In the rush to compare "Matchstick Men" to "The Sting" and other like-minded dark comedies told from the perspective of the criminals, everyone seems to have forgotten the film with which it really has the most in common: Peter Bogdanovich's 1974 "Paper Moon."
Which is not to say that this film is as memorable as that one. But it's smart and funny enough that it stands out among the current crop of movies — especially after a summer full of films that stressed action sequences over characterization and clever writing.
Still, this one runs out of steam two-thirds of the way in. And the overly sentimental ending seems out of place for a film that does its best not to be sentimental at all. (It's also predictable, which is something that the movie really isn't, at least not up until that point.)
The title of the film (an adaptation of Eric Garcia's best-selling novel) refers to a pair of conmen who are thriving in Las Vegas. Unfortunately for one of them, Roy Waller (Cage), his various insecurities are getting the best of him.
His partner-in-crime, Frank (Sam Rockwell), is wondering if it may be time for the two of them to go their separate ways. So he begs Roy to see a therapist to help him deal with his agoraphobia and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, which have become unbearable.
The shrink (Bruce Altman) instead encourages Roy to reach out to his ex-wife (Melora Walters). She doesn't want anything to do with him — though the same can't be said of Roy's teenage daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman), who latches onto him in a hurry.
To his credit, Roy does his best to keep his peculiar career choice a secret. It all goes for naught, however, and the next thing you know he's involving Angela in his latest scam, which could be his biggest yet.
Director Ridley Scott keeps the tone lighter than you'd expect for material that's pretty dark at times. And the script (co-written by "Ocean's Eleven" scribe Ted Griffin) features funny dialogue, even though the ending feels rushed and a bit disjointed.
This is one of Cage's most endearingly goofy performances, although his character's numerous tics become annoying after a while. And as always, Rockwell is a welcome presence, while Lohman shows a surprising flair for comedy.
"Matchstick Men" is rated PG-13 for occasional use of strong profanity (including one usage of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), violence (a beating, vehicular mayhem and gunplay), drug content (prescription drug abuse), crude sexual talk, brief gore and brief, partial female nudity (revealing dancer outfits). Running time: 116 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com