Ethan Marcotte now blogs at Unstoppable Robot Ninja.


Weblog entry:

Matchstick Men
A poster for the movie "Matchstick Men"

Matchstick Men. Just saw it. Here’s a tip: when the words “One Year Later…” come up on the screen, you stand up, pull the fire alarm, and get your ass and everyone else’s out of that theatre. Because were it not for the final ten minutes of the film, I’d easily say that Matchstick Men was the best movie I’d seen this year. However, I’m instead inclined to lump it into that pile of movies ruined by the outcome of a few misfired test screenings.

To say that the movie “went Hollywood” in its final ten minutes would perform a serious injustice to movies that try to “go Hollywood”.

So enjoy the movie, as I did. Marvel at how thoroughly Nicolas Cage inhabits the tics and neuroses that define his character, Ray Waller; smile each time Alison Lohman does (and does so disarmingly, I might add); be amazed that Ridley Scott actually managed to make Bruce McGill look menacing. But when the epilogue’s title comes up, I expect you to step on no less than three people as you bolt toward the exit — that way, you’ll have a good chance of having seen a great movie, rather than an unfortunate one.

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