Dirty Deeds (2002)

DIRTY DEEDS opens with business as normal for prominent Australian gangster Barry Ryan (Brown) who runs the girls, clubs, and illegal casinos. Ryan’s wife, Sharon (Collette), sees little of her husband as he spends most of his time with fellow mobsters or his mistress. But things start to get out of hand when Ryan’s business is threatened by a Chicago Mafia boss who sends two of his thugs to check out the casino scene for a potential takeover. When Tony (Goodman) and Sal, the two goons sent to check things out, try to fit in to Australian culture, they end up sticking out like two giant sore thumbs. Barry will have a difficult enough time negotiating with the Americans, but the biggest drama occurs when it is discovered that one of his own gang members has been less than truthful.

Smart, clever, funny, violent as hell

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. January 1, 2008

A poor mans version of "Snatch"...

"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. October 21, 2007

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

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. October 3, 2006

1969 gang action in Sydney Australia

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. June 15, 2005

Down Under Down and Dirty

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. January 8, 2004

More reviews at Amazon.com ...