Customer Reviews

Dirty Deeds

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here's the mix: throw in a coupla Yank Mafia guys--Sal and Tony. Blend with an Aussie mob operation based in Sydney, circa early 70s. What's the op? Slot machines. This is what's driving Sal and Tony's boss after the money to be made. Made men means make money. How Jimmy, the Mafia boss, found out about all the cash in Sydney is beyond the scope of this flick.

But that's OK. This works great. John Goodman is Tony, a kinda soft hearted Mafia soldier who's the perfect counterpart to Sal, his violent partner--shorter on brains and faster on the trigger finger (except when boar hunting). Bryan Brown is Barry, the main Aussie gangster who runs things in Sydney. Barry is married with a young son, but this doesn't stop him from cussing right to his kid's face or getting nasty when he has to.

Barry's not big on any takeover from the Yanks. Who would be, with a nice steady income stream every week? Not even for a coupla mil. This leads to some punchy (literally) things taking place, not least of which is Barry's nephew taking up with Barry's mistress, a young know-it-all waitress. Barry's wife, played by Toni Colette in a great performance, takes none too kindly to the extracurricular shenanigans.

And Barry's local rivals, one of whom was killed by Barry's men, are not exactly thrilled with Barry either. All this adds up to an edgy neo-noir with a unique Australian flavor. Very nifty. Writer-director David Caesar uses a hip, slice and dice jump-cutty style that is a teensy bit garish, but mostly works really well for the material. Skewed camera angles fit in with the period piece trappings--including spot on rock music and loud-color dress.

A different kind of neo-noir, entertaining and fun. Recommended.

John Goodman and Sam Neil make up a stellar cast in this nostalgic crime film. Set in Australia in the year 1969 it is the story of a crime ring operating slot machines out of night clubs. When Jimmy, a rival mafia man from the states, sends his gangsters Sal and (John Goodman) to Australia to get a piece of the pie trouble ensues. Barry is the local head of the slot ring and controls his town and the police (Sam Neil). Freddy is the local rival crime boss looking to make a deal with the Americans. Brent is Barry's nephew who's just come back from Vietnam looking to make big money. No one knows for sure where the others loyalty lies in this caper. Fairly well done independent film I would recomend viewing. David Caesar wrote and directed this movie and I had not seen a gangster movie from Australia before so it was an enjoyable watch. The sledge hammer scene and the outback pig hunt are my favorite moments in this picture. John Goodman was excellent and every member of the cast gave good performances.

Didn't expect much and I was pleasantly surprised. Nice picture quailty, comical characters, good soundtrack. Had a nice funky attitude that was refreshing in a stale atmosphere of gangster movies.

What happens when the Chicago mob moves in on the Aussie nickel slot-machine business? John Goodman's world weary wise-guy takes on Bryan Brown's edgy mob boss in this action-packed black comedy that does for the gentlemen what "Down With Love" did for the ladies--brings back the 60s through an affectionate and humorous lens. Sam Neil and Toni Collette put in strong supporting performances as Bryan Brown's corrupt cop "pal" and his feisty wife, and Sam Worthington demonstrates excellent comic timing as the lad just back from Nam who can't decide whether he wants to be a gangster or open the first pizza parlor in Australia.
Worth renting, just to hear Bryan Brown's advice to his young son on how to get vampires out from under the bed, and if you happen to be (as I am) a fan of any one of these fine actors, you won't be satisfied until you add this film to your collection.

I at first bought this on VHS as an error but later the DVD version that I remember having seen on TV many years ago, I live in Denmark. The story is a vicious gangster wants to control all the slot machines in Melbourne and the figthing, and killing, that involves and more so when the Boys from Chicago also come around. An action filled story with good actors, Bryan Brown as the vicious boss, Toni Colette who tells him to be tough, Sam Neil a corrupt police officer ( there were some in Australia I have been told ) John Goodman comes along from Chicago to defeat local competition in the slot machine business. Some nice country views too. I was unable to copy the photo of the DVD showing these 4 actors.

The time is 1969, the setting is Australia, and the Mafia's moving in. But guess what? Aussies already have criminal syndicates. This has got to be the coolest crime movie I've ever seen. It's Australian, and I do hope it made it to the other side of the pond. Smart, clever, funny, violent as hell. Strong characters, strong plot, perfect scenery and a wealth of talent on both sides of the camera. And just for fun, it takes the piss out of both our cultures. John Goodman, Sam Neill, Toni Collette, and Bryan Brown. The last three are Aussies, and I believe I listed the star last just because we Merkins haven't heard of him. Our loss. This is a keeper, and I'm ending my review now before I start drooling and babbling. You'll love it. Oh, and if you're playing the slots and you see some guys in suits carrying sledgehammers, leave. Quickly.

I am a huge fan of Bryan Brown. He is hillarious without even trying to be and a real larrikin. He is one of Australia's greatest exports. Even with the strong cast in the film, it is definitely his movie. Any fan of his will love this movie.

Brown plays "Barry". A sydney underworld crime figure who has the monopoly on the Pokie business in Sydney. He is powerful, greedy and street-wise. He has a deal with the local police boss to do whatever necessary to keep his business moving, as long as he keeps the violence of the streets and keeps paying his cut.

Enter two American gangsters who want a big slice of the action, bigger than what Barry believes they are entitled too. What follows is a tug-of-war between the two for control of the pokie trade. Throw in a few twists, a bit of deceipt and manipulation and you basically have your plot.

