Matchstick Men (2003)

Matchstick Men (2003)

 9/10

 

Starring

Nicholas Cage

Sam Rockwell

Alison Lohman

 

Directed by Ridley Scott

 

There is nothing better than revisiting classics and just refilling your love for the cinema. I do think we do not get them as good as those days, but maybe it is just me getting old saying that. Or maybe the dying cinema numbers, and the failing Netflix figures corroborate my theory. I do hope these golden days return soon.

If you get the chance to appreciate talent, go see this movie by Nicholas Cage based off a 2002 novel of the same name by Eric Garcia. This movie is one of those classics that you must be in for the long haul if you want to fully appreciate the class of this movie. The acting and plot is captivating, and the movie has like two plots running together, Roy (Nicolas Cage) and his daughter Angela (Alison Lohman) bonding. Or the second thing which is Frank’s (Sam Rockwell) big con score which Roy and Angela were helping him pull off. The movie made these two things be the center of everything, if we are not focusing on the first thing, we are on the second. If you have seen The Usual Suspect when everything comes into full view in the last few minutes. Well, this movie is like that, there is a bigger plot at play and that does not come into full view until the final minutes and that will hit you right at the gut.

Matchstick Men introduces us to two characters Roy and Frank who perform cons on people and live on that money. Roy has been doing this for years and has amassed a fortune. An information Frank is privilege to know. Frank too wants to have this sort of security and has been planning a big score. One of the challenges to fulfilling this big score is Roy. Roy has OCD, he is a germophobe and Tourette’s. He is a basket case, so Frank arranges for him to see a psychologist he knows. The treatments had him talk about his past, his failed marriage, and a probable child. Roy gives the doctor his ex-wife’s number hoping he can help call her to find out about his daughter which he abandoned more than fourteen years ago. One night Roy gets a visit from a girl named Angela who says she is his daughter and gives him the tale that proves it.

Angela brings to Roy some sort of comfort and helps him put his medical issues in check. Frank and Roy were working the score when Roy invites Angela and trains her on how to be a con person.

I will stop here and let you take the time to go see one of the best con movies that there is out there.