MATCHSTICK MEN
US, 2003, 116 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman, Bruce Altman, Bruce McGill?.
Directed by Ridley Scott.
When articles are written about director, Ridley Scott, they talk about his science fiction classics, Alien and Blade Runner, about his 'feminist' films, Thelma and Louise and G.I.Jane, about Gladiator and Hannibal. One does not associate Ridley Scott with comedy. Now he has rectified this omission. Matchstick Men, which is a con name for confidence tricksters (or, as the screenplay says, confidence artists), is a humorous look at a number of cons.
But, it is more than that. Nicolas Cage (after his tour de force in playing two quite different brothers in Adaptation) pulls of the very difficult feat of playing a neurotic obsessive, with a cleanliness mania and facial and bodily tics
to boot. It is the kind of thing that actors like to take on but run the risk of creating a caricature instead of a character. Cage definitely creates a character, a con artist who is expert at his game - or is he? Sam Rockwell is his partner and Alison Lohman (who was so good in White Oleander) plays his fourteen year old daughter (when, in fact, she is 24).
We follow a number of preliminary tricks with people parting so readily with their money. Then there is the big one as they work with a wealthy businessman who does not mind a shady deal in a currency exchange scam. Meanwhile Cage is seeing a psychiatrist who is really very good with him, encouraging him to find his daughter whom he has never seen, monitoring his
medication and offering sound advice. Soon he is in top form, showing his daughter how to do cons but urging her to give the money back. What could go wrong? Part of the enjoyment is watching the tricksters in action, doing things we would never even dream of doing, and getting away with it. Or do they?
1. An entertaining comedy? Serious undertones? Morality and amorality? A satisfying combination? The perspectives of Ridley Scott and his being better known as an action director?
2. The title, confidence tricks, confidence artists? Roy and his abilities, self-confidence, in action, teaching Frank, teaching Angela? The different confidence tricks demonstrated? The irony of the total confidence trick played on Roy?
3. The California settings, the affluence house, the strip clubs, shopping malls, airports, the laundry, the streets? An authentic atmosphere for these goings-on?
4. The background, the range of songs, the lyrics commenting on the characters and action?
5. Nicolas Cage as Roy, his skilful performance, not making a caricature of the obsessive Roy? The nature of his obsessions, cleanliness, the "one, two, three" opening the door, stains on the carpet, washing, not wanting to go outside, his nervous twitch? The reasons for this - illness or, as the psychiatrist suggested, guilt? His tablets, desperate for them, losing them? Going to the pharmacy and being refused, pleading? Getting them from the psychiatrist? His reactions to bright lights, the sun? His being absolutely neat, yet smoking all the time? The basis for the interpretation of the character?
6. Frank by way of contrast, young, the apprentice, sloppy, seeing him at work at the office, the phone calls, getting Roy's help? Going to visit the people, the performances? The sales, the cheques, getting the authorities to cash the cheque by building up false confidence in the victims? Pretending to be police agents, their sense of authority and presence?
7. Frank and his suggesting the psychiatrist for Roy? The psychiatrist and his ability to listen, easygoing, wise, good advice, finding out about the family, Roy getting better, the revelation that the tablets were simply a placebo, and his getting better?
8. Chuck, Frank and the set-up, going to the strip joint, Roy organising the details of the con and the exchange of money after the initial interviews? Pretending his back was bad, having to change seats, the exchange of cases, the money in the bag? Urging Frank to go to the airport gate with Chuck? Angela and her performance and distracting attention? The success of the con?
9. The focus on Angela, Roy hearing about her from the psychiatrist, going, waiting in the car, seeing her on the skateboard, going after her, his nervousness? The discussions, her relationship and response to him? Taking her home, her being at home in the house, putting everything everywhere? The behaviour of a fourteen-year-old, complaint about no TV? Searching Roy's cupboards and drawers? Her behaviour, eating the pizza, his cooking and rejecting it, playing the music? Going out without permission and his response like a father? The effecting a change in Roy? Her alleged phone calls home, going back to her mother, the summer school? Her wanting to learn confidence tricks after his revealing the truth to her (on the advice of the psychiatrist saying it was better to tell the truth)? The lottery ticket, the woman in the laundry, the joy of having the right ticket, the phone call, giving her the cash? Roy insisting that she give the money back? The beginnings of some clash, her going home? But returning, the volunteering to help with the airport scam, her creating a noise, her buying the gift and giving it to Roy? The irony that she was filmed on the surveillance screens?
10. Roy and Angela and the return from the scam, finding Chuck with the gun, Frank bashed? Angela going to get the gun, shooting Chuck? Roy being hit over the head? His going to hospital, his concern about Angela, the police and the interrogation, getting the psychiatrist to come, giving him the bank password? The irony of his going to the bank, not wanting a booth, all the money there? His discovering everything, going out on the roof, going to the bank, seeing the notes from Frank?
11. His visiting his wife, discovering that she was pregnant, but that there was no child? Everybody involved in the scam?
12. The transition to one year later, Roy at normal work, salesman, seeing Angela and her boyfriend, the discussion about the carpet? His not revealing the truth to the boyfriend? Talking with Angela, forgiving her, her love for him, his seeing himself as a father - and their future?
13. Roy as a character, not bad, not good? Believing in people, able to read them and get their trust while taking them in? His own deception - but his being healed by the encounter with Angela?
