Matchstick Men (2003)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tyler C

  
  A complex, very involving drama, "Matchstick Men" displays fantastic lead performances from its main cast comprised of Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman, but also heightens director Ridley Scott to a whole new form of filmmaking where he shows that he can tell a… More
  A complex, very involving drama, "Matchstick Men" displays fantastic lead performances from its main cast comprised of Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman, but also heightens director Ridley Scott to a whole new form of filmmaking where he shows that he can tell a story more through genuine character development than the actual job the film centers on.

• Jason R

  
  Surprisingly solid acting by Nic Cage in this one, matched by a character driven story with a con sprinkled in. Very light but enjoyable throughout -- a great movie for some laughs on a Friday or Saturday night.

• Mark W

  
  It's hard to imagine after all his war and gladitorial carnage that the playful tone of this film belongs to director Ridley Scott. It's a nice and very welcome change of pace for him. Roy (Nicolas Cage) and Frank (Sam Rockwell) are a mismatched duo of low-level con men,… More
  It's hard to imagine after all his war and gladitorial carnage that the playful tone of this film belongs to director Ridley Scott. It's a nice and very welcome change of pace for him. Roy (Nicolas Cage) and Frank (Sam Rockwell) are a mismatched duo of low-level con men, considering that one is an obsessive-compulsive and the other a louche chancer. But their dysfunctional partnership and Roy's teetering sanity face an even bigger challenge in the shape of his 14 year-old daughter Angela (Alison Lohman). The con artist's profession has always looked like a great way to make a living. Well, maybe that's just the romanticism of Hollywood but nonetheless it still makes a great way for entertainment. Watching the inside plays and set-ups, feeling as if you're part of it and privvy to hush-hush information is always an audience winner. You can also be sure of a few narrative curve balls here and there, before finally getting the rug pulled out from right under your unsuspecting feet. This is no exception. Ridley Scott wisely plays it very low-key from the get-go, leaving the film to play out in the more than capable hands of his actors and he's rewarded with three excellent performances. Nicolas Cage is all tic-ridden and full of phobias and nervous energy. Sam Rockwell is his usual wise-ass sidekick, lending (as always) more than able support and Alison Lohman delivers a spot on portrayal of a naive teenager fascinated by her fathers profession. It's through these performances that we become involved in the story. They're believable characters and despite their swindling ways, they're likeable. Not normally the type of film that Ridley Scott has been turning his hand to of late but it's still a finely crafted hustle and the performances are top-notch.

• Jennifer X

  
  Loses a bit of its energy toward the very end, but the daughter-father chemistry but not really between Cage and Alison Lohman was pretty great, and even greater when you realize how manufactured it all is. Proof that Nicolas Cage can still do stuff, sometimes.

• Conner R

  
  A really different kind of film for Ridley Scott, it just shows how talented he is on all fronts. It's a great caper type story that really hasn't been done all that well since the 60s, but this is really a standout. The fact that it's so original and different also… More
  A really different kind of film for Ridley Scott, it just shows how talented he is on all fronts. It's a great caper type story that really hasn't been done all that well since the 60s, but this is really a standout. The fact that it's so original and different also makes it a cut above, it's not your average grifter movie. Nicolas Cage was amazing as an OCD con artist and always gives a signature charisma while on camera. Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman really did a nice job too and worked well at making you buy into the long con. It's very manipulative, which I loved, but a lot of people will take it as a weakness.

• Anthony L

  
  I was looking forward to watching this but I was so disappointed. It lacked intrigue and it was quite predictable.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Really liked Ncholas Cage in this movie. I thought he was really funny. Loved all his quirks. Its about a con artist who has a daughter he didn't know about arrive unannounced as he and his partner in crime are in the middle of them pulling off a huge scheme. So like every great… More
  Really liked Ncholas Cage in this movie. I thought he was really funny. Loved all his quirks. Its about a con artist who has a daughter he didn't know about arrive unannounced as he and his partner in crime are in the middle of them pulling off a huge scheme. So like every great father out there he makes her part of it. Has a nice twist at the end. I seen it coming. But still was really good.

• familiar s

  
  An average movie with a handful of enjoyable comic scenes. Tries to be a thriller too with a twist towards the ending specifically, but I think I've seen enough of such stuff which made it pretty easy for me to predict what's gonna be the climax, which was actually supposed… More
  An average movie with a handful of enjoyable comic scenes. Tries to be a thriller too with a twist towards the ending specifically, but I think I've seen enough of such stuff which made it pretty easy for me to predict what's gonna be the climax, which was actually supposed to come as a sort of twist. Overall, it's watchable once, just don't expect anything unique and any twist that you can't predict beforehand.

• Jon L

  
  I rem ember this being pretty good, but it was hard to remember. Obviously it did not impact me that much.

• Jani H

  
  "You're a con man? - Con artist. Flim flam man, matchstick man, loser. Whatever. Take your pick." Ridley Scott delivers one of his best works with this intelligent story about a con man, who's life turns around when he meets his 14 year daughter for the first… More
  "You're a con man? - Con artist. Flim flam man, matchstick man, loser. Whatever. Take your pick." Ridley Scott delivers one of his best works with this intelligent story about a con man, who's life turns around when he meets his 14 year daughter for the first time. Or does it? Did he? "Matchstick Men" is a well made comedy and one of Nic Cage's best performances of his career, as an obsessive compulsive man. Sam Rockwell, as his partner in crime, gives us again another funny performance. The film is a witty and wonderful character study of Cage's character Roy, how his daughter changes his life. It's technically simple, with beautiful camerawork, twists and turns in the stroy and very good acting. Definitely worth the watch.