Its the cast and the soundtrack I believe are the movies biggest assets. Most people will recognise John Goodman, Sam Neil and Toni Collette, who's abilities speak for themselves but special mention must go to Sam Worthington, Kestie Morassi and Felix Williamson.

Williamson who is actually Aussie plays Sal, Goodman's gangster buddy from Chicago. Worthington is a young up and comer who has gone on to star in other great Aussie flicks such as 'Somersault', 'Gettin Square' and 'Thunderstruck'. And this movie provided a launching pad for the very talented Kestie Morassi, who international audiences will remember as one of the British backpackers from 'Wolf Creek'.

I can understand how overseas audiences may not get some of the dialogue. There is lots of slang and dry humour, but provides great entertainment nonetheless.

2002 Australian R-rated (Strong violence and language)/ Crime Thriller. Also known as "Knocking Mr. Big" (in Australia), and "Sacré Boulot" (French Canadian title).

DVD Features: The DVD contains two methods to play the film, either in Full Screen (film fits the TV screen, but cuts off some of the top and bottom action) or Widescreen (otherwise known as "Letterbox," the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, cutting off the activity on the sides) mode. The movie can be heard in English (5.1 Dolby Digital or 2.0 Dolby Stereo) or Spanish (2.0 Dolby Stereo). The DVD also contains a trailer for the film.

Credits: The movie stars: Bryan Brown (Barry Ryan; "F/X"; from Sydney Australia), Toni Collette (Sharon Ryan; "The Sixth Sense"; from Sydney, Australia), John Goodman (Tony; "Barton Fink"; from St. Luis, Missouri, USA), and Sam (O')Neill (Det. Sgt. Ray of the Police; "The Big Dish"; from Northern Ireland, UK - family moved to New Zealand when he was 7). The movie co-stars Sam Worthington (Darcy "Ryan" -the nephew; "Hart's War"; Australian), Kestie Morassi (Margaret; "The Merchant of Fairness"; from Adelaide, Australia), William McInnes (Hollywood; "Look Both Ways"; from Queensland Australia), Andrew S. Gilbert (Norm; "Ned Kelly"), Gary Waddell (Freddie; "Heatwave"; from Victoria Australia), and Felix Williamson (Sal; "Babe: Pig in the City"). The movie is written and directed by David Caesar (writer: "Mullet"; director: "Greenkeeping").

Plot: It's 1969 and Barry Ryan controls things in Sydney Australia (including the casino slot machine trade). Two Yanks from Chicago, Tony (more level-headed fellow, just wants to do business) & Sal (hot-tempered, trigger-happy guy), members of the mafia, head over to Sydney with new high-tech slot machines to show around casinos and also offer to buy out Ryan. Meanwhile Ryan's nephew comes back from Vietnam and attempts to adjust to civilian life (obsessed with trying to figure out what pizza is, and gets a little too close to his boss's mistress, Margaret). While this is occurring, an internal Sydney gang warfare breaks out (though there is some confusion over where the gunfire is coming from, might have some US mob help, might not). Also, there is some possible conflict between the two US mob personnel.

Review: Considering the little I knew about the film, I was very surprised when the movie opened in a 1969 Vietnam wheat field. Great opening music, though (the music throughout is great, for the most part). Strange, a helicopter arrives in the middle of a wheat field and delivers pizza to some soldiers (and picks up some soldiers, one of whom ends up in Sydney being picked up by Barry, his uncle). Then the movie starts to make sense, with Tony & Sal flying from Chicago to Sydney Australia with a high-tech slot machine. All this occurs before the opening credits. Great lead out from the opening credits scene of mean looking men in suits entering a casino in Sydney and busting up the slot machines (lead by Barry). Oh, and it might help if the movie had been made with subtitles considering the thick accents.

Great car chase in the movie. The providers (Freddie's gang) of the slot machines that Barry destroyed right after the opening credits pulls up beside Barry and the nephew and shoot at Barry, just one shot though (forgot to load more). Barry drives the car and chases after the rival gang while his nephew attempts to get out their only gun stuck under the car seat.

Interesting take on Vietnam offered in the film. One of the mafia men from Chicago, Sal, notes that the mafia is behind the Vietnam war. Apparently, the mob wants to make some money from the drug trade. As Sal notes: black people and poor white trash get sent to Vietnam, get hooked on drugs, go back to the states and get their friends hooked as well.

Quite an interesting little film with everyone seeming to have their own agendas (some secret, some not). Most of the acting is good, and most of the characters have depth, though some, like the internal rival Sydney gang, have rather thin to non-existing personalities. The Australian accent is a little hard to understand sometimes (doesn't help that the music sound-level and dialogue sound-level seem to be set at two different levels). The plot is solid, but the tension is mostly missing. Considering the Australian film financing in this film, I would assume that the action occurs in Australia, though it is hard to tell (other than the giant desert). Overall, I would give the film 4.10 stars.

Good movie- But if you are interested in another great Aussie Gangster film starring Heath Ledger and Bryan Brown- Hunt down "Two Hands", you won't regret it- unfortunatly,as yet it is not available on Amazon.

"Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels", "Pulp Fiction" etc. I REALLY like all of these movies but "Dirty Deeds" just isn't that good. It's got a great cast including Toni Collette (she is the main reason I bought this movie). But the screenplay isn't very interesting. The acting is good but not enough to save this movie.