Rating: 
Summary: All a thrller should be - clever, devious and entertaining
Review: "Matchstick Men" is one of the 'hidden assets' of 2003. It did only fairly well at the boxoffice and was ignored at the yearend's awards feeding frenzy. This clever, subversive thriller from director Ridley Scott ["Gladiator", "Alien"] is a delight from start to finish. If it has a fault, it is that a plot twist near the end is so surprising and cruel that it was necessary to tack on a happy ending; however, said ending is both appropriate and logical, since the underlying theme is one of redemption.Roy Waller [Nicolas Cage] is a lifelong con artist. He is a mass of nervous ticks, a walking definition of obsessive-compulsive disorder. His partner, Frank [Sam Rockwell] is calm, cool and collected. He puts up w Roy because Roy, is the master con. When Roy goes to a new shrink, it occurs to him that he may have had a child by his ex-wife fourteen years ago. The doctor verifies that he did, and Roy searches out the child, a bright, vivacious girl named Angela [Alison Lohman]. Father and daughter instantly bond. Meanwhile, Roy and his partner have the biggest con of their lives going on. At first a hindrance, Angela soon becomes a partner in crime, as though conning people was almost a genetic trait. Cage, replete with nervous ticks and some speech impediments, is both funny and endearing as Roy, a con man who knows all too well the price his profession extracts from one's sole. Rockwell and Lohman are also excellent. "Matchstick Men" is probably the most entertaining and rewarding thriller of 2003.
Rating: 
Summary: I LOVED THIS MOVIE!
Review: Highly entertaining film has one of Nic Cage's best performances to date. Very well directed by Ridley Scott. Sam Rockwell gives an astoundingly good comedic performance and Alison Lohman gives a terrific performance as Cage's "daughter." The cinematography is so strong I can't even tell you. Look for Bruce Mcgill in a key supporting role. The soundtrack is to die for...Sinatra, Sinatra, Sinatra and one of Hans Zimmer's best scores. This is easily one of my favorite films of 2003.
Rating:
Summary: Not Leaving Las Vegas... so it's good
Review: Why compare the acting here to Leaving Las Vegas? Nick Cage is more believable here than his brooding, boring self in LLV. The movie twists and turns but you don't know it's doing so until the very end. You will be fooled. This deserves 4 stars because of the precision in which it fools us. **Watch this movie, the trailers do not make it sound as good as it is.**
Rating:
Summary: A Tour de Force for Nicholas Cage
Review: A Tour de Force for Nicholas Cage Ridley Scott CAN do intimate stories; not everything he touches has to depend on the grand scale of 'Gladiator'. In MATCHSTICK MEN he has taken a small-scale story and created a wholly believable tale of intrigue, surprises, tenderness, and unconventional outcomes. 'Matchstick men' is another term for grifters or con artists and Nicholas Cage and Sam Rockwell are small scale but superb practitioners of the trade. Cage plays Roy, a neurotic, twitchy, obsessive compulsive agoraphobic mess of a man who despite is fear of the 'outdoors' is the main brain behind enormously clever scams. His partner Frank as played by Sam Rockwell is as casual as Roy is uptight and the two play the opposite ends of the spectrum of normalcy's bell curve to the hilt. As the film opens the two are in action, demonstrating their skills in small time trade. But enter Chuck (Bruce McGill) as a target for big time money and the speed accelerates. Roy, who controls his neuroses by medication, accidentally loses his pills down the garbage disposal, freaks, and ultimately in desperation finds a psychiatrist (the very smooth Bruce Altman) with the intent of gaining a prescription for more meds. Enter Angela (Alison Lohman, the 14-year-old daughter Roy abandoned when he left his pregnant wife 14 years ago, and the story alters. Though initially terrified of the prospect of being with his 'daughter', he gradually warms to her, especially when he discovers that Angela is keen on learning her father's trade. Roy and Frank reluctantly include Angela in a major scam against Chuck and the remainder of the film is a tense roll of how everything than can go wrong, indeed does. The ending of the story is so well done and such a surprise to the audience that watching the closing credits leaves you stunned. This is a superb (for lack of a better category) mystery. Ridley leads his cast of magically fine actors in a pace that never lets up and he sweeps us along with it, despite ourselves! Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: "Matchstick Men" burns with comedy and suspense
