"Matchstick Men" centers around a couple of small time con artists who cheat people out of their money by selling cheap water filtration systems at astronomically inflated prices. Nicolas Cage leads the team as the more experienced Roy, an obsessive-compulsive agoraphobic. His need to quickly open and close doors three times in succession is nothing in comparison with his need to maintain a spotless house. Oddly enough, he has no personal life to speak of. Roy's protégé Frank (Sam Rockwell) is the wilder of the two, the ‘Oscar’ to Roy’s ‘Felix.’
Roy survives the days by popping pills to keep his craziness under control, which is all fine and dandy until his 'doctor' moves out of town. Left without drugs, his obsessive behaviors begin taking over. Forced to see a psychoanalyst who insists they actually talk prior to handing over the medication, Roy determines it's his guilt over leaving his pregnant girlfriend 14 years earlier that has him so twisted up inside. At the prompting of his shrink, Roy meets up with his now teenaged daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman). As teens are wont to do, she invades his orderly home, leaving candy wrappers, clothes and other miscellaneous items strewn throughout his immaculate house. But that's the least of Roy's troubles. Angela wants to learn the family business and won't take no for an answer. As Roy and Frank prepare for the biggest swindle of their careers, Angela wants in on the action.
Nicolas Cage sweats, shakes, spasms, chain-smokes and cleans his way through the movie. Cage is firing on all cylinders, portraying a character whose quirkiness is both irritating and endearing. He does such an outstanding job meshing his instincts for the role with the quirky behavior, that it comes across as a ‘natural’ blend of actor and character.
Sam Rockwell is equally as effective as the younger partner, playing the role of the instigator with impeccable timing. Rockwell’s able to convey the story without going over the top.
Despite third billing and a less recognizable name, the real star of "Matchstick Men" is Alison Lohman (I challenge anyone to tell me this woman does not do a perfect portrayal of a 14-year-old). She was amazing in "White Oleander" but totally comes into her own in this movie as Cage's long-lost daughter. Playing the role of a cynical teen who worms her way into her absent father's life, Lohman holds her own and in some cases just outright steals scenes from the Oscar-winning Nicolas Cage.
Ridley Scott has taken a fantastic script and ‘matched’ the actors to their roles perfectly. Although I could have done without the last 15 or so minutes, the movie more than delivered. “Matchstick Men” is clever, funny, and keeps you entertained throughout.
GRADE: A-
"Matchstick Men" was directed by Ridley Scott (full cast and crew list) and is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence, some sexual content and language.
