Dirty Deeds (2002)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

David Caesar

Writer:

David Caesar (writer)

Release Date:

18 July 2002 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Get ready to get dirty.

Plot:

Set in 1960's Sydney, this is the story of an Australian gangster whose booming business, buoyed by the influx of U.S...

Plot Keywords:

1960s | Gangster | Loud Shirt | Trigger Happy | Head Wound

Awards:

3 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Bryan Brown	...	Barry Ryan
Toni Collette	...	Sharon
John Goodman	...	Tony
Sam Neill	...	Ray
Sam Worthington	...	Darcy
Kestie Morassi	...	Margaret
William McInnes	...	Hollywood
Andrew S. Gilbert	...	Norm
Garry Waddell	...	Freddie (as Gary Waddell)
Felix Williamson	...	Sal
Derek Amer	...	Manager
Laeni Baille	...	Coin Lady
Rudi Baker	...	Bell Boy
Bille Brown	...	Senator
Michael Brownjohn	...	Bouncer #1

Also Known As:

Knocking Mr. Big (Australia) (working title)
Sacré boulot (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language.

Runtime:

110 min | UK:97 min

Country:

Australia | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where Tony is showing Barry the "Liberty" video slot machine, such technology as relatively high resolution color video, synthesized audio and computer power to animate the images was not available in video slot machines until the 1980's and not mainstream in video slot machines until the 1990's.

Quotes:

Hollywood: Sheilas?

Movie Connections:

References 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Soundtrack:

Everlovin' Man

Pizza anyone?

"Dirty Deeds" takes a nostalgic view of the Sydney of the late nineties as we are taken along to meet a local gangster who is ruthless against his enemies, or the people trying to invade his territory. The action takes place in King Cross, an area where night life was the main attraction.

David Caesar and his cinematographer, Geoffrey Hall, created a film that seems to have been shot in that era, as they have given the movie a faded look that works well with the story they are telling. The film has some funny moments that come at unexpected moments. The inside joke seems to be about how to really make a good pizza, something that might not have been done at the time.

The film makers have to be congratulated in bringing a brilliant cast together for the movie. Bryan Brown plays the kingpin Barry Ryan with equal amount of meanness and humor. Mr. Brown is an actor that is always consistent in anything he does and he should be seen more often. Toni Collette is one of the best actresses working in films, who is at home in drama as well as comedy, and she has a rare opportunity to show her talent playing Barry's wife, Sharon. John Goodman is good as the American mafioso who is outsmarted by his Aussie counterpart. Sam Worthington is fine as the naive Darcy and Kesty Moressi also does a good job as Margaret. The only one that has nothing to do is Sam Neill.

"Dirty Deeds" works well as a drama and a comedy because there are elements of both in it thanks to the way David Caesar presents his material on the screen.