Nicolas Cage, Alison Lohman, Sam Rockwell and the Ridley Scott movie ‘Matchstick Men’

Sticking with the notion of movies that are comedies, following the Matt Lynn Digital review of  The Replacements (2000) last Saturday, we return to the directing magic of Ridley Scott with the film Matchstick Men (2003). Ted Griffin and Nicholas Griffin take a deft hand to the Matchstick Men book written by Eric Garcia, offering a movie that hits on many levels for a film based in drama, crime and dark comedy.

(From left, Nicolas Cage as Roy Waller and Alison Lohman as Angela in the Ridley Scott movie Matchstick Men).

Roy Waller, as portrayed by Nicolas Cage, is the feature character underpinning a criminal partnership with Frank Mercer, as portrayed by Sam Rockwell. Waller takes an overly particular approach to cleanliness and order that extends well beyond customary limits into what we as viewers see interrupts with Waller’s ability to function in his life. Mercer sees this interfering in their criminal enterprise.

(Sam Rockwell as Frank Mercer in the Ridley Scott movie Matchstick Men).

Mercer ultimately convinces Roy Waller to see professional help, which leads him to Dr. Harris Klein. Klein, portrayed by Bruce Altman, changes Waller’s medication while setting him on a course that seems to address some of the emotional situations that has been with him since separating from Heather, his ex-wife, more than a decade in the past. Melora Walters portrayed Heather.

(From left, Bruce Altman as Dr. Harris Klein and Nicolas Cage as Roy Waller in the Ridley Scott movie Matchstick Men).

The biggest thing, among several, to come from the Dr. Klein and Roy Waller relationship, was Roy’s willingness to pursue a relationship with Angela, his daughter. Portrayed by Alison Lohman, Angela is the 14-year-old daughter that he knew could have been yet had never been connected to for years. Angela pursues a relationship with Roy, which develops in some of the more keenly felt moments through the film. The connection between Roy and Angela makes the movie more than the criminal element, the comedy, or anything that comes up with Chuck Frechette.

(From left, Nicolas Cage as Roy Waller (seen from behind), Sam Rockwell as Frank Mercer and Bruce McGill as Chuck Frechette in the Ridley Scott movie Matchstick Men).

Chuck Frechette, as portrayed by Bruce McGill, becomes an important antagonist in the criminal and emotional layering for the film. The criminal enterprise between Frank Mercer and Roy Waller gets to a place through dealings with Frechette that seem to prove costly to him personally. The depth of the comedy, the crime and the drama all gain their impact in the story driven through this storyline.

(Director Ridley Scott on the set of Matchstick Men managed to serve up a fantastic film that is a bit underrated).

Matchstick Men presents a compelling story that speaks most fully to the relationships between characters. The criminal elements prove satisfying. There were laughs along the way. The soundtrack built into the movie enhances the experience of a film that brings out perhaps the finest performance I’ve seen from Nicolas Cage in a movie. It is for these reasons that we grant Matchstick Men as directed by Ridley Scott 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins and Season Three of ‘Justified’

We first introduced you to the FX television series Justified (2010-2015) with our look into the first season last July. We followed with a look into season two in September. The third 13-episode season of Justified brings an exiled Detroit mobster to Harlan through Lexington, Kentucky to establish the oxycontin trade. Meanwhile, a couple of other criminal feuds breakout with allegiances changing with rapid fire, ending up with Nobles Holler playing a decent part in the larger story.

(Natalie Zea as Winona Hawkins, left, and Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in the television series Justified).

Timothy Olyphant continues to star in season three of Justified as the righteous yet rule-bending lawman morally mixed-up with his ex-wife Winona Hawkins, as portrayed by Natalie Zea. The story involving Gary Hawkins, as portrayed by William Ragsdale, is one worth keeping an eye on through the season.

(Left to right, Neal McDonough as Robert Quarles, William Ragsdale as Gary Hawkins and Jere Burns as Wynn Duffy in the television series Justified).

The exiled Detroit mobster Robert Quarles, portrayed by Neal McDonough, interplays with Dixie Mafia enforcer Wynn Duffy, as portrayed by Jere Burns. The banter among these characters highlights cultural differences between the Midwestern United States and Appalachia, aiming for humor in the approach.

(Left to right, Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder, Raymond J. Barry as Arlo Givens and Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder in the television series Justified).

Old feuds surface in the telling of the story of introducing new players into the vacuum caused by the deaths of Mags Bennett and others in the second season of the series. The feud between Boyd Crowder, as portrayed by Walton Goggins, and Dickie Bennett, as portrayed by Jeremy Davies, is a central part of that tale. Ava Crowder remains in league with her former brother-in-law, Boyd, while Arlo Givens joins the Crowders, including wheel-chair bound Johnny Crowder, in that process. Joelle Carter plays Ava Crowder. Raymond J. Barry plays Arlo Givens, the father to Raylan. David Meunier plays Johnny Crowder.

(Todd Stashwick as Ash Murphy, left, and Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett in the television series Justified).

Almost everybody through the third season of Justified has an interest in the money that Mags Bennett has left in trust with the Ellstin Limehouse in Noble’s Holler. Dickie Bennett believes himself to be the rightful heir to the fortune, which in separate parts motivates behavior for Boyd, Johnny and Ava Crowder, Arlo Givens, Raylan Givens, Ash Murphy and Ellstin Limehouse. Ash Murphy, a Kentucky jailer, is portrayed by Todd Stashwick. Ellstin Limehouse is portrayed by Mykelti Williamson.

(Left to right, Mykelti Williamson as Ellstin Limehouse, Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks and Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in the television series Justified).

Law enforcement officers with the U.S. Marshals Service in Justified continue to include Rachel Brooks as portrayed by Erica Tazel, Art Mullen as portrayed by Nick Searcy and Tim Gutterson as portrayed by Jacob Pitts. A nebulous and entertaining fictional part of this series is the different degrees of gray that these characters, and all the characters to some degree, in this series occupy.

(Left to right, Nick Searcy as Art Mullen, Jacob Pitts as Tim Gutterson and Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in the television series Justified).

The third season of this series hits another home run of entertaining for me, which allowed me to move quickly through the season. The emotional truths of different characters in the story, flaws and quirks right there for the telling, is part of what resonates in the storytelling of this season. The same has been true of the series overall, with payoffs among the different seasons as well. I grade for season three of Justified at 4.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, January 18, 2020