Movie Review #14: Matchstick Men

Matchstick Men
Overall: 8/10
Pros: Interesting story, great cast and acting, great writing, fitting ending
Cons: Horribly slow to start with, and it doesn't get any faster towards the end

I read the back of this movie at Wal*Mart one day, and after reading it I was instantly hooked with the premise, and I wanted to see it right away. Four months later, I've finally seen it, and I can say that it is a really great movie.

Basically the idea is that Nicolas Cage is a con artist along with his partner Frank. Also, Cage's character is a germaphobe. Then, his fourteen-year-old daughter comes into his life for the first time and he has to experience being a parent. He eventually teaches little Angela a little bit about being a con just when he and Frank are pulling off a deal that will net them each $40,000. Things go a little downhill from there.

I was actually surprised to find out later on that this was a Ridley Scott film, and after watching it again today, this time I definitely recognize it as a piece of his work. The colors and shadows and lighting are all beautifully and perfectly done, as is everything else in the movie, just like all of Ridley's other movies. The casting was spot on and you really believe in the characters and what they're doing and what they're visibly feeling. All of the acting was truly superb, and I think that Nicolas Cage gave an absolutely perfect performance, at least in comparison to the other movies I've seen with him in them. Alison Lohman also did a terrific job portraying the fourteen-year-old daughter; her and Nic really gelled and worked perfectly with each other.

The music and the visuals of this film were completely spot on, just as I would expect from a Ridley Scott film. I find myself humming the main theme of the movie, composed by Hans Zimmer, even now as I write this, and I doubt that it will be out of my mind soon. The washed out pastel colors of the movie really go well with the whole premise and the way that the characters see life and the way that they view everything around them. Whoever decided upon that look for the film-you're a genius.

Now onto the meat of the film, the all important story. I can say that the story is one of cinema's greatest. The pacing is extremely slow and it never really gets any faster, but when you get to the end and you experience the twist, which I won't reveal here, then it makes it all worth it and it amazes you that they were able to pull the whole thing off as well as they did, both in the context of the movie itself, and in terms of the construction of the movie, as in, they didn't reveal too much about the characters too soon, they waited until the perfect moment.

This movie made me laugh throughout and at the end it left me with an impression of amazement at what they were able to do with this film. If you like good movies and you're up for one with a twist, then you owe it to yourself to see this film.