"Matchstick Men" - Glows with Warmth
by Homer Yen
(c) 2003
"Matchstick Men" is like a fine luxury
automobile. It is crafted with precision, the
quality of the material is high, and those that
build it have imposed a certain standard of
excellence. The result is a nicely conceived
vehicle that is agile and fun to watch.
In this finely constructed film, kudos go to
Nicolas Cage who shakes, shimmies, and staggers
as a phobic con artist named Roy trying to stay
one step ahead while somehow maintaining his
sanity. He brings an animated intensity to the
big screen as a man full of irony. Although he
is a flimflam man who tries to trap others, he is
constantly being painted into a corner himself.
Although he is adept at telling lies to further
his cause, he finds it difficult to tell the
truth when he should.
It's a difficult juggling act for our beleaguered
hero. On the one hand, he struggles daily with a
neurosis that causes him to twitch, grunt, and
jerk uncontrollably. On the other hand, he has
an apprentice partner named Frank (Sam Rockwell)
that questions if Roy still has the gusto to
perform a big-time scam. And then there's the
sudden appearance of Angela (Alison Lohman), the
daughter that Roy never knew.
The beauty of the film is that every element,
while unique in its own way, weaves themselves
into a sublime story that explores the various
facets of what makes Roy go. This is a story
less about the con and more about the artist.
The heart of the "Matchstick Men" revolves around
Roy tiptoeing around his fragile relationship
with Angela. She's eager to learn, happy to
finally meet Roy, and yet vulnerable as any
14-year old girl could be. Meanwhile, he is
reluctant to open up about his profession, tries
to fight off his numerous ticks, and is not too
successful in his crash course at parenthood.
But one commonality that they both share is the
thrill of a kill. You'll watch in delight as
they stealthily set up an unsuspecting victim
with nothing more than bravura, a smile, and a
wrinkled lottery ticket. It's quite fun to
watch, and we begin to simultaneously appreciate
and fear these professional grifters. Moreover,
we feel a gradually increasing sense of warmth as
Roy works hard to overcome his inhibitions as a
catharsis begins to slowly occur.
But what's the fun of watching a film about con
artists if there are no cons? Happily, we are
treated to some razzle-dazzle setups. The
opening sequence shows Frank and Roy engaged in a
sophisticated ploy that not only convincingly
fools an intended mark once but twice. Roy
justifies his dubious career by insisting that he
is not a criminal because he doesn't take
anything. They give it to him. This is just
small stuff compared to their next target, a
greedy businessman (Bruce McGill).
There may or may not be a happy ending for Roy.
However for all of us, "Matchstick Men" rewards
us with a well-crafted film with a great central
character, moving elements, a laid-back hipness
aided by a mellow 60s soundtrack, and a playful
dimension of deviousness. A lot of hard work went
into making this film. And that's something that
can't be faked.
Grade: B+
S: 0 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
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X-RAMR-ID: 35768
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1198413
X-RT-TitleID: 1125588
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B+
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