Small Time Gangster (2011) User Reviews

Small time gangster, big time laughs

[boc321 · 10/10 · 13 December 2011]

I've enjoyed this dark comedy quite a lot so far. The basic plot is about an underworld debt collector who wants to go straight but somehow finds himself forced to cope with rising notoriety wthin the ranks of the criminal organisation he is working for. Contrary to another review on here, there is a lot of dark humour that can have you in stitches. If you want a serious crime drama, go and watch "Underbelly". This is much lighter material but never predictable. And married to a sex starved woman, what a lucky man ! He is perfect for this role, a lot of the humour comes from watching his facial expressions when confronted with unexpected problems. I give this series a 10 / 10 for an original plot line.

Lame, cheap, repetitive, derivative Tarantino wannabe.

[BOUF · 2/10 · 13 June 2011]

The cast of leads are giving everything they've got. They have to; there's so little in the script and/or direction. Sometimes there's too much. Cut! Don't drag that story point on so much! Don't hold on Steve Le Marquand's muggy reaction for so long! Get on with it..audiences are not stupid. There's too little actual story, or characterisation. There's too much of the obvious and not enough for us to wonder about. When it's not predictable, it's trying to shock, and isn't succeeding - it's so derivative, and self-conscious; and when you're expecting proper action, punches are pulled, and there's no satisfactory payoff. Good crime action needs great characters, rigorous storytelling, a decent budget and a gutsy, experienced hand at the helm. This looks like it could be a good series, but it's cheap copycat almost good enough; set in the daggy Aussie suburbs, like all those other shows. Geoff Morell is director-proof..he's been around long enough to know where the camera is and what he needs to do; Steve Le Marquand has potential, but is not leading man material, and is poorly directed; Gia Carides is poorly written and directed. This looks like the rehearsal, not the finished product; it's either very lazily or very hastily produced. The real loser here is the audience.

what a waste

[getoffit · 1/10 · 10 October 2012]

well, what can i say. terribly written, terribly acted, terribly directed. On the whole a complete waste of time and money. Every talentless idiot involved in making this garbage should be banned from making anything else. The lead actor is terrible, horribly miscast and anything with Gary sweet in it makes me run for cover immediately. This material, if handled in a realistic fashion, would have been worth watching. As it is its just another example of crappy Australian TV and the movie network should hang their heads in shame. Im seriously considering suing them in court for the pain and suffering i had to endure while watching this poop.