Matchstick Men 2003
This is an unconventional gangster movie. Nicolas Cage plays the central character, a master con artist with obsessive compulsive disorder and phobias that make Monk look healthy. His partner in crime and best friend is Sam Rockwell. Cage’s character is very good and given great depth, but he is maybe overly tortured by his mental problems. As such, it is hard to laugh at a lot of what is happening to him, though I think we are supposed to. Also, there is nothing particularly positive about the the main characters. Also, these aren’t charming crooks like in The Sting who steal from the rich, but predatory thieves who stop just short of armed robbery.
It is fun watching the plot unfold and take some twists and turns, but ultimately I was a little disappointed. I saw what was coming, even if I wasn’t absolutely sure about it. While the acting performances are very good and the story is clever, I think it just misses being a very good movie. I’ll give it a B.
Written: 31 Aug 2006