|
Matchstick
Men
A movie
about conmen works best when the audience gets conned, too.
Sometimes it's in the form of not knowing just how the big
score is supposed to work, or even just giving over to believing
the possible could work, as in Ocean's 11. And
sometimes, the con is about accepting that we've all convinced
ourselves that subtle acting is not good acting.
Such
is the case with Matchstick Men, a decent movie made
occasionally uncomfortable by an Oscar-winning actor chewing
scenery. To be fair, that's what the story calls for him to
do, and Nicolas Cage summons every ounce of his energy (and
some of Dustin Hoffman's) to hold our attention.
Surrounding
him in the edges is the story of a con artist (as Cage's
Roy Waller stresses again and again) trying to get out of
the life, getting drawn back in for one last big score. Of
course, Roy also has a new life intruding in the form of the
daughter he only vaguely guessed he might have.
Don't
mistake this for Paper Moon. The film never sinks to
being maudlin, even though it's obvious that Roy wants so
badly to be a good father. And though Angela (Alison Lohman)
may have a knack for her old man's game, she's anything but
precocious. Her presence is little more than a complication,
especially as Roy's partner Frank (Sam Rockwell) pressures
him for that last big taste.
 Complicating
it all, and allowing for that big Oscar-bait performance,
is Roy's problems as an obsessive-compulsive. Occasionally,
though, Cage sure sounds a lot like Rain Man.
And yet
there's an easy style to the whole thing, with Ridley Scott's
most on-target directing in some time.
Often
an artist who teeters between style over substance and just
phoning in the job, here Scott finds a purpose for every trick
he pulls. Cutting frames as Roy's anxieties overtake him,
the director paints a vivid picture of OCD.
He lights
the film in a very sterile, washed-out manner for a good portion,
underscoring how badly Roy needs to keep things tidy and,
to be honest, bland. Only Angela keeps forcing real color
into his life.
Besides
a fairly affecting character arc, Matchstick Men also
has clever plotting. In hindsight, only a couple of scenes
exist as red herrings. Though they mar an otherwise solid
story, you won't notice at the time.
What
you will notice is really good work. If Cage is annoying to
some, it's because he always dares to make strong choices.
You at least always end up with something interesting.
 But
really making it fly are Scott's supporting cast. Slowly and
slyly moving into the public eye, Rockwell delivers another
great performance, quiet in contrast to Cage but no less compelling.
As the
daughter trying to absorb who her father is, Lohman portrays
teen angst with believability, and manipulates her co-stars
well. Is it a relief to know the actress is actually 24? Somebody
give her a grown-up role quick.
The ending
will divide viewers, and it's one that makes the difference
between Matchstick Men being a great film and a good
movie. Perhaps screenwriter Nicholas Griffin just couldn't
resist tidying things up, or maybe there was pressure from
elsewhere. It may not be needed, but it gives the movie a
mass appeal that feels a little too slick.
Still,
after a bad August at the movies, September is shaping up
nicely.
Rating:
|
