Rating of
3/4
Ending may surprise you
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/01/08
"Roy," a con artist, has a lot of problems, most of which is psychological. He is very close to being locked up in a padded room.
While between jobs, he discovers he has a daughter (Alison Lohman) he never knew about, and sets up a meeting with her. He tells her that he is an antiques dealer, but the story quickly falls flat and he is forced to tell her what he actually does for a living, and she wants to learn the family business. He reluctantly agrees, eventually, to show her one, and only one con.
Of the movies I've seen lately, the performances really dragged me into it -- especially Cage, whom I'm not a big fan of. The characters had depth and were well developed. Even the supporting cast were well developed, which is rare. The story itself was well written as well.
Cage, who makes you honestly believe he has all those neurosis, is simply wonderful in this role. Lohman is also really good in her performance. These two are also really good together.
Lohman is the one who truly stands out. She is simply amazing in her performance as a 14-year-old when she is actually approximately 10 years older in reality. She really makes you believe she's fourteen. It is one of the best performances I've ever seen. In my opinion, if you are not a fan of Cage, check this movie out only for her performance -- you will be amazed.
The rest of the cast also do a good job with their roles. That includes those in minor roles who are seen in cameos, which are mostly the "Roy" and "Frank" (Sam Rockwell) victims.
The soundtrack is not for everybody. It's filled with Frank Sinatra and other similar artists. Somehow, the songs picked work in this film.
The cinematography is also done quite well, as is the editing. The director did a good job bringing everything together into a nice, neat package.
There are lots of twists in this film that might mislead you into thinking the movie might end in a different way. Because of the twists, you will stay focused on your screen through the entire movie.
If you have not heard of Lohman before, like me, then the ending should surprise you. Others may find the ending quite predictable.
Some of the scenes do seem to lag a bit at times, which is the only flaw I could see. Personally, I wouldn't put this on the Must See List, but it might be a good rental nonetheless.
