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Matchstick Men (DVD, 2004, Full Frame)
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You got conned. Raise your hand if your a Nicholas Cage fan. I raised mine. Although, I don't always feel proud to. Remember "Captain Correlli's Mandolin?" Of course you don't. Nobody watched that drivel. But when I think of Cage, a few movies come to mind. "Valley Girls" was the first movie I saw Cage in - and if you haven't seen that little slice of heaven - go rent it (or put it in your Netflix Queue) right now. I remember some movie he was in where he thought he was a vampire and terrorized his secretary the entire film. It's too bad the film title escapes me now but I'll say this: Cage/vampire = genius! And of course, who could forget "Adaptation" - one of the best movies to come out in the last ten years? And, while flawed, "Matchstick Men" doesn't disappoint if your a Cage fan. Roy (Cage) is an obsessive compulsive con-man. And while he's not very good at anything else, he excels in the art of the con. Together with his apprentice/partner Frank (Sam Rockwell), he bilks a lot of people out of their hard earned cash by running a telemarketing "You-just-won-a-free-vacation" bait-and-switch scam. And aside from having to close and lock the door three times before leaving the house as well as making sure EVERY PARTICLE OF DUST is cleaned, life is in good order for Roy (only a little hollow). That all changes when he finds out his regular psychiatrist has disappeared and he no longer has any medication. Upon seeing a new psychiatrist, Roy finds out that he has a daughter named Angela (Alison Lohman). Of course (hey, this is a movie) this leads to Roy and Angela meeting and spending time together. The more they get to know each other, the less Roy is dependant upon his meds and the more normal his life becomes. And when Frank suggests that they go for "that really big score," Roy goes for it. While a lot of that must sound cliqued by Hollywood standards, it doesn't play that way. The performances are very strong, especially from Lohman and Cage, who have instant chemistry. The movie is directed by Ridley Scott, and he does a great job of keeping things low-key (in contrast to his larger, louder epics). The twist in the third act is shrouded so well, you never see it coming. So where is the problem? Well, it really comes down to the ending. And without spoiling things for you - it's almost as if Scott channeled the spirit of Steven Spielberg as we have a great movie that should end 10 minutes before it does and a sugar-laced denoument that allows everyone redemption. And with that, it loses it's edge. Still, the movie is very much worth a look - if not a buy if your a big Cage fan. The DVD boasts commentary from Scott, the writer, and the producer; some trailers; and "Tricks of the Trade" - a three-part day-to-day account of the filmmaking process. Not great, but not bad either.Read full review
Matchstick Men was a very enjoyable movie. However, the ending is foretold too early if you are paying close attention to details. The screenplay is well written with lots of comic breaks between very serious scenes. I disliked the gory way that the gunfire scenes were shot. They could have just as effectively been shot without the entry wounds being shot in minute detail. Overall it was a good movie for a stereotypical "turning one's life around" plot. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys plot twists and also enjoys trying to figure out if the expected ending is valid.
Meet Roy and Frank, a couple of professional small-time con artists. What Roy, a veteran of the grift, and Frank, his ambitious protege, are swindling these days are "water filtration systems," bargain-basement water filters bought by unsuspecting people who pay ten times their value in order to win bogus prizes like cars, jewelry and overseas vacations, which they never collect. These scams net the men a few hundred here, another thousand there, which eventually adds up to a lucrative partnership. Roy's private life, however, is not so successful. An obsessive-compulsive agoraphobe with no personal relationships to call his own, Roy is barely hanging on to his wits, and when his idiosyncrasies begin to threaten his criminal productivity he's forced to seek the help of a psychoanalyst just to keep him in working order. While Roy is looking for a quick fix, his therapy begets more than he bargained for: the revelation that he has a teenage daughter, a child whose existence he suspected but never dared confirm. What's more troubling, 14-year-old Angela wants to meet the father she never knew. At first, Angela's appearance disrupts her neurotic father's carefully ordered routine. Soon, however, with his own unique spin on parenthood, Roy begins to enjoy a relationship he never dreamed of having with his daughter. But while he develops paternal feelings for the 14-year-old, she's developing a fascination with Daddy's questionable career. This is the kind of movie that will have you putting pieces together, long after it ends. It is an intriguing and rewarding movie, and shouldn't be missed.Read full review
Matchstick Men is a great film which portrays Nicholas Cage as a Con Man. I really enjoyed this fim, having become a fan of Cage after viewing Con Air and Face-Off, I believe this film lacks the non-stop action of these, but is a very good film. Has a lot of twist and turns in the plot, and you may have to rewind certain parts to get the full impact. I feel this is a sleeper of a film that I would recomend viewing. Rate this one 4 STARS ****
I'm not normally a huge Nick Cage fan, but this movie caused me to love his quirky nature as an actor, which tends to be over the top. Ridley Scott is masterful – everyone would agree – so having his directing skills involved, plus one of the all-time great movie composers, Hans Zimmer, you know it HAS to be good. I loved ALL the characters in this movie, and I'll bet you will too. It has surprising depth on multiple levels. The quality that most appealed to me in this story was how the intrinsic father/daughter chemistry cannot be avoided – no matter how brief. I won't give away the plot (spoiler), but if you like character development on a more humorous level, plus just having fun, this is your picture. Each time I see it, I laugh harder. It's also a great date movie! Also, this is the kind of movie you realize the next day just how great it is. It's definitely worth owning and having in your collection.Read full review
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