Fluentiama Perfect cast and a good story

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Claire Dunne One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Yazmin Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

chrisbehlprojects Really great film, great aussie humour and depiction of cross king pins. I could see why it wouldn't appeal so much to a foreign audience but for me I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Ariadne Pyanfar The story is Far Out on a limb, as far as believability goes. But this is not the film to nitpick over that, because this story is all about style. It's as free and easy and light-hearted as awful crime ever gets, and it's as black and nasty and gruesome as comedy ever gets. Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne have such glowing youthful beauty, and enough screen weight to match Brian Brown and a solid ing cast. This is one of those films where you forget to feel guilt ridden over laughing out loud at the misery of others. I congratulate the writers and director for such a deft balancing act. Many Americans might not like this because it's not their style of humour. If you are American and "get" British humour, or love Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, or Hot Fuzz, then you may well like this one too.

dfle3 Many years ago I saw this movie (on television maybe?) and loved it. So I decided to rent it on DVD the other day to see whether it still held up in my estimation. It did. Set in Sydney's notorious King's Cross district (where prostitution, drug abuse and sex stores thrive), it tells the story of "Jimmy" (played by Heath Ledger). Jimmy is a young man...maybe late teens or thereabouts, who hasn't had a stable family background. He is on the fringes of society, and works as a 'tout' for a sex club (encouraging people to enter the store). He is aware of an underworld figure called "Pando", who is a local bigwig in the Cross. It's Jimmy's hope that he will find himself on Pando's radar and get 'in' with him...a short-cut to upward social mobility, he hopes.One night Jimmy meets the beautiful young woman Alex (played by the charming Rose Byrne). You just know that a love story will play out between them. On that night as well, Jimmy is first ed by Pando (played by Bryan Brown). Pando has a 'job' for Jimmy. It's the 'foot in the door' that Jimmy has been waiting for!To reveal too much more would spoil the many surprises that this movie has in store for the viewer. Stylistically, if you like Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie movies, you should be in tune with what to expect...twists and turns and black comedy.What's so great about this movie is its very 'Australian-ness'. It's no mere knock off of Tarantino or Ritchie, but a genuine Australian contribution to the genre. A fascinating aspect to this movie is how it all hangs together. Sometimes you are introduced to characters who you wonder what the hell they're doing there. In the end, all these 'loose ends' tie together beautifully. It's sort of like a celluloid Moebius strip.A highlight of the movie is Bryan Brown's character of Pando. Pando likes puzzles, and it's fun to see him play games with his cronies. It's the little details revealed about him which are so enjoyable...his taste in music, for starters!Of the Heath Ledger movies I have seen (The Dark Knight, 10 Things I hate about you), this is perhaps his best role. Wasn't taken with "10 things". If you are a Heath Ledger fan (Ledger recently died a tragic, accidental death), this is a chance to see him in his greatest Australian role, I think. There is great chemistry between Ledger and Byrne in this movie-so, on one level, it functions as nice love story.This movie doesn't have some of the horror of Tarantino and Ritchie underworld movies, but it does have some adult themes...scenes that surprise you with their coldness and beauty. In that sense, it's not an ideal movie for very young viewers, but it's not a movie that gore-hounds will get excited about either. Lastly, I have to say that it is great that Australia can make great movies like this. Usually the kind of movies my home country makes can be uniniviting. This movie has strengths where many Australian movies have weaknesses...i.e. it has a great story, great acting and a great script. We need more popular, quality movies like this to be made here in Australia. Highly recommended. Other Australian movies I have loved include:Breaker Morant (10/10) Mad Max 2 (10/10) My Brilliant Career (not reviewed here by me yet) Proof (nr) The Devil's Playground (nr) The Year My Voice Broke (nr) Bad Boy Bubby (nr. A great, dark comedy) The Dish (nr. A great, charming comedy)

tedg It may be that this works and I just cannot get at it because I'm not Australian, but I doubt it.Its rambling, often incoherent nature may be designed as part of the effect, but I doubt that too.Its really quite ambitious, a sort of Tarantino/Richie mix with a bit of coming of age and whole lot of Aussie peculiarity in it. There's a noir intervention by a dead guy.I watched it because it had Heath Ledger as the center, and I was a little curious what with his newly established sainthood. The River Phoenix effect. What we have is a teen goofoff who is asked by the local petty mafia to do something. It goes wrong and a chase ensues. There's a romance, natch. There's a moment where honor is established and justice comes home by an unexpected means. The charm in the thing comes not from the story or the hero, but from the abstract design of the thing. We know what to expect from the very beginning because the font that is used in the titles is that chrome Chevvie script from the late fifties. It might have been used in Australia by Holden. The movie is set in then contemporary time, but it references the fifties in the manner of the film itself and the hoods therein. Don't come to this if what you want is great work from Ledger.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.