Lee Curtis’s review published on Letterboxd:
On release George Roy Hill’s crime caper The Sting was met with tremendous acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Having remarkably received approximately one-hundred and sixty million dollars, this exceptional box-office smash was also nominated for ten Academy Awards; winning seven.
The Sting is a fine example of a classic piece of cinema that is capable of affecting an audience years after its release. From the moment it begins the narrative is smart and tense. Robert Redford and Paul Newman (reunited four years after Roy Hill’s infamous Butch and Sundance) bring their shared chemistry from their previous film in moulding these incredible performances. Above all else, The Sting is a masterwork of design; art direction, costume, editing (for which it won Oscars) and cinematography combine to provide an enthralling experience.
Sure, the Academy has often made mistakes and are vehemently criticised for them, but people often forget when they got it right. And here they got it very right, to the degree that if this cinematic masterpiece was released today it would still be capable of sweeping the board.