Lie. Cheat. Steal. Rinse. Repeat.
A phobic con artist and his protege are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist's teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly.
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Contemporary, spare, classical in form and intimate.
- contemporarynostalgic
- sparerichly built
- classical in formformally daring
- intimateepic
- effortlessdemanding
Who loves it, who doesn't
34 profiled raters. Loved most by The Empaths.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is Nicolas Cage the best thing in Matchstick Men?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is it funnier than it is smart?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Would Matchstick Men hit harder if it came out today rather than in 2003?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- Wuchakon TMDB · Oct 20257/10
**_You get what you give and (hopefully)... redemption_** I've heard good things about Ridley Scott's "Matchstick Men", released in 2003, but was reluctant to give it a try since it was about two con-men. It's hard, after all, to care about the outcome of a story if its main characters are swindling scumbags who make their living by ripping others off. Let 'em be wiped off the face of the planet for all I care. But everyone universally praised the film and said it had a good ending that catches the viewer off guard, so I finally decided to check it out. Nicolas Cage's character, Roy, is crippled by obsessive-compulsion disorder, likely a physical consequence of the guilt of his criminal lifestyle, which he tries to justify ("I don't take money from people; they give it to me"). He sees a shrink and relies on meds to deal with his condition. Ultimately Roy and his partner (Sam Rockwell) happen upon a big score. At the same time his life is complicated but also blessed by the appearance of a 14 year-old daughter he never knew he had (alison Lohman). The story is good all the way through but the last act & epilogue in particular are worth the price of admission. I like how the movie e
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Nicolas CageRoy Waller
- Sam RockwellFrank Mercer
- Alison LohmanAngela
- Bruce AltmanDr. Klein
- Bruce McGillChuck Frechette
- Jenny O'HaraMrs. Schaffer
- Steve EastinMr. Schaffer
- Beth GrantLaundry Lady
- Sheila KelleyKathy
- Fran KranzSlacker Boyfriend
Crew
- Ridley ScottDirector
- Nicholas GriffinScreenplay
- Ted GriffinScreenplay
- Eric GarciaNovel
- John MathiesonDirector of Photography
- Hans ZimmerOriginal Music Composer
- Dody DornEditor
- Ted GriffinProducer
- Sean BaileyProducer
- Jack RapkeProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
50/50 201184% alikeBoth contemporary, spare, classical in form.
The Edge of Seventeen 201682% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, spare.
Little Miss Sunshine 200682% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, spare.
Sometimes Always Never 201980% alikeBoth contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Love & Other Drugs 201080% alikeBoth contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Just Before I Go 201580% alikeBoth contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Juno 200780% alikeBoth contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Grandma 201579% alikeBoth contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Mr. Plankton 202482% alikeTelevision · Both contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Dead to Me 201981% alikeTelevision · Both contemporary, spare, classical in form.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
