A phobic con artist and his protege are about to pull one of the most lucrative swindles of their lives when the swindler's teenage daughter suddenly turns up unannounced.
Matchstick Men is almost a decade old but in terms of performances, direction and script it's a tough one to beat. It was on TV a few weeks ago which surprised me as I believe it's not a film you're likely to see on TV very often but that's a great shame as this film really deserves a wider audience.
Roy and Frank are known by many different names - some call them grifters, others call them flimflam men or even matchstick men. They prefer to be known as con artistés. Roy (Nicolas Cage) is the true master of deception. He has the gift of language - he's loquacious, chatty and he's the kind of guy that everyone likes; you could call him gregarious. Frank (Sam Rockwell) is Roy's protégé. Frank also has a variety of skills such as deceptiveness and a genuine power of persuasion. They are about to pull off a big job, but when Roy's daughter turns up unexpectedly, everything changes.
Ridley Scott's direction is as smooth as silk, while musical performances from the likes of Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra make up a wonderful soundtrack.
Cage - always the consummate actor - versatile, unique, an intoxicating performer, is the definition of confidence as he produces another deeply satisfying and compelling, Oscar-worthy performance. Despite being overlooked by the Academy his observation of and portrayal of a person suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder is astonishingly real and organic and every bit as good as his portrayal of Ben Sanderson - his charming but pitiful drunk from Leaving Las Vegas.
Sam Rockwell also impresses - smooth, smart, calculating - he's the perfect choice for the role and shows here why he was the best choice for the leading role in last year's Sci-Fi mind-bender Moon.
Alison Lohman as Roy's daughter Angela is also genuinely faultless. A decade ago Lohman was one of the leading young actresses to watch - more recently she seems to have disappeared from the Hollywood spotlight, yet if all her performances had been as good as this along with her performance in the film White Oleander she would still have been at the very top of the A-List now with the likes of Ellen Page.
In the scenes featuring Cage and Loham celluloid burns, these two together set the screen alight. The film walks a fine line but never dips into sentimentality. It's ultimately a beautifully told story about how true love can change everything and have a profound effect even on people who thought that they were lost.
Matchstick Men is a modern classic.
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Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell star in this crime comedy directed by Ridley Scott. LA con artist Roy Waller (Cage), who suffers with Tourette's and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and his protégé Frank Mercer (Rockwell) are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the unexpected arrival of Roy's teenage daughter Angela (Alison Lohman) disrupts his life and jeopardises his high-risk scam. When Roy shows his daughter some of his tricks of the trade, Angela wants a piece of the action, but things are not that simple...
Roy Waller (Nicolas Cage) is a conman and trickster who has had to overcome enormous problems with obsessive-compulsive disorder in order to stay on top of his game. His partner in crime, Frank Mercer (Sam Rockwell), helps him run a daily business conning housewives out of their money with telephone scams. Frank is frustrated with their small-fry clientele however, and urges Roy to look for bigger business ventures. Roy resists Frank's urges, and instead leads a bizarre existence in which he is completely dominated by his compulsions to clean, eat canned tuna every night, and open his front door three times before he can walk through it. His world is turned upside down, however, when he starts seeing a shrink who helps Roy to get in touch with his missing 14-year-old daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman). Angela soon becomes embroiled in Roy and Frank's scams, pushing Roy to take on a grandiose scheme that could give them financial security for the rest of their lives. Directed by Ridley Scott, this fast-paced crime drama takes several twists and turns as it works its way towards a surprising conclusion. Cage is perfectly cast as the con artist beset by neuroses and family problems, and has an excellent foil in the younger, more abrasive Rockwell. Weaving a tale of trust, family, friendship and deceit, director Scott utilises the talents of his actors to delve into complicated themes, resulting in a breathtaking film in which nothing can be taken for granted.
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