Rating: Summary: Gage is a master Review: Ok, Nicolas Cage is a wonderful actor with tremendous talent, and this flick certainly bares this out. So I have to ask, why in the world does he take some of the dumb roles he does? But I digress. This is a great movie and very well acted. While the "con" type movie is done over and over, this movie really isn't so much about action and pulling off a con, like say "The Italian Job" a fun movie in it's own right, but rather a movie about a person with a mental disorder that works as a con for a living and isn't really connected to the human race. Enter a girl. It's always a girl, isn't it? I won't give away any surprises here, but I will say I didn't predict the ending to the movie and was very entertained by the whole thing. A strong recommendation and probably not a bad one to own, although since it's not really an action flick it'll probably be some time before I'd be excited about seeing it over.
Rating: Summary: Well worth watching - Review: Nicholas Cage is amazing in this film...Loved it.Rent it, buy it, watch it...you'll love it too.
Rating: Summary: One of the best movies of 2003 Review: A few weeks ago I saw this movie and I wasn't expecting much. As a matter of fact I was expecting a dud because in my opinion I think Nicholas Cage's career has been on the downturn with some of his latest movies. I was suprised with Matchstick Men, it was very enjoyable from beginning to the extremely suprising end. It is a humorous movie that is also a smart and slick con movie as well. Nicholas Cage and his partner Sam Rockwell make a living off of being con artists. They are quite successful at their line of work. The two of them make a great team and they have great chemistry. Cage's character also has obsessive compulsive disorder and he is always cleaning stuff. He can't really function without his meds. and that plays a role in this movie as well. Part way through the movie Cage's character finds out he has a teenage daughter he had about 15 years ago. To cut things short. They reunite, shes happy, they argue, she thinks he's a bad father, he tells her he makes a living is a con artist, shes intrigued and wants to become a con artist as well. I will leave the rest to you to find out what else happens in this suprising and twisting movie. I like some of Ridley Scotts movies but this one really stands out in my opinion. I enjoyed movies he made like Alien & Gladiator but Matchstick Men is another great movie that when you think Ridley Scott hopefully this movie will come to thought as well. There are alot of con movies come out every year but Matchstick Men stands out in that crowd. If you enjoyed other recent movies like Confidence or Oceans Eleven you are going to love this movie. With all honesty I mean it when I say Matchstick Men is one of last years best movies. It combines humor, a bit of action, and plot twists along the way. Give this movie a try if you like Nicolas Cage in what I think is one of his best roles and movies he's played since Leaving Las Vegas.
Rating: Summary: Highly Entertaining! Review: As someone who openly admits to being diagnosed with OCD, I may be particularly biased in regards to this movie. Nicholas Cage plays a con-artist named Ray who suffers heavily from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This movie really sheds a humourous light on this disorder and watching his antics were completely comical. Ray is very ritualistic in everything he does. Then one day Ray finds out he has a 14 year-old daughter. When she becomes a part of his life everything that once was in order begins to change, and perhaps for the best! Maybe having a daughter around was the medication Ray needed after all.
Rating: Summary: A Shell Game Review: It's OK, but it's something of a shell game itself. Like any good conman it's cleverness lies in convincing you it's something it's not - i.e. a family drama about human relationships. Cage is brilliant, but between this and "Monk" and a few other things I'm starting to get tired of characters who are a grab bag of incompatible psychological tics. A cleanliness freak who chain smokes? Saw the end coming though I must say.
Rating: Summary: Conning the con artist Review: Nicholas Cage plays an obsessive-compulsive con artist who teams up with his partner Frank to bilk wealthy men in every way possible. His ex-wife was pregnant when they divorced and he discovers that they have a daughter, Angela, who wants to spend time with her father. They begin an awkward relationship which eventually turns into real affection. Angela begs her father to teach her how to be a con artist and he reluctantly agrees. During the sting, things go wrong, and both Angela and her father are threatened by the object of their con. A neat twist at the end turns everything around and things which appear to be true, suddenly are not. Cage does a good job of his role, down to the last tic, but Alison Lohman steals the show as a daughter who is wise beyong her years.
