Dirty Work (2006) User Reviews

Working for the man

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 19 December 2007]

"Dirty Work" was shown the other night on cable. Not having a clue as to what it was about, we decided to take a chance. The film, while uneven, shows a new director, Bruce Terris, that with a stronger material can go to bigger and better movies. Mr. Terris knows how to present a story and bring different elements together to make a film that will satisfy fans of this genre.

The mixing of crime and politics is at the center of the film. We meet dirty detectives that work for a sick old man who controls a great deal of the underground in Chicago. We also see how an aspiring District Attorney is drawn into the web of intrigue when he makes a stupid mistake, something that will play heavily in his ambitions. Little does Frank Sullivan know that he'll end up serving the same man who has been the center of his political platform he is running on to be elected. The ironic twist at the end comes out of nowhere as a surprise.

The acting in the film could have improved with a stronger lead. Lance Reddick, as Manning, the dirty cop, is a puzzle most of the time. No idea if the director wanted him to underplay his character, or he just didn't have a hold on the role. Austin Pendleton, a versatile actor, is about the best thing in the movie. Frank McGlone has good moments also.

One can only hope Bruce Terris finds better inspiration for his next movie.

Why did they make this movie?

[lastliberal · 5/10 · 12 June 2007]

There was nothing special about this movie. Dirty cops and mobsters and murdered prostitutes and crooked politicians have all be in many movies and at the same time. There just wasn't any reason for this movie to be made, especially considering that it was made so badly.

Austin Pendleton (A Beautiful Mind, The Notorious Bettie Page) was just about the most evil mobster I have ever seen. There just wasn't a good bone in his body. He seriously seemed to enjoy being evil. I have to admit he was fun to watch, but it still didn't make the movie worthwhile.

Georgian actress Nutsa Kukhianidze was also good and I fully intend to look for more of her films (The Good Thief, A Trip to Karabakh).

Tip for filmmakers: If your film is going to be crap and you are going to get an R rating, make it truly worth an R.

I rented this from Net Flix and it was named BAD CITY

[jewelch · 4/10 · 21 November 2020]

I rented this from Net Flix and it was named BAD CITY. I will say It could have been so much better but still worth watching. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas. 11/20/2020

THAT FEELS VAGUELY VAGUE

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 24 September 2018]

"Bad City" is a re-titled 2006 film "Dirty Work." It takes place on the South Side of Chicago. Manning (Lance Reddick) is a dirty cop with gambling debts. He is attempting to raise a teen daughter without a mother. He is indebted to Mobster Julian (Austin Pendleton) and does his strong arm business for him as well as sleeps with one of Julian's favorite girls. Frank Sullivan (Michael McGlone) is an ambitious city DA running for the state attorney's office. His wife is a lush and an embarrassment.

When Bridget (Meghan Maureen McDonough) the prostitute shared by Manning and Julian is found dead, Frank presses for answers. We know Julina had her killed, but Manning agrees to frame someone else, who is now in jail. Things get complicated when another copy cat murder turns up with the framed man in jail.

The film doesn't give you closure like you might expect. Things are left open as if this was a TV/HBO pilot. The acting was fair, but not overpowering. The plot twists with limited complexity, enough to hold your interest to wonder "what next?" A decent crime drama.

Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Meghan Maureen McDonough)

The direction is similar to the likes of "Crash", "Babel and "Crossing Over" to name a few

[jordondave-28085 · 7/10 · 17 August 2023]

(2006) Bad City/ Dirty Work DRAMA

Made in the same tradition as "Crash", "Babel" and "Crossing Over" to name a few involving multiple characters intertwining with one another and quite well made in terms of it's dialogue, despite the movie being low budget! Movie starts with a bad cop, Manning (Lance Reddick), an African American police officer who has gambling debts with some very bad people, particularly to an oldie name Julian (Austin Pendleton), and then more characters come out on the forefront, such as the illegal immigrant maid and Frank whose trying to get land himself a better gig. All the situations are credible and quite subtle, and with a bunch of non popular actors can at times turn ones movie experience to be more credible to watch! The only downside is that it could've been longer had it had a bigger budget! A warning though, like other films similar to this they're no resolutions.

Gritty Film Noir

[shunkawea · 10/10 · 28 July 2007]

One of the best, and most realistic of the film noir genre, in my opinion. Almost all of the major characters in the movie operate in government or in the underworld, and they are all corrupt, or at least somewhat so: look around you and you'll find that to be a reflection of today's reality. Also, there's little-to-no exposition: characterization and plot complication are the keys to understanding what's going on in this film, and I find that challenging and interesting, because it again reflects the reality of how one discerns meaning in real life. The twisty plot unfolds only as we learn who's who, and why they do what they do. The resolution is one of the most neatly drawn I've ever seen: all the disparate subplots come coherently together (a la Shakespeare!). This is a thinking person's movie, definitely not for the jejune who need to have characters tell them what's happening in a movie through usually extraneous dialog. Excellent performances: Lance Reddick, Nutsa Kukhianidze, and Austin Pendleton (one of the greatest villains I've ever seen on the screen).

I want more

[kimmnray-1 · 9/10 · 15 December 2007]

Loved the movie kept my attention through the whole thing. But when there was only 14 min. left I didn't see how it was going to be concluded that quickly & it wasn't. Another great movie that you don't want to end hopefully they are working on a sequel. I wanted to see Julian own the States Attorney, and the bad cop hook up with the polish girl & maybe marry her so she can get a green card, who could of possibly got pregnant when she was date raped at Julian's party, the daughter tell her father he was right about boys & is going to straighten up, who are they going to frame for the murders now? I will be looking for a follow up movie if there is not one already out there or being made now.

Julian carried the film

[TABULOUS1 · 8/10 · 18 January 2007]

The overall acting was horrible, but it was completely worth watching because Austin Pendleton's portrayal of Julian was BRILLIANT and his performance single-handedly carried the entire project from beginning to end. I would LOVE to work with him again--more directly.

After watching it, I can't believe I never paid Mr. Pendleton much attention. It's funny the talents we overlook on their way up. After more research, I found that he's been in tons of films that I've seen and simply never noticed...It makes me want to go back and watch them all again to see what my problem was...or if he's just gotten that much better over the years.

Wow...if he had several other really great actors on this project, it would have been quite a heck of a ride! This was an AWESOME delivery of Julian for the viewers to really dig into what's left of the film....