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Nicolas Cage

Sam Rockwell

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Jenny O'Hara

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Beth Grant

Sheila Kelley

Fran Kranz

Tim Kelleher

Nigel Gibbs

Bill Saito

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Stoney Westmoreland

Lynn Ann Leveridge

Giannina Facio

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Michael Clossin

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Steven Meizler

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Kristina Vogel

Michael Manson

Michael Kaplan

John Villarino

Tarra D. Day

David Alexander Smith

Sheena Duggal

Lorraine Crossman

Steve Starkey

Michael Minkler

Debra Zane

Tom Foden

Cari Thomas

James Keys

Tom Lalley

Larry Waggoner

Adam Khalid

Cheree Welsh

Daniel R. Jennings

Martin Bresin

Terri Taylor

Marc Streitenfeld

Mary L. Hart-Mastro

Mickey Giacomazzi

Bill Willens

Michael Trisler

Robert Zemeckis

Hans Zimmer

Charles J.D. Schlissel

Lisa Dietrick

Janice Polley

Jack Hayes

Maguy R. Cohen

Tommy Bernard

M. Michelle Nishikawa

Cheri Jacobs

Ryan Suffern

Ernie Malik

Amy Wilkins

René Brar

Ray Utarnachitt

Jay Sheehan

Margaret Mitchell

Jon Ko

Scott Cler

Jessica Rapke

Chris Castaldi

Valerie Johnson

Adam P. Scott

Pablo Prietto

Trudy Yee

Tannis Vallely

Teresa Kelly

Eddie Yansick

Mark Scoon

Carrick O'Quinn

Steve Battaglia

Cybele O'Brien

Leigh Shanta

Jeff Okabayashi

K.C. Hodenfield

Eric Garcia

William V. Ryder

Wayne Williams

**_You get what you give and (hopefully)... redemption_**

I've heard good things about Ridley Scott's "Matchstick Men", released in 2003, but was reluctant to give it a try since it was about two con-men. It's hard, after all, to care about the outcome of a story if its main characters are swindling scumbags who make their living by ripping others off. Let 'em be wiped off the face of the planet for all I care. But everyone universally praised the film and said it had a good ending that catches the viewer off guard, so I finally decided to check it out.

Nicolas Cage's character, Roy, is crippled by obsessive-compulsion disorder, likely a physical consequence of the guilt of his criminal lifestyle, which he tries to justify ("I don't take money from people; they give it to me"). He sees a shrink and relies on meds to deal with his condition. Ultimately Roy and his partner (Sam Rockwell) happen upon a big score. At the same time his life is complicated but also blessed by the appearance of a 14 year-old daughter he never knew he had (alison Lohman).

The story is good all the way through but the last act & epilogue in particular are worth the price of admission.

I like how the movie emphasizes that love is more important than money, and more devastating to lose as well. And also that, if one truly has a worthy and noble heart, it will ultimately vomit out foolish, selfish and unnatural inclinations & actions. Redemption is always there, no matter how bad you are, but you have to want freedom enough to choose it and change.

I don't want to say anymore because the less you know the better.

The film runs two hours and was filmed in the Los Angeles/Anaheim/Venice areas.

GRADE: B

Press Conference (2003) | TIFF REWIND

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