Dirty Deeds sets itself apart from most other gangster films by the
brilliant portrayals of each of the main characters, and it's unusual
location.
Bryan Brown plays Barry Ryan, an Australian mobster who runs
the slot machines in Sydney in the late 1960's. His nephew, Darcy
(played by Sam Worthington) has just come back from Vietnam
and is looking for work. Meanwhile, Tony (John Goodman) and
Sal, Mafia mobsters from the US, come over to Australia to see
what they can do about getting a piece of the action...
What I loved about this film was that we didn't see all of the old
cliches come out about mobsters. Sure, we have a bit of violence
here and there, but this shows a smarter side to business in the
underworld. It's undeniable that John Goodman does an excellent
job of portraying a guy who knows what's expected of him, and
how to deal with things in a businesslike manner to get results.
His confusion at Australian customs in the 1960's is amusing,
and the movie plays up to the cultural differences very well.
One other point to note is that this movie gives a great deal of time
to strong female roles. Toni Collette plays Barry's wife, Sharon,
and does what in my mind is a brilliant job. The viewer is left with a
strong sense of what is required to be married into 'the business'.
I highly recommend this film to all gangster fans, but be warned,
there are many Australian colloquialisms that non-Australians
may find a little hard to follow. You should be able to get the gist of
it all though, so don't panic. Clever and funny - go see it!
brilliant portrayals of each of the main characters, and it's unusual
location.
Bryan Brown plays Barry Ryan, an Australian mobster who runs
the slot machines in Sydney in the late 1960's. His nephew, Darcy
(played by Sam Worthington) has just come back from Vietnam
and is looking for work. Meanwhile, Tony (John Goodman) and
Sal, Mafia mobsters from the US, come over to Australia to see
what they can do about getting a piece of the action...
What I loved about this film was that we didn't see all of the old
cliches come out about mobsters. Sure, we have a bit of violence
here and there, but this shows a smarter side to business in the
underworld. It's undeniable that John Goodman does an excellent
job of portraying a guy who knows what's expected of him, and
how to deal with things in a businesslike manner to get results.
His confusion at Australian customs in the 1960's is amusing,
and the movie plays up to the cultural differences very well.
One other point to note is that this movie gives a great deal of time
to strong female roles. Toni Collette plays Barry's wife, Sharon,
and does what in my mind is a brilliant job. The viewer is left with a
strong sense of what is required to be married into 'the business'.
I highly recommend this film to all gangster fans, but be warned,
there are many Australian colloquialisms that non-Australians
may find a little hard to follow. You should be able to get the gist of
it all though, so don't panic. Clever and funny - go see it!