Matchstick Men

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Matchstick Men

PG-13

2003

1h 56m

Comedy

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

181 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Roy (Nicolas Cage), a depressed con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Frank (Sam Rockwell), his partner, find their line of work complicated by the arrival of Roy's teenage daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman). Angela brings some spirit back into Roy's life, and some of his disorder symptoms seem to disappear. But when Angela wants to learn the family business, and Roy allows her to assist on a big scam concerning a businessmen (Bruce McGill), he reconsiders his parenting techniques.

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Critics Consensus

Breezy and well-acted, Matchstick Men focuses more on the characters than on the con.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Mar 12, 2018

Matchstick Men glides from comedy to suspense to poignance, arriving at a destination you might not suspect...Fun while it lasts, but it's a bit of a con job itself.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 26, 2010

4/5

This is a movie about con games at every level.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

Jul 7, 2008

Matchstick Men never really casts off its cloak of artificiality and calculation; its pleasures are minor, however distracting they may be.

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 13, 2019

Matchstick Men -- a nice strong balance of laughter and melodrama that envelops you like A Summer Wind.

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Jun 12, 2009

A-

Nicholas Cage gives his best performance since "Leaving Los Vegas" as con man Roy Waller in this sophisticated movie about familial responsibility, self-imposed barriers and the possibilities of a well executed long con.

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Urban Cinefile Critics

Urban Cinefile

Oct 18, 2008

A cleverly planned switcheroo story in which the twist at the end is the knife in the back.

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X Y

@Zingo1492 Sep 2, 2026

Very boring. Cornball acting and totally unbelievable.

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Nick V

@NickV1 Aug 14, 2026

Great performance by Nicolas Cage. Wild ride of a film. Watch it.

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Mickey B.

@Mickerdoo May 10, 2026

The hustle and vibe push this one higher for me. Cage hones a neurotic character. Lohman is charming. Plus Rockwell throws some moves.

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Nicolas G

@Samuel_Goldmann Mar 1, 2026

amazing movie. Sometimes funny sometimes emotional and I don't want to spoil it just watch it if you want to have a good time

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Ari S

@RT76826585 Oct 10, 2025

A cleverly planned switcheroo story in which the twist at the end is the knife in the back.

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Amber M

@RT26067045 Oct 1, 2025

Matchstick Men focuses more on the characters than on the con.

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Ridley Scott

Director

Nicolas Cage

Roy

Sam Rockwell

Frank

Alison Lohman

Angela

Bruce Altman

Dr. Klein

Bruce McGill

Frechette

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58%

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Synopsis

Roy (Nicolas Cage), a depressed con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Frank (Sam Rockwell), his partner, find their line of work complicated by the arrival of Roy's teenage daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman). Angela brings some spirit back into Roy's life, and some of his disorder symptoms seem to disappear. But when Angela wants to learn the family business, and Roy allows her to assist on a big scam concerning a businessmen (Bruce McGill), he reconsiders his parenting techniques.

Director: Ridley Scott
Producer: Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Sean Bailey, Ted Griffin, Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: Ted Griffin, Nicholas Griffin, Eric Garcia
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Scott Free Productions, Warner Brothers, LivePlanet, Saturn Films, Horsepower Entertainment, ImageMovers, Rickshaw Filmworks
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language|Thematic Elements|Violence)
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $36.9M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Stereo, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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