Thread: might as well be

Not to stray too far off topic, but is this quote from the movie Matchstick Men?

Exactly!

Originally Posted by alexei

Yes, the father didn't live with them but he didn't know that he had a daughter.

He didn't! - have a daughter I mean

Originally Posted by alexei

And you guessed right, he was a criminal, a cheater.

Actually Roy was a "Con artist, a Flim Flam Man, a Matchstick Man"

Originally Posted by alexei

PS: I'm looking forward to a story about the doctor

Hey, watch this space, I'm gonna write it, right away - honest

Originally Posted by майк

Originally Posted by alexei

Yes, the father didn't live with them but he didn't know that he had a daughter.

He didn't! - have a daughter I mean

Ok, let's say "He thought he has a daughter" what was the same to him because he believed that he has a daughter

Originally Posted by alexei

And you guessed right, he was a criminal, a cheater.

Actually Roy was a "Con artist, a Flim Flam Man, a Matchstick Man"

Hm...
cheat: to trick or deceive someone so that they do not get or keep something they have a right to have
con artist: someone who tricks or deceives people in order to get money from them
Is there any difference?

Originally Posted by alexei

PS: I'm looking forward to a story about the doctor

Hey, watch this space, I'm gonna write it, right away - honest

You're late, it makes no sense now

Originally Posted by alexei

And you guessed right, he was a criminal, a cheater

Originally Posted by майк

Actually Roy was a "Con artist, a Flim Flam Man, a Matchstick Man"

Hm...
cheat: to trick or deceive someone so that they do not get or keep something they have a right to have
con artist: someone who tricks or deceives people in order to get money from them
Is there any difference?

Not really any big difference - you're not wrong but a few points: -
(1) In the film Roy actually said, "I'm a Con artist, a Flim Flam Man, a Matchstick Man...". He, amusingly, stresses the word artist to distinguish himself from an ordinary Con Man!
(2) You will rarely, if ever, hear the expressions 'Flim Flam Man' or 'Matchstick Man' in England.
(3) In England I hear the use of the word 'cheat', rather than 'cheater': "He's a cheat"; "She was a good player but she was a cheat"!
(4) The word 'cheat' is most often used for lower levels of criminal deception and behaviour. Children cheat playing games; Students cheat in their exams; and wives cheat on their husbands - (I don't mean, all children, and all students, and all wives, all the time!!!) - and old people are cheated out of their pension money by a con man or a fraudster - sometimes these fraudsters are apparently respectful Directors of apparently thriving businesses.
(5) I've no idea how this works in America, or any other English speaking part of the universe, but hope it's of some interest.

Originally Posted by alexei

You're late, it makes no sense now

Damn

майк, thanks for this excursion into england and criminal cultures. It was really interesting!