matters worse, it seems that Hewitt may be falling in love with a con she's shaping up on the side (the charismatic Jason Lee).

Weaver seems to be having fun and even though she's a nasty vixen, you never find yourself hating her. The same goes for Hewitt who obviously wants to be taken as a sex symbol here. Both actresses make the most of their revealing outfits. Hackman is a hoot as the horny old man with the chronic cough. This is a change of pace from his more serious work and he makes the most of it. Lee is emerging as a true comedic star. With terrific turns in Chasing Amy, Mumford and Almost Famous, this guy is on the verge of breaking out and he deserves it. Ray Liotta is a bundle of energy as Weaver's previous con. This is a variation of his role in Goodfellas and he's a lot of fun.

Heartbreakers is not very well directed. Particularly the Hewitt/Lee romance. It's meandering to say the least, and it's hardly developed enough to be taken seriously. The screenplay offers flashes of wit but the movie doesn't really have enough heart to fully succeed. This is a go-for-broke comedy in which the jokes come fast an furious. Much of it is vulgar in a Farrelly Brothers way, but sometimes crass is funny and I found myself laughing a lot throughout this picture.

I wouldn't call Heartbreakers a bad picture. As a comedy, I certainly liked it more than Saving Silverman and The Wedding Planner--but I wouldn't call it a memorable either. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a far more consistent film. If your looking for a mildly fun time, and cute chicks in provocative outfits, you could do a lot worse than Heartbreakers.