Dirty Deeds (2002)

Director:

David Caesar

Writer:

David Caesar (writer)

Release Date:

18 July 2002 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Get ready to get dirty.

Plot:

Set in 1960's Sydney, this is the story of an Australian gangster whose booming business, buoyed by the influx of U.S...

Plot Keywords:

Australian Outback | Korean War Veteran | Airplane | 1960s | Adultery

Awards:

3 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Bryan Brown	...	Barry Ryan
Toni Collette	...	Sharon
John Goodman	...	Tony
Sam Neill	...	Ray
Sam Worthington	...	Darcy
Kestie Morassi	...	Margaret
William McInnes	...	Hollywood
Andrew S. Gilbert	...	Norm
Garry Waddell	...	Freddie (as Gary Waddell)
Felix Williamson	...	Sal
Derek Amer	...	Manager
Laeni Baille	...	Coin Lady
Rudi Baker	...	Bell Boy
Bille Brown	...	Senator
Michael Brownjohn	...	Bouncer #1

Also Known As:

Knocking Mr. Big (Australia) (working title)
Sacré boulot (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language.

Runtime:

110 min | UK:97 min

Country:

Australia | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where Tony is showing Barry the "Liberty" video slot machine, such technology as relatively high resolution color video, synthesized audio and computer power to animate the images was not available in video slot machines until the 1980's and not mainstream in video slot machines until the 1990's.

Quotes:

Sal: [watching coverage of Vietnam war on TV in Australia] You see that? *That* is why you need color TV. You see the blood; everything. What is it in black 'n white? It looks old. It's like it happened years ago.
Darcy: [having returned from Vietnam war] It's no prettier in colour, mate.
Sal: No? We love this war. We own it.

Movie Connections:

References Mary Poppins (1964)

Soundtrack:

Made My Bed, Gonna Lie In It

Dirty, But Fun

Approached this one with caution after some iffy reviews, but shouldn't have worried.

David Caesar shows he can handle big cast, big story, big entertainment;not just the character-driven, quirky little films he does so well.

Bryan Brown shows there's still no better dinki-di larrikin than him. Sometimes it wears thin, but here, it;s just right. All the cast are at their best, especially Sam Neill, who plays completely against type delightfully. The two young stars are good too, and Felix Williamson all but steals the show as John Goodman's not-too-bright, but definitely too vicious sidekick.

The 1969 Sydney underworld setting is wonderfully captured (even to accurately having Hair playing at the Metro Theatre), and its great to here so many old songs, and old Aussie sayings, that are barely remembered (and no, hardly anyone had heard of pizzas here then, except in the lyrics of "That's Amore".)

The design and camerawork are eyecatching, and all in all, while its not the deepest Australian film ever, it's very entertaining.