Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6632 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-02-23
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 111 minutes

Special Features
Making Matchstick Men -- Pre-Production, Production & Post-Production features (approx 25 mins each)
Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Nicholas Griffin and Writer/Produce Ted Griffin
Languages: English, French, Italian
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, Dutch, English SDH & Italian SDH
Aspect ratio: 16:9

Synopsis
Roy Waller (Nicolas Cage) is a conman and trickster 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 utilises the talents of his actors to delve into complicated themes, resulting in a breathtaking film in which nothing can be taken for granted.

Customer Reviews

Great story, horrible twist
This one stars Nicholas Cage, not over acting quite as much as usual, as a con man with obsessive compulsive disorder who attempts to forge a relationship with a fourteen year old daughter he's never seen before. The daughter is played by Alison Lohman, who turns out to be a real find - all perky and sweet and not your typical obnoxious teen, and this actress is very convincing despite apparently being in her early twenties. Watching the lonely and troubled con artist form a bond with this young girl as he teaches her to trick people out of their money was a genuine joy. When these two were together, Matchstick Men succeeded admirably in pulling me into its charming and gently humourous story.

I was enjoying this one quite a bit, right up to the point when the writers yanked the rug out from under me in such an ugly and contrived manner. A wise man once said that endings should be 'surprising yet inevitable', but this one goes instead for 'obvious yet unsatisfying'. I knew it was coming (and had been keeping my fingers crossed that they wouldn't go through with it), but even so it was hard not to feel betrayed by screenwriters Ted and Nicholas Griffin, who are adapting this one from a novel by Eric Garcia.

It's a shame, because it sullies what was a pretty good film up until that point. I can only recommend this one to people who don't mind turning off the DVD about twenty minutes before it's finished.

Con's have never been more clean.
Matchstick Men is a great movie. And prooves who ever doubted Nicholas Cage's acting skill wrong by giving an insparational performance, as the mentally disturbed con man. With an inventive story line, and strong supporting cast, I think that this is one of most underated films in recent years.

Worth watching
A good decent film with a decent plot. Nice twist at the end as well. What more do you need.