Matchstick Men (Keepcase) | 
| Director: Ridley Scott
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Alison Lohman, Sam Rockwell, Bruce Altman, Bruce McGill
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.98
Buy New: $6.80
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Rating:  165 reviews
Sales Rank: 47021
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 1000109842
UPC: 883929085125
EAN: 0883929085125
ASIN: B002GHHHOW
Theatrical Release Date: 2003
Release Date: September 8, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 09/08/2009
Amazon.com
Marking a welcome return to the breezy style of Thelma & Louise, Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men reminds us that the director of Gladiator is equally adept with quirky comedies and offbeat characters. Smoothly adapted from the novel by Eric Garcia and set amidst the sunlit, 1950s-style architecture of L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, this gently dramatic comedy centers on Roy (Nicolas Cage), a divorcée whose career as a con artist is complicated by: (1) his ongoing struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder, which manifests itself through various quirks and rituals; (2) a wily partner (Sam Rockwell) whose criminal ambitions are greater than Roy suspects; and (3) the arrival of 14-year-old Angela (Alison Lohman), claiming to be the daughter he's never known. Turns out she's got a knack for dad's profession, and that turns Matchstick Men into a multilayered comedy with unexpected twists and surprising revelations. To say more would spoil the fun; suffice it to say that Hans Zimmer's playful score and a Sinatra-laced soundtrack are perfect complements to Cage's engaging eccentricities. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 165
 Matchstick Men (Keepcase) February 9, 2010
Arnita D. Brown (USA)
Meet Roy and Frank, a couple of professional small-time con artists. What Roy, a veteran of the grift, and Frank, his ambitious protege, are swindling these days are "water filtration systems," bargain-basement water filters bought by unsuspecting people who pay ten times their value in order to win bogus prizes like cars, jewelry and overseas vacations, which they never collect. These scams net the men a few hundred here, another thousand there, which eventually adds up to a lucrative partnership. Roy's private life, however, is not so successful. An obsessive-compulsive agoraphobe with no personal relationships to call his own, Roy is barely hanging on to his wits, and when his idiosyncrasies begin to threaten his criminal productivity he's forced to seek the help of a psychoanalyst just to keep him in working order. While Roy is looking for a quick fix, his therapy begets more than he bargained for: the revelation that he has a teenage daughter, a child whose existence he suspected but never dared confirm. What's more troubling, 14-year-old Angela wants to meet the father she never knew. At first, Angela's appearance disrupts her neurotic father's carefully ordered routine. Soon, however, with his own unique spin on parenthood, Roy begins to enjoy a relationship he never dreamed of having with his daughter. But while he develops paternal feelings for the 14-year-old, she's developing a fascination with Daddy's questionable career. This is the kind of movie that will have you putting pieces together, long after it ends. It is an intriguing and rewarding movie, and shouldn't be missed.
Amazing October 20, 2009
M. Bernardo (NH, USA)
I love this movie, it is one of my all time favorite. I will admit that sometimes Nicolas Cage does not make the best acting choices, but this movie makes up for that. He is simply incredible and Sam Rockwell is not too bad either. I love them together. Alison Lohman is simply wonderful too! The plot is wonderful and has a great twist at the end.
The only compliant I had was my DVD came damaged, but Amazon sent me another copy within two days of me calling customer service to report it. It was pretty remarkable and only wants me to keep ordering from them.
For some people, money is... money is a foreign film without subtitles October 20, 2009
C. CRADDOCK (Bakersfield)
Matchstick Men was much better than I thought it was going to be. As soon as I saw that Nicolas Cage was playing a con man with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) I thought it would get tedious in no time, but Cage handled it well. OCD was an important aspect of his character, and it also influenced the outcome. Cage won an Oscar for playing an alcoholic who is "Leaving Las Vegas" and his performance here is up near that level. He really has a knack for playing afflicted characters.
Sam Rockwell, as Frank, his partner, was pretty good; but Alison Lohman, as his daughter, Angela, was spectacular. There are tender moments between the daughter and her estranged father that are really touching, and that is hard to do. How easily it becomes cloying if handled wrong. Alison as Angela was very believable as the daughter, who has inherited her father's gift for grift.
Matchstick Men continually surprises, and that is good. Nothing is as it seems, and there are some really clever twists. Ridley Scott, who directed Blade Runner, really knows his business. There was great choices of music throughout. Frank Sinatra, The Tijuana Brass, Nino Rota, Bobby Darin, Roxy Music, Kid Rock, and more. Each song was carefully chosen and placed so it commented on the action, but didn't really draw attention to itself and away from the story, because it just seemed so right for the moment.
Bottomline is Matchstick Men is a good film from Ridley Scott, but it is not as good as Blade Runner (The Director's Cut). It has a great performance from Nicolas Cage, but not quite as good as Leaving Las Vegas. The Grifters is a better movie about con artistry, and Matchstick Men is not quite that good, but it comes very close. It beats The Flim Flam Man.
SELECTED FILMS AND ROLES OF NICOLAS CAGE
Ghost Rider (Widescreen Edition) (2007) Nicolas Cage was Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider
Adaptation (Superbit Collection) (2002) Nicolas Cage was Charlie Kaufman / Donald Kaufman
Leaving Las Vegas (1995) Nicolas Cage was Ben Sanderson
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) Nicolas Cage was Jack Singer
Wild At Heart (1990) Nicolas Cage was Sailor Ripley
Valley Girl (1983) Nicolas Cage was Randy
SELECTED ROLES OF OTHER CAST MEMBERS
Choke (2008) Sam Rockwell was Victor Mancini
Drag Me to Hell (2009) Alison Lohman was Christine Brown
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Roy: For some people, money is... money is a foreign film without subtitles.
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 Uninspired con-men film October 18, 2009
One-Line Film Reviews (Easton, MD)
The Bottom Line:
Matchstick Men might appeal more to people who haven't seen a lot of films about con men, but if you're familiar with the genre you'll find very little here to get excited about; though the characters are developed to the point where you care what happens to them at the end, the machinations of the screenplay are exceedingly familiar and contrived and prevent the story from earning entry into the upper echelon of the genre with Mamet's films and The Sting.
2.5/4
Matchstick Men DVD October 17, 2009
Thomas M. Becker (Illinois)
I like Nic Cage & he does a great job here as an obsessive-compulsive con man. Some twists and turns - very entertaining.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 165
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