Review: Nicholas Cage plays Roy a man with so many nervous ticks he could be the atomic clock. Roy's house, the muisc he listens to (Frank Sinatra) and his very essence has been imported from the early 60's into the 21st Century. Unfortunately, Roy lives a life trapped in routine; he suffers from an extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder caused by the way he lives his life; he's a flimflam man, a con man with more cons than a cardshark has aces up his sleeve. Roy's obsessive compulsive behavior and tics are out of control because his supplier of medication has skipped town. Without his illegally obtained medication, Roy is out of control and goes into extreme cleaning mode. He can't function and he can't work because his nervous ticks and behavior will give him away. His obnoxious and messy partner Frank (the marvelous Sam Rockwell) urges him to see a shrink. Now he must see a real doctor and discuss his very real problems something very much against his nature. His new psychiatrist Dr. Klein manages to get Roy on the couch just long enough to discover that Roy has a daughter he's never seen and an ex-wife that has told more lies than she has fingers about his whereabouts. Dr. Klein urges Roy to contact his daughter suggesting part of his problems may be related to the fact that he has no one to relate to and leads a solitary, lonely life. Roy's life takes both a turn for the better and the worse as his daughter turns out to have a talent for conning all her own... "Matchstick Men" plays almost like a dysfunctional variation on "The Sting" with quirky, nebbish characters at its heart. Director Ridley Scott ("Alien", "Blade Runner", "Gladiator") shows he has a deft ability with comedy in this unique film. His clever use of 60's and 50's stylistic touches and Cage's rich performance make "Matchstick Men" instantly memorable and enjoyable. All the members of the supporting cast are of an equal caliber. Rockwell steals many of the scenes he shares with Cage, which is quite an accomplishment, and Allison Lohman does a great job playing Roy's seemingly sweet but manipulative daughter. The plot features enough twists and turns for a high-grade roller coaster. Kudos must also be given to screenwriters Nicholas and Ted Griffin for their sardonic and rich screenplay. While the audience can see where the film is leading well before the final third of the film creating sympathy for some very unsypathetic characters, Scott and his cast make the ride as entertaining as possible. The rich and colorful transfer of "Matchstick Men" looks exceptional. The warm colors of Southern California come across in the rich cinematographer by John Matheison and are faithfully reproduced on the DVD as well. Viewers won't get burned with the extras on this single disc, dual layer edition. There's an in-depth feature length documentary focusing on the entire process of making a motion picture. It's a fascinating glimpse into the process of making a motion picture for film fans. There's also a interesting commentary track from Scott and the screenwriters. A funny, entertaining movie with some very cool and unique extras, "Matchstick Men" shows that Scott way with comedy. Cage, Rockwell, Lohman and McGill all give funny, detailed performances that are highlighted in the marvelous commentary as well as the production featurettes. The sharp transfer looks exceptional despite some minor digital blemishes. "Matchstick Men" is definitely worth picking up, as you'll enjoy the rich, detailed world that Scott and his collaborators have created.
Rating: 
Summary: Will someone please explain the meaning of the title?
Review: I did not especially appreciate this film. Calling this a comedy/drama is stretching both categories and after viewing it you do not come away with any sense of finality or satisfaction.
The characters have no real charisma where you can relate to them or sympathize with their predicament. Nicholas Cage is brilliant as the phobia-ridden Roy but after a while his facial tics and mannerisms become distracting. The camera angles with constant "thru the window" shots are annoying and unecessary. There are some rather confusing scenes towards the end especially between Roy and his ex-wife. If you listen to the directors commentary, on the DVD, at this point he comes across very pompous, self-serving and totally uncaring about his audience. (Sorry Ridley).
Rating:
Summary: Burned by the Critics....Again!
Review: Really had high hopes after a long week to just come home and watch a good movie. Picked this movie because of the outstanding reviews; famous action director Ridley Scott at the helm; and Nicolas Cage who I thought was great in Con Air and The Rock. Oh my god, this movie was so boring! I knew it wasn't going to be an action flick, but it was soooooo slow! Have you ever watched a movie and debated about just stopping because it's so lame. Half-way thru this snoozer that's exactly how I felt, but I thought, "Hey, I paid good money for this rental. I might as well finish it to see if it gets better." It improved a little bit, but due to some foreshadowing by Ridley, I was able to guess what happened to Nicholas Cage's character Roy before it happened. Redeeming qualities are that Alison Lohman did a terrific job of acting, but great acting can't overcome a story that's not compelling. I also was pleased by the sentimental ending where ultimately good things happen for Nicholas Cage's character Roy. But overall, it was very disappointing and I would rather have watched 4 consecutive episodes of "Everybody Loves Raymond" than to have wasted the 2 hours watching this bore-fest.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent film. An even better DVD.
