A phobic con artist and his protege are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist's teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly.
| Tagline | Lie. Cheat. Steal. Rinse. Repeat. |
| Release Date: | Sep 12, 2003 |
| Genres: | Comedy, Drama, Crime, Thriller |
| Production Company: | Warner Bros. Pictures, ImageMovers, Scott Free Productions, Rickshaw Productions, LivePlanet |
| Production Countries: | United Kingdom, United States of America |
| Casts: | Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman, Bruce Altman, Bruce McGill, Jenny O'Hara, Steve Eastin, Beth Grant, Sheila Kelley, Fran Kranz, Tim Kelleher |
| Status: | Released |
| Budget: | $62000000 |
| Revenue: | 65565672 |
**_You get what you give and (hopefully)... redemption_** I've heard good things about Ridley Scott's "Matchstick Men", released in 2003, but was reluctant to give it a try since it was about two con-men. It's hard, after all, to care about the outcome of a story if its main characters are swindling scumbags who make their living by ripping others off. Let 'em be wiped off the face of the planet for all I care. But everyone universally praised the film and said it had a good ending that catches the viewer off guard, so I finally decided to check it out. Nicolas Cage's character, Roy, is crippled by obsessive-compulsion disorder, likely a physical consequence of the guilt of his criminal lifestyle, which he tries to justify ("I don't take money from people; they give it to me"). He sees a shrink and relies on meds to deal with his condition. Ultimately Roy and his partner (Sam Rockwell) happen upon a big score. At the same time his life is complicated but also blessed by the appearance of a 14 year-old daughter he never knew he had (alison Lohman). The story is good all the way through but the last act & epilogue in particular are worth the price of admission. I like how the movie emphasizes that love is more important than money, and more devastating to lose as well. And also that, if one truly has a worthy and noble heart, it will ultimately vomit out foolish, selfish and unnatural inclinations & actions. Redemption is always there, no matter how bad you are, but you have to want freedom enough to choose it and change. I don't want to say anymore because the less you know the better. The film runs two hours and was filmed in the Los Angeles/Anaheim/Venice areas. GRADE: B
