History Film / MatchstickMen

* LittleMissConArtist: The whole point of the film is Angela conning people with her father [[spoiler: and conning him because he's not really his daughter.]]

'''''Matchstick Men''''' is a 2003 BlackComedy and {{Drama}} based on a book by Eric Garcia and is directed by Creator/RidleyScott. It stars Creator/NicolasCage, Alison Lohman and Creator/SamRockwell.

* BikiniBar: Roy and Frank go to one for their first meeting with Chuck Frechette.

* DawsonCasting: Played with. [[spoiler:Angela was played by a 22 year old, playing a 20-something year old pretending to be a 14 year old.]]

* [[spoiler:TheConWithinACon:]] [[spoiler:The "big hit" on Chuck, Angela's arrival, and Roy's visits with Dr. Klein are all part of a big con by Frank against Roy.]]

* [[PlayingAgainstType Directing Against Type]]: Creator/RidleyScott, who is primarily known for big-budget thrillers and action epics, directs a quirky character-driven BlackComedy.

->'''Angela:''' "You're a con man?"\\
'''Roy:''' Con artist. flim flam man, [[TitleDrop matchstick man,]] loser. Whatever. Take your pick."

* TheShrink: Dr. Klein is adding Roy with his OCD [[spoiler: because it's part of a con.]]
* SuperOCD: Roy is obsessive with cleanliness -- he can't stand to be outdoors, insists his visitors remove their shoes, opens and closes the front and back door three times, and spends an entire day cleaning the house out of fear it may be dirty.

'''''Matchstick Men''''' is a 2003 BlackComedy based on a book by Eric Garcia and is directed by Creator/RidleyScott. It stars Creator/NicolasCage, Alison Lohman and Creator/SamRockwell.

-->'''Dr. Klein''': What if you weren't a criminal?
-->'''Roy''': I'm not a criminal, I'm a con artist. They ''give'' me their money.

-->'''Roy:''' "I told you I'd teach you a con.I didn't say I'd let you get away with it."

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%%* CorruptionByAMinor

%%* TheEndingChangesEverything
%%* TheFilmOfTheBook

%%* MassiveMultiplayerScam:

* SuperOCD: Roy obbessively cleans.

* [[PlayingAgainstType Directing Against Type]]: RidleyScott, who is primarily known for big-budget thrillers and action epics, directs a quirky character-driven BlackComedy.

* BittersweetEnding: It starts out looking like a textbook case of a DownerEnding, but manages to twist it into a BittersweetEnding. [[spoiler: Roy loses all of his money after being conned by the three people that he loves and trusts most, and he finds out that his daughter (who he owes his newfound happiness to) isn't really his daughter. Fast-forward one year: Despite all that's happened to him, Roy has successfully left his criminal past behind and conquered his neurosis, and he has a steady relationship with a woman he loves. When he encounters "Angela" again, he doesn't even hold a grudge against her]].

* CorruptionByAMinor
* DawsonCasting: Subverted. [[spoiler:Angela was played by a 22 year old, playing a 20-something year old pretending to be a 14 year old.]]

* TheEndingChangesEverything
* TheFilmOfTheBook

* IdiotBall: Roy's phobic nature kept him from talking to his ex-wife, which would have blown the scam.

* KindaBusyHere: Subverted. Frank calls Roy when he's having an OCD freak-out and obsessively cleaning his house, but Roy ignores him. Realizing what's going on, Frank keeps calling and being ignored for hours on end, trying to snap Roy out of it.

* LittleMissConArtist: The whole point of the film.
* LukeYouAreMyFather: [[spoiler: It's just a scam, though.]]

* MassiveMultiplayerScam: Although not as epic as in the book.
* OffstageVillainy: We eventually learn that [[spoiler: Frank, "Angela", and Dr. Klein]] are all working together to con Roy. However, we almost never see any of them together, and we never see any of them planning, conspiring, or actively trying to take his money. In fact, [[spoiler: by the time Roy figures out what's going on they've already cleaned out his account. Aside from a brief encounter with "Angela" one year later, he never sees any of them again]].

* TheShrink: [[spoiler:A not so supportive example.]]
* SuperOCD: Roy.

* VillainProtagonist: Everybody really.
* XanatosRoulette: The last major con relied on some pretty egregious coincidences. Namely:
** [[spoiler: That Roy would actually put up with seeing a psychiatrist, and that he wouldn't just find some other way to get his pills]].
** [[spoiler: That he would still trust Dr. Klein after finding out that he lied about the pills]].
** [[spoiler: That he would never even try to talk to his ex-wife, and wouldn't end up finding out that she didn't have a daughter]].
** [[spoiler: That he would trust "Angela" enough to give her access to his account, even though he had only just met her]].

* [[AwkwardFatherSonBondingActivity Awkward Father Daughter Bonding Activity]]: Averted. Roy and Angela have a great time together conning people.

* FlippingTheBird: Angela gives the double finger at the airport café as part of her scheme.

** Exploited with the gift shop ashtray that Angela bought, which allegedly helped Chuck to track her down.

'''''Matchstick Men''''' is a 2003 film based on a book by Eric Garcia and is directed by Creator/RidleyScott. It stars Creator/NicolasCage, Alison Lohman and Creator/SamRockwell.

* ChekhovsGun: A literal example, with the gun that Roy keeps hidden in his garage. [[spoiler: Angela uses it to kill Chuck Frechette after Chuck breaks into Roy's house and threatens him]].

* DawsonCasting: Angela, although there is a reason.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/GhostRider Johnny Blaze]] teams up with [[Film/IronMan Justin Hammer]] to swindle [[AnimalHouse D-Day]]. Chaos ensues.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never find out what happened to [[spoiler: Chuck Frechette]] after [[spoiler: Angela shot him]]. [[spoiler: The cops at the hospital claim that he bled to death, but considering the entire hospital sequence was a ruse designed to scam Roy, it's very likely that they were lying. Not to mention that, in his last on-screen appearance, he's apparently healthy enough to knock Roy out cold with one punch]].

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never find out what happened to [[spoiler: Chuck Frechette]] after [[spoiler: Angela shot him]]. [[spoiler: The cops at the hospital claim that he bled to death, but considering the fact that the entire hospital scene was a ruse designed to scam Roy, it's very likely that they were lying. Not to mention that, in his last on-screen appearance, he's apparently healthy enough to knock Roy out cold with one punch]].

'''''Matchstick Men''''' is a 2003 film based on a book by Eric Garcia and is directed by RidleyScott. It stars NicolasCage, Alison Lohman and SamRockwell.

'''''Matchstick Men''''' is a 2003 film based on a book by Eric Garcia and is directed by RidleyScott. It stars NicolasCage, Alison Lohman and Sam Rockwell.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never find out what happened to [[spoiler: Chuck Frechette]] after [[spoiler: Angela shot him]]. [[spoiler: The cops at the hospital claim that he bled to death, but considering the fact that the entire hospital scene was a ruse designed to scam Roy, it's very likely that they were lying]].