Rating: Summary: a cross between monk and paper moon Review: monk in the sense of germphobias and coming from an germ phobic o.c.d. person i think that the only downfall of the film was that no realy germ phobic ocd person could be cured so quickly but it adds to the film. the movie starts out a little bit slow but not a whole lot and speeds up, particularly when he is connected with his stranger to the eye 14 year old daughter angela, a little skater chick who leaves the milk out and eats ben and jerrys strait from the carton for breakfast as she smokes his cigarettes and drinks his beer. at first roy doesnt want her there and she pretty much turns his world upside down but she works her way into his heart somehow or another and he becomes almost dependant on her. hes a con man and in a way thats like the whole paper moon thing. she wants to get into the con which is alot like addy in paper moon. hes a bit like monk and a bit like moses pray from Paper Moon shes a little punk and knows the business just like addy did. this movie is classifyed as comedy/thriller, which makes no sense to the text but its about as acurate as your gonna get. see this movie. you wont regret it. its one of those movies that just about anyone would find a spot for. also if you like matchstick men you will wanna see Paper Moon. They kinda come hand in hand.. Paper Moon(tatum and Ryan Oneal) is now out on DVD now.
Rating: Summary: I'm just not buying the string of events in this film Review: The story about con men falls apart by trying to be too clever for the viewer. The liberty that a director has to do anything in a movie, because he has the power, trips Scott in this movie. He presents a story that is too outlandish to buy into. If you watch this and review the events in your mind, you will find yourself becoming as neurotic as Cage's character. The pieces just don't fit and thus what seems to be a good movie is sabotaged and falls apart. One problem that stands out is the psychiatrist or impersonator. Who is he? If not a real psychiatrist, how did Roy find him and why would he be the liasion between Roy and his ex-wife and then supposed daughter. A con man as sly as Roy would at least posses the discernment to figure something out, despite his obsessive-compulsiveness. But there I go trying to figure it out when the puzzle cannot be put together. I think you will end up frustrated by this film, as I was. It plays a trick on the viewer, but really ends up catching itself in the net. I would pass on this one.
Rating: Summary: Fun With A Surprising Twist Review: I really enjoyed this movie, up until the end, but a few minutes after the film ended I decided that I really did like the ending. It all works. This movie is so funny and likeable that I don't think many people can turn away from it's endearing charm and wit. Cage stars as Roy, a guy with a serious amount of nervous ticks and obsessive compulsive behaviors. He can never calm down-- it's like he's got caffeine for blood, which makes him a really fun character to be around for the couple hours the movie is. Roy is a con artist, pulling a big job with his partner Mark (Sam Rockwell-- who is absolutely amazing). Mark is annoyed that Roy can't even calm down when they're in the middle of a job so he tells Roy to see a shrink. Roy then learns he has a fourteen year old daughter, played by the magnificnet Allison Lohman. She's emotional, she smells like bubble gum, and she's in the way of Roy's life as a con artist. The ending really is too good for words. It surprised the heck out of me, that's for sure. I never saw it coming. There's certainly a sadness to it, but it works so well I can't hardly complain. Truly, this movie is worth watching. Cage playing a guy with so many ticks is irresistably funny, a tad annoying, and kind of sad all at the same time. This movie not only boasts alot of talent from it's actors, but an endearing story with an unexpected ending. I recommend this one to anyone who just wants to see an awesome movie.
Rating: Summary: Facts that make this story unbelievable. . . Review: Here are some of facts that make this story unbelievable: 1 - Why would Cage's character keep playing con games when he has a safe deposit box filled with several hundred thousand dollars? He's financially secure and a nervous wreck so why would he continue to place himself in dangerous situations? This shows that the character lacks the most important thing vital to any good story - MOTIVATION. 2 - Cage's nervous face twitchings and grunting throughout each scene made me a nervous wreck! Jack Nicolson's character in "As Good As It Gets" portrays a more realistic picture of a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder. 3 - Cage's partner set up this whole con based on the weak notion that Cage wouldn't call his daughter's mother to discuss the situation. There are many more weak things about this story, but I don't have anymore time to waste on this film, so that's it.
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