Matchstick Men (2003)

"It's a 21st-century version of The Sting...  Glenn Kenny, Premiere
"Enormously entertaining.   Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

Editor's Note Roy Waller (Nicolas Cage) is a con man who has had to overcome enormous problems with obsessive-compulsive disorder in order to stay on top of his game. His partner in crime, Frank Mercer (Sam Rockwell), helps him run a daily business conning housewives out of their money with telephone scams. Frank is frustrated with their small-fry clientele however, and urges Roy to look for bigger business ventures. Roy resists Frank's urges, and instead leads a bizarre existence in which he is completely dominated by his compulsions to clean, eat canned tuna every night, and open his front door three times before he can walk through it. His world is turned upside down, however, when he starts seeing a shrink who helps Roy to get in touch with his missing 14-year-old daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman). Angela soon becomes embroiled in Roy and Frank's scams, pushing Roy to take on a grandiose scheme that could give them financial security for the rest of their lives. Directed by Ridley Scott, this fast-paced crime drama takes several twists and turns as it works its way towards a surprising conclusion. Cage is perfectly cast as the con artist beset by neuroses and family problems, and has an excellent foil in the younger, more abrasive Rockwell. Weaving a tale of trust, family, friendship and deceit, director Scott utilizes the talents of his actors to delve into complex themes, resulting in a breathtaking film in which nothing can be taken for granted.

	Alison Lohman
	Bruce Altman
	Bruce McGill
	Jenny O'Hara
	Nicolas Cage
	Sam Rockwell
	Steve Eastin
	Eric Garcia - Based On Novel By
	John Mathieson - Cinematographer
	Ridley Scott - Director
	Dody Dorn - Editor
	Robert Zemeckis - Executive Producer
	Hans Zimmer - Original Music By
	Ridley Scott, et al. - Producer
	Nicholas Griffin - Screenplay
	Ted Griffin - Screenplay

Entertainment Weekly
"...Cage's energized participation and Lohman's striking charisma are welcome additives..." 09/19/2003 p.62-3

New York Times
"...Ms. Lohman shows the same pitch-perfect balance of guilelessness and coquetry she brought to WHITE OLEANDER..." 09/12/2003 p.E12

USA Today
"...MATCHSTICK MEN is a well-acted and intriguing exploration of dishonesty in its varied forms, leavened with a dry comic touch..." 09/12/2003 p.9E

Los Angeles Times
"...A natural-born filmmaker, Scott has a visual style that in its balance of pointillist detail and sweeping scale can complement whatever large-scale story he's chewed off..." 09/12/2003 p.C14

Chicago Sun-Times
"...What in another actor would be overacting is, with Cage, a kind of fearsome intensity. There's an Oscar nomination here for him..." 09/12/2003 p.29

Rolling Stone
"...Nicolas Cage is at the top of his game....Cage and Rockwell play off each other with devilish finesse. And Lohman is on fire..." 10/02/2003 p.125

Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...MATCHSTICK MEN finds Scott in a playful mood, and he does some of the most relaxed directing of his career..." 11/01/2003 p.116-18

Premiere
"Ridley Scott's deft touch helps make the twist at the end both surprising and solid." 03/01/2004 p.94

James Berardinelli's ReelViews 9 of 10
With Roy, Nicolas Cage adds another quirky character to his resume. He is convincing without being o

San Francisco Chronicle 8 of 10
Matchstick Men is expertly directed, underscored with vintage-hip tunes from Sinatra and Bobb - Edward Guthmann

Chicago Sun-Times 10 of 10
Rockwell, Lohman, McGill and Altman are all perfectly cast, which is essential, since they must conv - Roger Ebert