Cady's Take:

When his pink pills (for his compulsive disorder) run out, he becomes a mess of nervous energy, prone to facial tics and profane outbursts. Enter Dr. Klein (Bruce Altman), a psychiatrist who believes there's more to solving Roy's problems than medicating him. It’s revealed that most of Roy’s mental troubles come from a lack of knowing what ever happened to his child, who was not yet born when his wife left him years ago. Long story short, Roy winds up meeting his long-lost daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman).

As Angela, Alison Lohman is instantly likeable. It's fascinating to watch these two characters interact. Before long, the two begin to bond. In fact, they become so close that Cage even begins to show his young daughter some tricks of the trade. The strongest moments in Matchstick Men occur when Cage and Lohman play off one another. Their scenes add dramatic weight to this otherwise light, and playful picture.

Matchstick Men is a character study, and, because it uses the world of schemers, it's a daring one. The last half hour of the movie gets a little racy and crazy- this story deserved a quieter ending, which we finally do get in the very last scene. But overall I was very entertained and pleased.

The best kind of movie in my opinion is the very good movie that gets great, and by doing so upgrades the entire movie and what you had been thinking about it the whole time. “Matchstick Men” is one of those movies.

I pride myself on being a person who can “figure it out.” Most of the time, movie endings do not surprise me because I think I have it figured out. It is not that I am incredibly smart or anything, I just think all those years of watching “Law and Order” are paying off. I thought I was getting good at finding the twist. I did not find this twist. Nicholas Cage plays Roy, an aging con artist (artist not man) who is about to embark upon the Big One. The con to end all cons that will allow him to retire and focus on his newly found daughter Angela, played by Alison Lohman. Lohman is thoroughly engaging, and her performance was incredible. Angela is a fifteen-year-old girl who is at once entirely comfortable with herself and also incredibly fragile as she begins building a relationship with her father.

I cannot reveal anything more except that if there is one movie you should be renting this weekend it is “Matchstick Men.” This is a hands-down winner, and I am shocked it was not nominated for an Oscar. The field was tough this year but the screenplay and Cage’s performance were both Academy Award-worthy. This is the best movie you only vaguely remember hearing about.