Con Heir

I'm a huge fan of con-artist/caper films, and simply put, "Matchstick Men" is one of the best of the genre. I'd put it up there along with such greats as "The Sting" and "The Grifters." Everything from the Frank Sinatra tunes to the San Fernando Valley inspired set design to the fashion/lifestyle choices (suits, cigarettes, etc) recall the early '60s, making the film a throwback to films from that age.

The performances are also top notch. Nicolas Cage makes for one of the most unlikely con-artists the screen has ever seen as Roy. He makes every moment feel alive and true, whether it's hysterics or hearbreak that he's experiencing. Sam Rockwell also proves he has star quality to burn as partner-in-crime, Frank - the Oscar Madison to Roy's Felix Ungar. But, the real standout here is the beautiful and talented Alison Lohman, who plays Roy's long lost daughter, Angela. It's amazing to think that Lohman was a 22 year-old woman playing a feisty 14 year-old protege-in-training. Together, all three of them, make for an odd, yet somewhat functional, make-shift family.

And thanks to Ridley Scott's direction, each second feels in the moment - whether it's the getting-to-know-you relationship of Roy and Angela to the excitement and danger of working a con. In fact, with so many twists and turns, you might feel as if you're one of their marks. Although, with this gang, you definitely won't feel ripped off.