The Hard Word (2002)

Three fraternal bank robbers languishing in jail, discover a profitable (if not dodgy) way to spend their time. Crime can most certainly pay, if you "know wot I mean?" However when sex and ... See full summary »

Director:

Scott Roberts

Writer:

Scott Roberts

Stars:

Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Joel Edgerton

5 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Guy Pearce	...	Dale Twentyman
Rachel Griffiths	...	Carol Twentyman
Robert Taylor	...	Frank Malone
Joel Edgerton	...	Shane Twentyman
Damien Richardson	...	Mal Twentyman
Rhondda Findleton	...	Jane Moore
Kate Atkinson	...	Pamela
Vince Colosimo	...	Det. Mike Kelly
Paul Sonkkila	...	Det. Jack O'Riordan
Kim Gyngell	...	Paul
Dorian Nkono	...	Tarzan
Stephen Whittaker	...	Rawson
Torquil Neilson	...	Mick
Don Bridges	...	Doug
Doug Bowles	...	Bill

Storyline

Three fraternal bank robbers languishing in jail, discover a profitable (if not dodgy) way to spend their time. Crime can most certainly pay, if you "know wot I mean?" However when sex and greed rear-up between the good crims and the bad cops, the consequences are both bizarre and fatal.

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Plot Keywords:

sex | prison escape | shootout | thief | counsellor | 

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Taglines:

In a word, they're gone.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language, sexuality and brief drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Media Kit

Country:

Australia UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 June 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blood and Guts

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$9,422 (USA) (13 June 2003)

Gross:

$422,688 (USA) (1 August 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alibi Films, Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC), Wildheart Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Cinevex)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is considered an Ozploitation picture, an Australian exploitation movie.

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Quotes

Shane Twentyman: [about Pamela] You're gone on her, aren't you, mate?
Mal Twentyman: Head over fuckin' heels, mate. I'm feeling things I've only seen on tv.
Shane Twentyman: Nice tits.
Mal Twentyman: [dreamily] Yeah . . . what?

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Crazy Credits

without whom ... Andrena Finlay

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Connections

Referenced in The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Guy Pearce (2003)

User Reviews

Lock Stock and Aussie?

Big time Hollywood star Guy Pearce returns to his old stomping grounds in Australia to headline crime thriller The Hard Word. Straight out of the pages of a Robert G Barrett or Gary Disher novel, The Hard Word has plenty of p(l)ot holes, making for an occasionally bumpy ride. But it does the job as a gritty Australian crime story. Also owes something to the direction of Guy Ritchie as several times I felt like I was watching an Australian version of Lock Stock. Pearce heads a trio of bank robbing brothers stuck in jail, waiting to be released by their employers – high profile members of the police force and their lawyer. Upon their release they become involved in a new scam, developed by their crooked lawyer, which could make them very rich. The old criminal traps of sex and greed rear their head however, producing a cataclysmic reaction. Joining Pearce in a quality Australian cast are Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths, Joel Edgerton (The Secret Life of Us), Damien Richardson, Vince Colosimo and Kym Gyngell. The real beauty of this film is that it' obviously Australian. So many Aussie films these days pander to the American market by reducing the Australian identity. However, in The Hard Word we see the back streets of Melbourne and Sydney, the tarmac entrances to the cities and even our nation's obsession with big objects gets a run. There's been no attempt to make the cities and other backdrops more glamorous and therefore less identifiably Australian. The crims in this film live on the edge of their seats, like real criminals everywhere. They are hard men, but with personalities like you and me. Not like the characters we are served in American movies who drive around in flash vehicles, live in mansions and take great delight in getting involved in car chases with police. These guys live in the shade, avoiding confrontation and identification where able. It is this respect for Australia and the determination of the film makers to give The Hard Way some substantive local grit that makes it a successful film, proving that not all Australian movies have to be quirky. Weekly recommended movie: Two Hands (1999) starring Heath Ledger, Bryan Brown, Rose Byrne and Tom Long. If you loved The Hard Word, then this is certainly the movie for you.