’ 0‘}? i, v/
MATCHSTICK MEN
(12A) 116min O...
In most movies about con artists (also known as grifters, flim flam men and matchstick men), it’s the ‘con' that drives the film forward. Rarely are the characters in these pieces, say for example in House of Cards and most recently Confidence, given more depth than a toddler's paddling pool. But that's not the case with Sir Ridley Scott's distinctive addition to the genre - distinctive because it infuses a fast- paced plot with genuine emotional depth.
Most of this arises from the film's central character, Roy, and Nicolas Cage, the actor who plays him. A veteran of the con, Roy has had a fruitful relationship with the small time scam, and at this stage of the game he‘s proud to be passing on his knowledge to partner and protege Frank (Sam Rockwell). On a professional level, Roy's semi- successful, but his personal life's a deathly void, turning him into an obsessive compulsive, chain- smoking wreck of a man with more tics than a mangy dog. Still smarting from he failure of his marriage 14 years earlier, Roy discovers he's got a teenage
M iii 1 t Ast' THE END OF SUMMER (U) 102min O...
A re-release lor Yasujrro ()xa'f; (werrultrrrrate tirr‘ tr‘ commemorate the centenary (it tne Japanese director}; hrr'th. Its; l()(:llt; rt; the extended Kolrmagarxxa tarrrrl. '.'.'h:> "u" a small sake hrewen, rn post Japan. lhe, (11(3))221'1"1'r;; tor the youngest daughter Nome ~Yoko lssukam to enter rnto an arranged rnarrrage. and ‘er their ‘.'.'rdo‘.'.'ed (lzil;<_}’tlé:' rn-law Akrko (Setsuke Harar to fr"<l a Surtanle nes.’ nutsharrti. A health scare tor the head of the (:lan Marthe rotated it, the ()atr':ar<:h from [lot'rtrng '.'./eeu:;. (Eanjrro Nananxua. .'.'lt<: has; been spendrng trrr‘e =.'.'rth hrz; ;)l(l harm: and their illegrtrmate oftsnrrng. leads; to e\.er‘1,one gatherrng round the
old man's hed.
Beautifully Shot rn (:olour, lire find of Summer acknowledges; both the passrng of a tradrtronal \.-.'a\, of Irfe and the rnevrtatnlrh of death, yet It}; also trlled :vrtn generous; gualrtres of warmth and humour. Oxu's; oar’ed-do\.'.rn usual style facrlrtates our engagement wrth these 'or'drnarx' charactem. struggling to reconcile their feelings; < t duty and desne and to accent life's rne\':tat>|e changes. The norset; of train whrstles and the repeated shots; of clocks; herghten
daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman), who wants to know all about what Daddy does for a living. Pretty soon she‘s in on a scam, but from Frank‘s point of view, when you add a player, you increase the risk that something will go wrong.
Crucially (for a film to succeed in this genre), you can’t see the con or where it‘s coming from. As a character, Roy is an impressive con man, but a ridiculous human being,
thrs mood of transrenee. A graceiu'. rrchlt l‘un‘ane nurork.
(Tom Dawson) I GFT. Glasgow from lire 213‘ Sen
also (15) 121min O
Slick but never superficial
and Cage brings great vulnerability to the role. The chemistry between him and his co-stars is considerable and Lohman delivers a remarkably polished performance as the troublesome teen. Slick but never superficial, Matchstick Men succeeds ably, then, in warming the previously cool and shallow waters of the confidence flick.
(Catherine Bromley)
I (Eewm, ’rMhrSc? /' gv; 8w
t'\ o" x. . p“: on“. b O,‘ A" t.“ “H” -"\'\ 0“, hp“, 1"", o O. '0“ l
’\ t, l f, t; .. \/>’ )‘I,. ’ ll 9 ‘ {‘ J, ' 'I ' er. L" , t ’1‘,"(‘ / I‘ ‘l ‘ p (I , ., ,, ,. ..' , .. . I C II >—' I \g‘,"
Film
'..\' Q _*::.‘,-,~.‘. RAISING VICTOR VARGAS
(15) 88 min 000
\ l' ‘2 ".15 :_"'~ in. i' \‘I’! '
.V’\”{\' ' d 1': i .r 3w“ - 2': ‘.' l 1’ )‘ ' \‘ ‘ ,' : O o
'w'l "\7' l l I"°'.. ‘>"" ‘1 l' 2 z' .t " i in); "tar‘t 'li ft. "‘ K N Jll . .lut.'. .'.’n unantrztl
t A," e"‘~} .n 'tarne Wm.
Ht). fithklfllxturlb \y (,1‘ ti”! .1 .rll'l "‘ \l'
l".!“lx‘(rti rntu a terrier
Vibrant coming-of- age drama
Murgh like rerent firerlran drarna, lft,‘.‘i’)//(), tlin; (ifflllll feature from W} year old Writer drrer:tor Peter f3r>|letl seeks to eeehrate in a r‘o'nantrr: rnanner the Culture and tradrtrons, of a (lying eornnrunrty. In tnrs; ease, :t'f; the Hlf;[>€ll‘.l’i ’L’)llllllnll‘rll‘,’ of lvlanhattan'a l opver [faat Srde. which 15; currently, |n the process of herng priced out of the area.
In lrne .‘thh rtf; arrn of rrnrrrortalrsrng a speertrr; trrne and pizzee. Sollett's‘ .rrnrant eornrng-ef age drama has a raw doeurnentar, feel to rt. heightened further by endearingr; honest performances; from a cast of (mung non- rrrof :ssronal actors. C/nref; .‘Jrll say that Sollett omnts too pretty a partrart, out, al'oelt Irg'nt-imarted. Halal/7g Water Vargas captures a l".|!l(:LA and the Wide- e,«'ed It‘ll’J'LQl‘rC‘; of t‘,e.ng young and rn 17).";
'Catherrne Brornle/r I Se/er;ted re/ease
from 9/ 79 Sen
4-, see—x Us“. 'x’fl’: 'I'HE LIST 25