Synopsis

Roy Waller is an obsessive-compulsive con artist whose carefully controlled life begins to unravel when he learns that he has a teenage daughter. As Roy tries to build a relationship with her, his partner draws him into an ambitious scam. The arrival of Angela challenges Roy's routines, his criminal instincts, and his understanding of what family might mean.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is based on Eric Garcia's 2002 novel of the same name. The screenplay was adapted by brothers Ted Griffin and Nicholas Griffin.

• Ridley Scott described the project as a change of pace from his larger-scale historical and action films. The story's contemporary setting in California allowed him to make a more intimate, seriocomic crime film.

• Principal photography took place in the Los Angeles area from July 15 through August 31, 2002. Locations included Culver Studios, Canoga Park, Mar Vista, North Hollywood, West Hills, and Torrance.

• The title uses "matchstick men" as slang for con artists, emphasizing the film's interest in deception, performance, and manufactured identities.

• Hans Zimmer composed the score, while John Mathieson served as cinematographer. Their work helped give the film a polished visual style without turning the story into a conventional action picture.

• The film premiered out of competition at the 60th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2003, before opening theatrically in the United States on September 12.

• Robert Zemeckis was an executive producer through ImageMovers, the production company he had established with producer Jack Rapke.

• The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics often praising its balance of crime-story mechanics, offbeat humor, and character-driven drama.