• Megan S

  
  This movie totally sucked me in and was very entertaining. I didn't see the end coming.

• Flutie A

  
  I think it's funny I had this rated as "Not Interested", because this was an incredible movie. Nicolas Cage really deserves praise for pulling off what he does....His performance is just awesome...You have to see it to understand. I'm always a fan of movies that… More
  I think it's funny I had this rated as "Not Interested", because this was an incredible movie. Nicolas Cage really deserves praise for pulling off what he does....His performance is just awesome...You have to see it to understand. I'm always a fan of movies that have those "holy-crap-I-can't-believe-that-just-happened" moments, and this doesn't disappoint..... If you have streaming Netflix, watch this for free now!

• Josh L

  
  The best performance Nicolas Cage has ever given, and probably ever will. All the little intricacies of his character would have been so hard to do while also actually acting out the lines. I have a bigger respect for him as an actor now. It also packs an emotional punch. This… More
  The best performance Nicolas Cage has ever given, and probably ever will. All the little intricacies of his character would have been so hard to do while also actually acting out the lines. I have a bigger respect for him as an actor now. It also packs an emotional punch. This isn't a typical Ridley Scott movie, and I mean that in a good way.

• Tim S

  
  This movie is fucking stupid! Maybe I missed something because I was watching it on basic cable, but it's sad that Ridley Scott always has to shit on films like Black Hawk Down and Gladiator by doing fuckhead movies like this. I would rather sit through National Treasure 2… More
  This movie is fucking stupid! Maybe I missed something because I was watching it on basic cable, but it's sad that Ridley Scott always has to shit on films like Black Hawk Down and Gladiator by doing fuckhead movies like this. I would rather sit through National Treasure 2 (again) than have to watch Nic Cage with OCD again. The only redeeming quality is Rockwell who could save Righteous Kill if he had to.

• Shauna R

  
  Matchstick Men is an impressive and entertaining film. This doesn't seem like the type of film Ridley Scott usually makes, but with his name attatched as director, my expectations were high. Nicolas Cage performs very well as the obsessive compulsive con artist, I thought as an… More
  Matchstick Men is an impressive and entertaining film. This doesn't seem like the type of film Ridley Scott usually makes, but with his name attatched as director, my expectations were high. Nicolas Cage performs very well as the obsessive compulsive con artist, I thought as an actor he seems to be getting worse and just taking the easy blockbuster work, but this is one of those gems that prove his talent has not been lost. Sam Rockwell is brilliant as Cage's protege-partner, he makes sure Cage doesn't scene steal when he's around. Newcomer Alison Lohman also pulls off a convincing performance as Cage's daughter. Matchstick Men is an underrated film that equally balances comedy with drama and climaxes with a superb and clever twist. Highly recommended.

• xGary X

  
  When an obsessive compulsive con artist discovers he has a teenage daughter he first bonds with her and then starts to teach her some tricks of the trade. A bit of a departure for Ridley Scott, this is more of a people film than the kind of historical epics he has become associated… More
  When an obsessive compulsive con artist discovers he has a teenage daughter he first bonds with her and then starts to teach her some tricks of the trade. A bit of a departure for Ridley Scott, this is more of a people film than the kind of historical epics he has become associated with. An easy going marriage of comedy, heist movie and family drama, Scott handles the shifts in tone with subtlety and never resorts to visual gimmickry. Rockwell and Lohman are solid support and really Cage is the weak link performance wise, as his take on obsessive compulsiveness can hardly be described as subtle although he is decent enough. A little predictable, but it has a couple of nice twists and has the kind of laid back charm that is old fashioned in a good way. Ocean's Eleven on valium.

• Dan S

  
  Mostly a terrific film. Cage and Lohman are both great to watch, with Rockwell providing solid comedic backup here. Its a clever movie, but its almost a little too clever, I didn't buy every aspect of the end of it, when I was ready to give it a more generous review. Still… More
  Mostly a terrific film. Cage and Lohman are both great to watch, with Rockwell providing solid comedic backup here. Its a clever movie, but its almost a little too clever, I didn't buy every aspect of the end of it, when I was ready to give it a more generous review. Still definitely worth a checkout, Lohman's spunky performance alone is worth watching.

• Taylor B

  
  This is now my favorite Nicholas Cage movie. I was expecting the movie to just be about con-men, but it pleasantly surprised me with its character development and subplots that kept me interested and involved with the characters.

• Jens S

  
  Director Ridley Scott's rather surprising return to somewhat lighter topics of con men and unexpected daughters starts of a little unmotivated but picks up speed once Alison Lohman enters the scene. While she is a tad too old to be playing a 14-year old she actually pulls it off… More
  Director Ridley Scott's rather surprising return to somewhat lighter topics of con men and unexpected daughters starts of a little unmotivated but picks up speed once Alison Lohman enters the scene. While she is a tad too old to be playing a 14-year old she actually pulls it off really well and the chemistry with her dad Nic Cage gives the movie a certain charm while they pull off their pretty entertaining cons. That's no earth shattering movie making but not boring for a second either. And the end twist is actually pretty sweet. Worth watching for fans of the genre or the actors.

• _kelly .

  
  suffers mainly in the script department, but the acting is pretty lackluster too

Read all 20 featured audience ratings