Matchstick Men 2003

Cast : Nicolas cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman

Plot and Summary:

Matchstick Mean ( Which literally means Con-Men) is an american Black Comedy film directed by Ridley Scott.Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell star in the Con Movie. The movie mostly revolves around Roy Waller ( Played by Nicolas Cage), the protagonist of the film, He suffers from Obsessive Compulsive disorder( A mental disorder which makes people the need to check things repeatedly and have some thoughts regularly, Together with his partner and Protoge Frank ( Played by Sam Rockwell) he makes his living selling Water purifiers and doing some small time Con Jobs. The story starts to unravel when he finds out that he has a 14 year old daughter, Roy meets his daughter and thats when things gets complicated for him.

Nicolas Cage's character in the film as Roy Wellner seems really unique , with the OCD disorder, Roy seems funny and difficult to understand at the same time. Matchstick men night be one of the difficult roles which Nicolas cage might ever done in his career, Not to act as Con- Artist but to portray the character with the disability, his struggle to earn the love of his daughter. This a Oscar worthy performance for him.

 The movie seems to become somewhat melodramatic in between when Roy meets his daughter Angela and he becomes more and more open to life after he sees her. After some time the film seems to not at all a con movie but it is the ending which makes all the difference ( Though it is quite an old film and the plot is already available, I thinks its better to see it first hand).

Sam Rockwell's part in the film is quite small and most of the screen space is occupied by Nicolas and Alison Lohman ( Angela). The strange thing about the film is that, I fond Angella's character just too convincing, She doesn't seem like a daughter who meets her father after 14 years, I just got s little thought that she might be faking it ( oops ! i said it my bad). But may be thats because what happens in the end.  Matchstick Men has got all the right mix for a con movie, Starting from Nicolas cage who is a retired Con Artist and then comes his art and they way he tricks people and then there are these other elements like the safe house, the master plan and the big and final " one hit and we are set" Job. But the most important part for a Con- Film is the Con itself, Which the movie delivers superbly at the end.

Again this movie is strikingly unique, It is the Climax of the film which sets it apart. One Year Later when Roy meets Angela for one last time and they have a conversation which brings out the father - daughter or Master- Protege relationship once gain out, Ridley Scott sums up this movie perfectly which could have mislead in many ways. Finally I don't know how to sum this movie up but it is indeed one of the best Con Movies of all times.