Corporate Line: Phobia-addled con artist Roy (Cage) and his protégé Frank (Rockwell) are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the unexpected arrival of Roy’s teenage daughter Angela (Lohman) disrupts his carefully-ordered life and jeopardizes his high-risk scam.
The Good: Nicolas Cage is at his best, outstanding. You feel the pain, pity, and madness of Cage as Roy. You might even leave the film with a tick or two. Sam Rockwell is good as the sidekick. It’s no wonder this guy is popping up all over the place. Alison Lohman throws a curve and depth to the film.
The story line is interesting and captivating. There are layers here that keep the film flowing at a pace that you hope never stops. When the film ends you wish that it would continue on as you’ve invested so much into Roy. It’s hard to find a good story like this that has twists and turns that don’t have to be there; but when they are you realize how wonderful it all is.
The Bad: If I spot something the next time I see it I’ll let you know.
DVD extras: Tricks of the Trade features a sneak peek at the making of the film and you can go behind-the-scenes with the creators and “steal a look” at what it took to craft a production about a criminal mastermind from the beginning to the end. You see all production from pre-production right into the editing phase. There is also an audio commentary by Director/Producer Ridley Scott, Writer Nicholas Griffin and Writer/Producer Ted Griffin and a theatrical trailer.
Frankly: Matchstick Men is a must see in a time when there is nothing worth seeing. Cage deserves a nomination for his role. He’s so good you wonder if there might be some true insanity underneath all the acting. I loved Matchstick Men.
+ Charlie Craine