By: debbie lynn elias
Con artists. Grifters. Matchstick men. Take your pick. According to novelist Eric Garcia, “People are fascinated with con men like they’re fascinated with mobsters – at least the fictional kind. There’s something mythical about them that draws us to them and makes us want to watch them operate. I think the lifestyle appeals to us because the day may come when we get laid off or the mortgage is on the line and we’d like to imagine that, given the opportunity, we have the potential to make a quick buck the ‘easy way’ – if only to see if we could do it.” And so, Garcia created Roy and Frank – a couple of flim flam men pulling off small con jobs here and there. Their latest scheme – selling exorbitantly overpriced bottom of the barrel water filtration systems with a promise to buyers of prizes, cash, jewels, trips, etc. (which of course, never materialize) – has become a lucrative little enterprise. They have no conscience. They con the rich, the poor, the weak, the sick, the e! lderly. You name it – they go for it. But, for all their “success” in business, their personal lives leave something to be desired, and especially that of Roy.
Roy is an obsessive compulsive agoraphobic, germaphobic, over-the-edge neurotic nut filled with nervous tics, dark pathos and even a streak of schizophrenia. His lifestyle and home are Spartan and austere. But for his fear of the mess it would make on his carpet and who would clean it up, Roy often contemplates blowing his brains out. Go to sleep at night with lint on the carpet? Impossible. A leaf floating on the glassy surface of the swimming pool? Inconceivable. Roy must remove it immediately. Open a door and go from his house to the car? Almost as taxing as a cross-country trip. But watch him pull a con and he’s smooth as silk. Frank, on the other hand, is charming, glib and flashy; always full of ideas for a con. A loner with no relationships to speak of but for Frank, Roy’s neuroses are ever-increasing and are now at the point he seeks professional help in order to just survive and keep the con going. Tricky part is getting the help he needs without tipping his hand t! o the shrink. Unfortunately, there is no “quick fix” for Roy’s problems and as he tries to deal with them, a bombshell lands in his lap in the form of a 14 year old daughter named Angela. And as icing on the cake, he and Frank are about to pull off the biggest heist of their careers.
Always aware of Angela’s existence, but never able to jump out there and say, “Hi, I’m your dad”, Roy initially takes to the parenting routine as one might expect – with even more neurotic behavior. But when Angela begins to take an interest in Roy’s vocation, things start to change. Despite protest from Roy, after much begging and pleading to her “Daddy”, Angela convinces him to show her some tricks of the trade and in his own neurotic way, Roy starts to exhibit the proud puffery of parental pride when Angela exhibits great talent for the grift. On the other hand, despite the profession being okay for Roy, he wants better for his daughter. But Angela wants in on the business and the “big heist.”
“Matchstick Men”is a study of the magic of human behavior through interaction of the characters. You find yourself compelled to watch and listen, much like eavesdropping on that loud talking couple in the corner of the restaurant (or movie theater) which you are always instantly drawn to. And the intrigue succeeds thanks to solid performances from the cast, and none moreso than Nicolas Cage.
With a reputation for playing quirky, off-beat characters, Cage is ideal as Roy. In addition to his skill at displaying the physical idiosyncracies manifested from the emotional oddities, Cage deftly captures the emotional desperateness of Roy, giving a depth and dimension to the character not found in the book. And as Jack Nicholson did with “As Good As It Gets”, Cage walks a fine line as he successfully balances the humor inherent to the realities of obsessive-compulsive disorder without mocking the individuals who suffer from it. An absolutely brilliant performance. A nice counter-balance to Cage is Sam Rockwell as Frank. Slipping into the role with the ease of an old shoe, Rockwell exudes comfort, exuberance and fun every time he’s on-screen. Best known for her work in “White Oleander”, Alison Lohman as Angela more than holds her own here, playing off these two screen veterans with her own brand of spontaneity and determination. Next to Cage, however, the big “must see” performance comes from the incomparable Bruce McGill as greedy, and oh so flamboyant, arrogant con, Frechette. Absolutely superb!
Ultimately described by director Ridley Scott as an “unusually clever script”, screenwriter Nicholas Griffin took the baton from author Garcia, meeting with FBI agents in order to achieve a complete level of authenticity and to preserve and expound upon Garcia’s quirky, but intriguing characters. Much like those beloved con men depicted in “The Sting”, Griffin believes “These characters still exist and they’re still running the same old games but they have also branched out lately to include the Internet and telemarketing.” Without relying on flat out jokes and slapstick situations, Griffin lets the humor of the story unfold naturally and at its own pace in keeping with the character development.
Although best known for his grandiose and glorious epic action pictures like “Gladiator” and “Aliens”, filled with excitement and special effects, Ridley Scott proves here that he can be just as good – if not better – with the volume turned down a bit. Using the camera to its fullest, Scott, with the aid of cinematographer John Mathieson, captures the dynamic of the characters intermingled with the dementia and distortion of Roy as he jumps in and out of situations, scenes and, “Roy’s world.” Scott then takes us beyond the quirky and gimmicky, delivering characters you care about and want to get to know better, not to mention, a blossoming relationship between a father and daughter. The one downfall is a plot twist that belies the nature of the characters and the story, providing a seemingly “forced” follow-up to bring it all together at the end.
With a stylized retro look, Scott maintains the anonymity originally written by Garcia. Although shot throughout some tract neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley and Mar Vista, wanting a sense of Anytown, USA, Scott keeps the location seemingly generic. Interestingly, one of exterior views of “Roy’s home” was shot in Mar Vista depicting one of only 52 unique edifices designed by California modernist architect Gregory Ain in 1948. And when shooting a scene that called for an interior terminal at LAX, production designer Tom Foden had to work miracles. Due to logistics and security issues now in place following 9-11, Foden was forced to “re-create” LAX by using Anaheim Convention Center, which makes its movie debut here. And that glimmering pool? While it does actually exist, wanting to minimize inconvenience for the actual homeowners, Foden recreated the pool right here in Culver City on Stage 16 over at Culver Studios.
“Matchstick Men” – a nice strong balance of laughter and melodrama that envelops you like “A Summer Wind.”
Roy: Nicolas Cage
Frank: Sam Rockwell
Angela: Alison Lohman
Frechette: Bruce McGill
Warner Bros. Pictures. Directed by Ridley Scott. Written by Nicholas Griffin and Ted Griffin based on a book by Eric Garcia. Rated PG-113. (116 minutes)
