Arnold
CibbuanoDirty Deeds
December 6th 2006 13:03
Finally, a full-blown Aussie gangster flick. Ever wanted to see how the Mafia would fare up against fair dinkum Aussie pokie-machine gangsters? Here's your chance. An all-star cast, a larger-than-usual budget and fine film-making from Writer/Director David Caeser (Idiot Box), all go a long way to make this one of the standouts of the genre.
Darcy (Sam Worthington) is our hero; a young lad recently returned from the Vietnam War and looking to make a living for himself. He soon falls in with his uncle Barry (Bryan Brown), who wastes no time in putting Darcy to work, in particular keeping an eye on his mistress. Things start to heat up for Barry when the Mafia arrive in town, looking to do 'business' with someone, and his pug-faced rival, Freddie, starts to muscle in. From here the plot twists and turns in the usual gangster manner, but where it takes us is what makes the film so interesting and unique. Caeser gives us a glorious tour of late 60s Australia; complete with brown suits, gaudy wallpaper and black eyeliner. Through the eyes of the visiting mafioso we see the Australian-ness of the film tenfold, especially in the later acts of the film, set against the backdrop of the outback.
The performances are all top-notch. Bryan Brown isn't afraid to shed his usual charm when the character demands it, and Toni Collette, in particular, is surprisingly affective as Barry's wife. It's also great to see John Goodman share the screen with some Aussie talent. Sam Neill, however, is under-used and I felt myself wondering why his character was there at all.
Anyway, if you like to see well-made films, or enjoy watching tough-guys bust up poker machines, then this is for you.
HIGHLIGHTS: The camera work is fantastic throughout. Even people who don't watch for this sort of thing will be hard-pressed to not notice it. Also, if you live in Sydney, look out for a few familiar landmarks and roads.
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