wes-connors
In 1969 Vietnam, handsome soldier Sam Worthington (as Darcy "Darce" Ryan) receives his release from war service. He goes home to live with the uncle who raised him as a son. Meanwhile, weighty gangster John Goodman (as Tony Testano) and his trigger-happy henchman Fred Williamson (as Sal Cassela) are dispatched from Chicago, USA to Sidney, Australia. Their mission is to take over the slot-machine racket run by crime boss Bryan Brown (as Barry Ryan) by infiltrating his organization. Experienced at killing people and blowing things up, Mr. Worthington's becomes Mr. Brown's young partner...Worthington could follow in his uncle's footsteps, or open his own pizzeria. A romantic subplot involves amorous Kestie Morassi (as Margaret), who so predictably switches partners you have to wonder what writer/director David Caesar intended. There is no real evidence, but perhaps Brown was trying to save his marriage to older, but still beautiful Toni Collette (as Sharon)...Not an Australian expert, but there isn't much here that looks like contemporary movies from 1969. Adept cinematographer Geoffrey Hall is employed to make up the difference by making the motion picture look like an aged Polaroid. It only makes you look for the "color restore" button. The original soundtrack is done well, but don't expect AC/DC's original "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" or a 1969 parade of hits. Direction and editing (by Mark Perry) do help keep it moving. Most elevated in the cast credits is Sam Neill (as Ray Murphy). There is something extra to see within the end credit roll.***** Dirty Deeds (7/18/02) David Caesar ~ Bryan Brown, Sam Worthington, John Goodman, Toni Collette
teleadm-persson
I put the x in the spoiler, just to be on the safe side. Since I live in Sweden this part of Australian History is totally unknown to me, and the only other Australian gangster I've seen before was Chopper, and that was a movie I didn't like at all, though that one was very well acted. This movie "Dirty Deeds" I had never even heard of, and I found it in the bins that costs 2 for 99SKR (approx 9:90USD), and I chosed it mainly for the cover-photo of the DVD + four reliable names. Others have already told what this movie is about (the storyline) so I will not go into that. There is blood, very much blood indeed in this movie, but in this movie it's part of the story and loads of people being killed, but it's part of this movies storyline, so that didn't disturb me at all. After all they are very unpleasant people. I liked this movie very much, because it tells a story straight, but has many absurd and even farcical vignettes, and it moves along at a very pleasant speed. All the actors don't act, they ARE and BREATH the characters they play. Brian Brown (I don't know why, but he always reminds me of Michael Caine), Toni Collette (far from her About a Boy role), John Goodman (has he ever been bad, even in bad movies?) and Sam Neill (Absolutely perfect as the matter-of-fact but easy-to-bribe police) + the rest of the cast of for me unknowns.Can we today even imagine that there was a time when there wasn't at least one pizza-place within a few blocks? Apparently in Australia in 1969, and that part makes a very funny thread along in this movie. There is a very funny scene where they have found a restaurant in Sydney where they knew what a pizza is, but the slices are as thick as a birthday-cake.Another funny scene was when Bryan Brown, gets a hotel in the outbacks, and how quick the owner empties it when he sees how well he will be payed.All I can say is that I'm lucky I found this movie, just by chance.
thywerz
This film is so violent. In the opening sequence the amount of violence is too extreme with so little integrity. David Caesar seems to like films where everyone is threatened and seems to think its fine to use meaningless violence as entertainment. It also portrays Australians as complete idiots.
Steve Gough
Ah, yeah!This is a nicely paced caper and its only real crime is the weak ending.It's been criminally undersold here, and sad to report I was alone in the dark corner of the multiplex I saw it in. As all the comments here are Australian and a year old, the film has obviously been leaked late to the rest of the world in advance of its video or dvd release. This is lacklustre treatment of a little gem.First and most important, you don't need to be Australian to understand the dialog. I wouldn't fault any of the performances, which pretty much match the characters' function in the film. Bryan Brown and Sam Neill stand out, inevitably, but John Goodman and Toni Colette are sound in support.I smiled from the moment this started to the closing credits, laughed out loud more than once, and salute the repeated use of "bouf-head" as a term of endearment.
AD
