IMDb > Matchstick Men (2003)
Matchstick Men
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Matchstick Men (2003) More at IMDbPro »

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Matchstick Men (2003) -- Pre, "This Summer"
Matchstick Men (2003) -- hv-post
Matchstick Men (2003) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   43,062 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Eric Garcia (book)
Nicholas Griffin (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Matchstick Men on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 September 2003 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
lie cheat steal rinse repeat
Plot:
A phobic con artist and his protégé are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the former's teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
1 nomination more
User Comments:
Welcome back, Nick more (317 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Nicolas Cage ... Roy Waller

Sam Rockwell ... Frank Mercer

Alison Lohman ... Angela

Bruce Altman ... Dr. Klein

Bruce McGill ... Chuck Frechette

Jenny O'Hara ... Mrs. Schaffer

Steve Eastin ... Mr. Schaffer

Beth Grant ... Laundry Lady

Sheila Kelley ... Kathy
Fran Kranz ... Slacker Boyfriend
Tim Kelleher ... Bishop

Nigel Gibbs ... Holt
Bill Saito ... Pharmacist #1

Tim Maculan ... Pharmacist #2

Stoney Westmoreland ... Man in Line
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence, some sexual content and language.
Runtime:
116 min | Canada:120 min (Toronto International Film Festival)
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Colour (Technicolor) | Colour
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Alison Lohman went to the audition dressed and acted like a 14-year-old girl. Ridley Scott only realized her real age when she told him. She was 22 at the time. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Angela first skates past Roy's car, the amount of ash on Roy's cigarette varies between shots. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Roy: Uno, due, tre.
more
Soundtrack:
La Dolce Vita more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
42 out of 47 people found the following comment useful.
Welcome back, Nick, 24 May 2005
8/10

A rather surprising turn for Ridley Scott there - probably the "smallest" film he's ever done, which harks back to Thelma And Louise than to anything else he's done in recent years (Gladiator, G.I Jane, Black Hawk Down, and back to Alien and Blade Runner). We have a very personal, up-close light drama here. Con artist movies have been swarming the theaters lately, but Matchstick Men is far more intelligent and more surprising, not to mention well-acted, written and directed, than Supercast films Heist and The Score. Nicolas Cage, after several years of B-action movies (Gone In 60 Seconds, 8 mm, The Rock, Face/Off...) makes a welcome return to what he does best - disturbed, neurotic, sensitive individuals (a comeback that got off to a good start on the schizophrenic Adaptation) - and delivers an Oscar nomination-worthy performance as con artist Roy Waller. Roy discovers a long-lost daughter, played brilliantly by Alison Lohman - also Oscar material. The relationship between the two is well crafted, and the story wonderfully written. Sam Rockwell also makes a fine contribution as Roy's partner.

Elements of the plot may owe much to many other films - The Sting, perhaps Jacky Brown, and there's a bit of Leon (AKA The Professional) in Roy's relationship with his daughter, trying to balance a life of crime with a newfound family, and Lohman's performance is no less charming than that of Natalie Portman on that memorable classic. Worthy of praise is Ridley's directing, which proves he can make a small human theater piece as well as grandiose historical epics and sci-fi odysseys. The editing is wonderful, well visualizing Roy's condition and giving the movie an apt atmosphere. Overall, Matchstick Men is one of the freshest films of the year, and a very enjoyable watch.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Matchstick Men (2003)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Was Roy's Old Doctor (SPOILERS) Azurewraith92
*beep* mon! levi_jones
my alternate ending twist wrrwrrw
Query about giving out the password at the end historyofasteamengine
Wow now I dont feel so guilty..lol chicagoridge8
Checkout girl/ex wife - (Heather/Cathy) mark-3115
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