Barry has good intentions when he is released after 8 years in prison, but finding a job is difficult with a prison record, and he can't keep his kid brother or his friend out of crime.Barry has good intentions when he is released after 8 years in prison, but finding a job is difficult with a prison record, and he can't keep his kid brother or his friend out of crime.Barry has good intentions when he is released after 8 years in prison, but finding a job is difficult with a prison record, and he can't keep his kid brother or his friend out of crime.
- Awards
- 9 wins & 22 nominations
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe henchman with heaps of tattoos is well-known Gold Coast figure Tim Ward, the owner of several Surfers Paradise nightclubs.
- GoofsWhen Barry gets off the 'Enoggera' bus in Brisbane after getting out of jail, we see the street sign 'Graham St' which clearly shows the Gold Coast City Council logo.
- Quotes
Richard Dent QC: Your full name is John Frances Spitieri?
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: So?
Richard Dent QC: Beg your pardon?
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: What?
Richard Dent QC: Your name is John Frances Spitieri?
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Yeah.
Richard Dent QC: Thank you. And you reside...
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Never said it wasn't.
Richard Dent QC: Sorry?
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: I never!
Richard Dent QC: Never what, Mr. Spitieri?
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: I never said it wasn't!
Richard Dent QC: Wasn't your name?
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Oh, that's crap, it is my name!
Richard Dent QC: I didn't say it wasn't.
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Yes you did, you said it then.
Richard Dent QC: No.
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Yes you did.
Richard Dent QC: Look, I think we might be at cross purposes.
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: What do you mean cross? I'm not the one getting cross.
Richard Dent QC: That's all right.
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Yous are the ones that're arking up. Going around accusing everyone of everything.
Richard Dent QC: No one has accused you of anything, Mr. Spitieri.
Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri: Yeah, well what am I doing here then, mate?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Gettin' Square: Popcorn Taxi Q&A (2004)
Many things come together to make this a great Aussie film. The cinematography is clever and fresh, the script is, and the acting is superb.
Sam Worthington is Barry, recently out of prison, who lands a job as a chef in a struggling restaurant, run by Darren (the wonderful Timothy Spall), an ex-con trying to stay straight. When Darren runs into trouble with a suspect $200,000, and Barry's friend Spit runs afoul of the local gangster (Gary Sweet), they team up for a double-cross - but it's much more complicated than that.
The script is smart and devilish, but while it twists and turns, it never approaches ridiculousness. Written by prominent criminal lawyer Chris Nyst, you wonder who much is fact and how much is fiction - something here seems plausible.
That might be just the superb acting. Worthington is solid and believable, but Wenham utterly steals the show as the hapless, mullet-wearing Spit. One scene where Spit goes before a court hearing is one of the highlights of Aussie cinema of the last decade. It's stunningly scripted, brilliantly acted - and very funny.
'Gettin Square' isn't as good as 'Two Hands' - it's uneven at times, slightly plodding early on, and takes 40 minutes to really get into the script - but it's still well worth the entry price.
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Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $1,422,008
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix