House of Games

Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse), a psychiatrist who has recently published a groundbreaking book on obsessive-compulsive disorder, finds herself struggling with feelings of emptiness despite her professional success. During a particularly intense session with patient Billy Hahn (Steve Goldstein), she is faced with the daunting prospect that his life hangs precariously in the balance due to his debt to the formidable Mike Mancuso (Joe Mantegna). As Billy brandishes a gun, Margaret uses her sharp instincts and calming presence to persuade him to surrender the weapon, promising to help him find a way out of this desperate situation.

That night, Margaret's curiosity gets the better of her as she ventures into the unassuming House of Games pool hall. It is there that she crosses paths with Mike, who proposes a Faustian bargain: in exchange for identifying the tell of enigmatic player George (Ricky Jay), she must accompany him to an exclusive back-room poker game. Initially hesitant, Margaret eventually agrees and spots George's subtle giveaway – his ring – when he bluffs. With this crucial information, Mike masterfully calls George's bluff, but the latter emerges victorious, demanding that Mike pay off a substantial debt. As tensions rise, Margaret seizes the initiative, offering to cover the debt with her own personal check. However, upon closer inspection, she realizes the entire ordeal is a clever ruse designed to separate her from her hard-earned cash.

Undeterred and intrigued by the experience, Margaret returns to the House of Games, this time asking Mike to share his expertise in con games so that she can write a comprehensive book on the subject. Mike appears skeptical at first but eventually agrees, and the two embark on a journey of discovery as he teaches her simple tricks. As their relationship deepens, they steal away to a hotel room, where they share a passionate night for the first time.

In the aftermath, Mike reveals that all con artists take a small token from every "mark" as a symbol of their dominance. While Mike is in the bathroom, Margaret seizes the opportunity to take a small pocket knife, believing it belongs to the hotel room's occupant. Unbeknownst to her, this act has far-reaching consequences. As Mike prepares for a major heist at the same hotel, he begrudgingly allows Margaret to join him, posing as his wife in the process. With an air of calculated nonchalance, she becomes embroiled in Mike's world of high-stakes deception and manipulation, setting the stage for a thrilling adventure that will test her resolve, wit, and moral compass.

As the unsuspecting trio - comprising con artists Mike and Joey (Mike Nussbaum), along with their unwitting participant, a nameless businessman (J.T. Walsh) masquerading as an undercover policeman - converge on a hotel room, their initial euphoria over stumbling upon a briefcase filled to the brim with cash begins to wane. The tension is palpable as they deliberate whether to turn in the lucrative find or divvy it up among themselves. But just as the businessman withdraws to the bathroom, Margaret's sharp instincts kick in, and she discovers his true identity - that of an undercover law enforcement official. With this revelation, she swiftly warns Mike, and together they attempt a hasty retreat. However, their escape is short-lived, as the policeman-turned-businessman blocks their path, determined to apprehend them. A tense struggle ensues, culminating in an unfortunate turn of events: the businessman's fatal shooting at his own hand, courtesy of Margaret's accidental intervention.

As Mike, Joey, and Margaret make a break for it, they find themselves in the garage, where they coerce Margaret into commandeering a vehicle and making a daring escape past two uniformed police officers, with the con artists hiding inconspicuously in the backseat. They eventually arrive at a riverbank, only to discover that their ill-gotten gains - a briefcase containing $80,000 borrowed from the notorious mafia - have vanished into thin air. In an attempt to rectify this predicament, Margaret offers Mike a substantial sum of her own money, hoping it will enable him to repay his debts to the mafia.

Mike's response is to insist that they part ways, lest their continued association attract unwanted attention from the authorities. Claiming he intends to lay low for a while, he bids Margaret farewell, leaving her consumed by guilt and struggling to reconcile her professional life with the moral implications of their actions. It isn't long before Billy arrives on the scene, his spirits high, and after a brief but cordial exchange, Margaret spots him tooling around in the very same red convertible she "stole" at the hotel. Her curiosity piqued, she tracks him to a local watering hole, where she's shocked to find Mike socializing with an eclectic group that includes all his associates - including the man who pretended to be the occupant of their hotel room and the undercover policeman himself, very much alive and well... discussing the events of the previous night. Moreover, she discovers that the pocket knife she pilfered from the hotel room belongs to Mike, a revelation that only serves to further complicate her already tangled emotions.

Margaret intercepts Mike at the airport, her curiosity piqued after overhearing his travel plans. She reveals her deep-seated concerns about the law and confesses that she has withdrawn her life savings in an attempt to safeguard herself. With a mixture of desperation and vulnerability, she implores Mike to abandon his current path and start anew with her. Mike's initial allure to her offer is tempered by the realization that he is being manipulated when Margaret casually mentions knowing about the pocket knife, hinting at her earlier eavesdropping on the con men's conversation. His resolve solidifies as he discloses that their shared loot has already been dispersed among them, effectively rendering her pleas futile.

However, Margaret's true nature is soon unveiled when she produces the gun taken from Billy and demands Mike beg for his life. Unfazed by her threat, Mike refuses to succumb to her demands, prompting Margaret to take matters into her own hands. A single shot to the leg sends Mike crashing to the ground, followed by five additional bullets that ultimately seal his fate. As she conceals the weapon and departs, it's clear that Margaret has crossed a moral Rubicon.

Sometime later, Margaret returns from a vacation, her demeanor seemingly unaffected by the traumatic events. Over lunch with her friend and colleague Dr. Littauer (Lilia Skala), she exhibits an unsettling lack of remorse for Mike's demise. Her response to Dr. Littauer's inquiry into her emotional state is telling: "When you've done something unforgivable, you must forgive yourself, and that's what I've done, and it's done." This chilling admission serves as a stark reminder of Margaret's cold calculation.

As Dr. Littauer steps away from the table, Margaret seizes the opportunity to strike again. Her gaze fixates on another diner, and with calculated precision, she palms a gold cigarette lighter from the woman's purse. A wicked glint in her eye betrays her genuine relish for the thrill of the heist, hinting at a deeper psychological complexity that has taken root since the events at the airport.