Film

Matchstick Men (2003)

Director: Ridley Scott

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Roy may be a successful con artist, but the man has problems. Plagued by the ritualistic symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, he is suffering from a Guilty Conscience, as well he might. Partner in crime Frank (Rockwell) recommends a trip to the shrink, who in turn suggests a reunion with Roy's long lost daughter. Played with maximum winsomeness by Lohmann, this irritating 14-year-old cutie pie turns out to be the key. Before he knows it, Roy's eating pizza, letting people wear their shoes in the house, and looking forward to leaving the grifting life behind. Naturally, there's one last big sting to complete before father and daughter ride off into the sunset. No prizes for guessing it's going to go wrong. Ridley Scott lets us enjoy the satisfying clicks and whirrs of the well-oiled celluloid con trick, while leaving plenty of head room for Cage to twitch and fret in. He even builds in some crawl-space for a few moral misgivings about Roy's job and also his new obsession with the girl. How you feel will largely depend on your reaction to egregious final-reel plot twists, but you'll certainly have been slickly entertained. (From a book by Eric Garcia.) LMu.

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