The Hard Word
(2002)
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In this action-comedy directed by Scott Roberts, a trio of Melbourne prison rats work with a crime boss on the outside, trying to pull off one last scheme to satisfy the man so he'll spring them from jail. The Twentyman brothers consist of leader Dale (Guy Pearce), ex-butcher Mal (Damien Richardson), and shadowy Shane (Joel Edgerton). Shane is the baby of the bunch, and the star of the show, who keeps every moment real with his utterly candid way of telling it like it is--providing a string of priceless one-liners. On the outside, sleazy lawyer Frank (Robert Taylor) wheels and deals, all the while using his considerable financial charms to win over Dale's wife, Carol (Rachel Griffiths as the prototypical tart). A botched bank robbery organised by Frank sets the brothers off on a crooked course, and when they realise that they've been set up, they scramble to claim their promised freedom at any cost. Some hilarious revenge sequences involve a grosser-than-gross food poisoning gimmick, and the entire film is punctuated by wonderful cat-and-mouse chase games with Frank. Though THE HARD WORD is a tough, rigorous crime caper, underlying its action is clear comedic intent, albeit a dark and mischievous brand of humour. In his directorial debut, Roberts has crafted a fast-moving and highly entertaining film with its strengths lying in character development and a uniquely quirky script. |
Screenshots
Aussie writer/director Scott Roberts's gritty debut feature is a hot-blooded crime drama that practically oozes sleazy chic. Visually stark and unsentimental, it has a brooding, muscular intensity, off-set by the darkest black comedy. Pony-tailed Guy Pearce is the leader of a trio of hard-edged, bank-robbing brothers who are released early from an Australian prison so they can pull off a multi-million dollar heist for their corrupt lawyer. The events that follow are scarcely original, but they're executed with such precision, wit and force that it's hard not to get sucked into the fast-paced chaos. Roberts's skill lies in his naturalistic approach, combined with his focus on the idiosyncrasies of his main protagonists. Pearce and his screen siblings, Damien Richardson and Joel Edgerton, deliver humorously eccentric portraits of twisted criminality, while Rachel Griffiths adds tasty vulpine sharpness as Pearce's conniving wife.