Review: Ridley Scott has never instilled confidence in me when I watch his films. Granted, his visual flair and ability to handle exceptionally grand subjects is a virtue I would not take for granted. But whilst films like Alien, Blade Runner, Black Rain and Thelma and Louise remain standards of their respective genres his recent work has almost diluted into typical Hollywood fare that one could confuse with a number of different directors. For differing reasons I have found the following films, 1492, White Squall, GI Jane, Gladiator, Hannibal and Black Hawk Down, to be extremely disappointing. Now I for one am glad so many people have enjoyed these films, and I would rather be one of you than merely pass on watching them again. I won't delve into my gripes with each film, as this review is about one that I have no gripes for at all; Matchstick Men. Something is wildly attractive when a film combines the acting talents of Cage and Rockwell, and the visionary director Ridley Scott (who seems to find the best work in Hans Zimmer and his DOP of recent choice, John Mathieson). It is a small story on scale compared to Scott's other work. Far smaller, yet for me one that packs a far greater punch. In a nutshell the film is about a conman, one who is afflicted with an OCD that puts his partner on edge. To his surprise, his daughter of 14 years old, whom he never knew existed, crashes into his life. What follows is a combination of great comedy and drama that really refreshes your mind when lined up against recent Hollywood fare (and should have been recognised in a number of categories of recent award ceremonies). Take my word for it when I say this film is a technical triumph. The cinematography, editing, sound, costumes and sets work beautifully to create a comedy that impresses you with its visceral beauty and often leaves you cold with some harsh realities. The music, by Hans Zimmer, augments the visuals, much alike John Williams' score in Catch Me If You Can, by providing a lurid energy that supports the eccentricities of the two lead actors. Then in Alison Lohman the audience is enraptured by a sweet young actress, reminding you of the initial promise of Natalie Portman. And finally, the main man himself, Ridley Scott. To ignore his profound understanding of visuals and mise en scene would be to deny this film of one of its greatest virtues. It really is a sight to behold at times, begging to be frozen at times just so you can see how light bounces of objects, the colour varies and the actors move around the sets. His films will always have that quality (even GI Jane) but finally here he allows the actors to simply perform a quirky, heartfelt and wonderfully zippy script. The film is not without its flaws, but a film of this nature rarely is. I enjoyed the final scenes, whereas some people found it to be a disappointing resolution. Regardless, it still entertains on a high level. And now the DVD. Having been accustomed to these shiny discs since they made their way to England in the late 90s I have been able to form an idea of what the best DVD is. It isn't about the quantity; the numerous deleted scenes (honestly, half the time they are completely unnecessary), trailers, music videos, bloopers, EPKs. The 'Making Of' featurettes are almost always dry, either too short or too long, lacking insight and are usually press promos that you wonder why they even bothered in the first place. It's about two things; quality, and a blimming commentary track. Now a commentary track does not have to include the director (however, clearly the most important person when it comes to talking about the craft and meaning of a film). But when a film is subject to months of preparation, shooting and post, then clearly people will have a great deal to divulge. Commentaries seem to reveal the most about a film, and thankfully here we have the director, a writer and writer/producer talking over the film. Commentaries of course vary in quality, and here we have a very good one. Rarely reaching the self-congratulatory tones often trod on, the filmmakers speak about the film as mature adults should; with a balanced reverence (or pride) and objectivity that allows them to evolve as artists. Then you have what is arguably, as the amazon reviewer states, one of the best DVD features yet made. From prep to post, 'Tricks of the Trade' is a long, detailed, off-the-wall look into the making of this film. With seemingly full co-operation with everyone on board, this documentary pretty much covers all the main factors of filmmaking (scouting locations, casting, choosing crew, safety on set, writing, adapting from original texts, acting, costumes, set design, editing, testing on audiences, writing music, and naturally, when things go wrong). Just the nature of the doc gives you a wonderful insight into the industry. The ill-conceived notion that making big budget films is a breeze, where people are over paid turning up in their limos is challenged here. Everyone works extremely hard, being as professional as can be to work to a schedule and produce work of an incomparable standard (or, you don't get hired next time). An interesting part of this films creation is during post where Hans Zimmer has to completely re-write his original score as it completely changed the film's intended tone. One criticism is the film ignores the sound editing process, which is a shame as the sound in this film greatly enhances the storyline and the characters. Ultimately 'Tricks of the Trade' shows that the director is a genius. A Ridley Scott set seems to be one of the best to work on in Hollywood at the moment, and this film and documentary shows you why. The picture and sound transfers are excellent. Wonderful sound mix (extremely atmospheric, classic sound track, crisp dialogue) and the visuals are true to the cinematographer's achievement. So all in all a great package. A film that has already become underrated, Scott's best work in the past ten years is in my opinion destined to become a film fan's best kept secret. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: ALEXS CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS
Review: Highlights: Nic Cage's performance; witty script; poignant themes; assured direction.
Lowpoints: Slight slips into sentimentality; forgettable. Conclusion: 'Matchstick Men' is a well made con film/family drama/comedy, supplemented by an intelligent script, R. Scott's elegant direction, and a quirky protagonist. There is almost no 'ham' (apart from where the filmmakers just couldn't help pull the 'tear-strings' a little bit), which is a common expectation in a Hollywood parent/offspring relationship exploitation. The film excites, amuses, and is even touching due to the subdued ending. Despite its' effective qualities though, it still belonges to a genre of forgettable features.
Rating:
Summary: not bad at all and actually very interesting.
Review: all good perfomance, cage and the young girl actress who played as his daughter. a very nice script enhanced by all the good actings. the only stupid controversial acting was cage's chain smoking, even it was arranged to show more of his insecurity and guilt feelings. with a person who had compulsary cleaning anxiety, how come he would allow himself to smoke so much and didn't give a damn to his house carpet and his car interior whenever he smoked? did you notice how messy his ash tray in his car? how come he didn't give a damn to it? this is a stupid but helpless arrangement by the actor, director and the screenwriters in order to further dramatize a insecured con artist. maybe, maybe not. anyway, this nicely done movie has taught the viewers that it would take more con artists' endeavor to con a con artist. i strongly recommend you guys to enjoy another one, "the nine queens"
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