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Drama thriller

Matchstick Men (2003): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Matchstick Men (2003) movie poster

Matchstick Men is a 2003 drama thriller directed by Ridley Scott, starring Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman. It runs 1 hour 56 minutes and earned $65.6 million worldwide. Critics gave it 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

IMDb rating
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
83%
worldwide gross
$65.6M
Metascore
61
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Matchstick Men (2003) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 56m (116 min)
Director
Ridley Scott
Genres
Drama , Thriller , Comedy , Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Matchstick Men About?

The premise of Matchstick Men without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A troubled con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder, Roy, has his carefully constructed life disrupted by the unexpected arrival of his teenage daughter, Angela. Her presence brings a mix of joy and unexpected chaos, challenging his routines and forcing him to confront his parenting abilities. As he navigates his high-stakes scams with his partner, Frank, Roy must also grapple with the complexities of fatherhood and the impact Angela has on his world.

Matchstick Men Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • criminal
  • teenage girl
  • child
  • man wears a hospital gown
  • man wears eyeglasses
  • crying man
  • woman wears a g string
  • cult film
  • shoe horn
  • ford the car
  • dog catches a frisbee
  • adult actress plays a teenage girl
+38 more
  • dark comedy
  • caper crime
  • con artist
  • flim flam
  • neurotic
  • conning a con
  • handcuffed to a hospital bed
  • reckless driving
  • breathing into a paper bag
  • chasing a car on foot
  • rule number two
  • rule number one
  • product placement
  • husband wife reconciliation
  • lighting a cigarette
  • obscene finger gesture
  • spaghetti dinner
  • eating ice cream from the container
  • daughter visiting
  • fifty pound note
  • hundred dollar bill
  • pack of money
  • impersonating a government official
  • three times
  • eye twitch
  • prescription medication
  • long handled shoehorn
  • vomiting
  • telephone
  • letter of apology
  • lighting pipe
  • lottery ticket
  • pizza delivery
  • snooping
  • hair wrapped in a towel
  • bank vault
  • trembling
  • walking a dog
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Cast & crew

Matchstick Men Cast

Nicolas Cage leads the cast, with Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman. Directed by Ridley Scott.

From the director

More from Ridley Scott

More films directed by Ridley Scott, best-rated first: Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise and The Martian.

Full filmography
Ratings

Matchstick Men Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Matchstick Men 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

Plot

Matchstick Men Plot Summary

What happens in Matchstick Men from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Roy Waller, portrayed by Nicolas Cage, is a seasoned con artist living in Los Angeles, California, who grapples with debilitating Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His compulsive need to manipulate every locking mechanism three times before opening it is just one facet of his life. Together with his partner Frank Mercer, played by Sam Rockwell, Roy runs a phony lottery scheme, selling overpriced water filtration systems—a strategy that sees them persuading customers to treat these costs as tax write-offs linked to extravagant prizes like a Chevy Blazer, a diamond necklace, or even a trip to Paris.

Full summary

The whole story of Matchstick Men, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Matchstick Men Box Office

Matchstick Men grossed $65.6 million worldwide. $36.9 million came from the US and Canada and $28.7 million (44%) from the rest of the world.

2003 box office

Worldwide gross

$65.6M

US & Canada
$36.9M
International
$28.7M
US & Canada 56% Rest of the world 44%
Videos

Matchstick Men Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

Trailer
  • Trailer Trailer 2
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Matchstick Men?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the character Roy Waller?

Cars

Cars in Matchstick Men

49 cars on screen, including the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria and the 2001 Ford Mustang.

All 49 cars
  • 2003 Ford Crown Victoria in Matchstick Men 2003 Ford Crown Victoria Main role
  • 2001 Ford Mustang in Matchstick Men 2001 Ford Mustang Important role
  • 2002 Lexus SC 430 in Matchstick Men 2002 Lexus SC 430 Important role
  • 1991 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon in Matchstick Men 1991 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon Minor role
Details

Matchstick Men Also Known As

40 alternative titles, including “Великолепная афера” and “Los Tramposos”.

Also known as
  • Великолепная афера
  • Los Tramposos
  • Tricks
  • Кибритлии
  • Os Vigaristas
  • Petised
  • Los impostores
  • Pelimiehet
  • Sleparja
  • Üç kagitçilar
  • Prevaranti
  • Sarlatanii
+28 more
  • Amigos do Alheio
  • Naciagacze
  • Førsteklasses svindlere
  • Apgavikai
  • Il genio della truffa
  • Trükkös fiúk
  • Sibicari
  • Επαγγελματίες απατεώνες
  • 매치스틱 맨
  • 火柴人
  • Tricks - Lügen
  • Betrügen
  • Stehlen
  • Immer
  • Wieder
  • マッチスティック・メン:2003
  • Les Associés
  • Üçkağıtçılar
  • Naciągacze
  • Švindlíři
  • אנשי המזימות
  • Чудова афера
  • マッチスティック・メン
  • Những Kẻ Lừa Đảo
  • Podvodníci
  • Les Moins que rien
  • อัจฉริยะตุ๋น เรือพ่วง
  • Els impostors

Seen Matchstick Men?

FAQ

Matchstick Men FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Matchstick Men, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Matchstick Men?

Matchstick Men runs 1 hour 56 minutes (116 minutes).

When was Matchstick Men released?

Matchstick Men was released on September 12, 2003.

Who directed Matchstick Men?

Matchstick Men was directed by Ridley Scott.

More films by Ridley Scott

Who is in the cast of Matchstick Men?

Matchstick Men stars Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman.

How much did Matchstick Men make at the box office?

Matchstick Men grossed $65.6 million worldwide ($36.9 million domestic, $28.7 million international).

How is Matchstick Men rated?

Matchstick Men has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic and 70% on TMDB.

Does Matchstick Men have a post-credit scene?

No. Matchstick Men has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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