Having no knowledge of squizzy taylor beforehand but having a mild fascination with Australian culture i was able to appreciate the film but not having any background knowledge i didn't fully understand the plot at times. having since read a little about taylor since on the internet this film seems to distort a few facts.
This reminded me a lot of a classic British gangster film from the 40s although it isn't mentioned in this film squizzy was regarded a spiv (exactly the same as the spivs of English history and movies our most famous spiv being Darby Sabini spivs in england inspired a whole cycle of films known as the spiv cycle) ie a member of a razor gang who operated at race tracks but just like the crooks of English history he soon progressed to bigger crimes and more serious gangsterism. in some ways the film reminds me of the classic American crime movies with its drive bys and the overall feel of the film is very American although the structure of the film reminds me of English gangster biopic The Krays in that unless you have background knowledge at times it feels like your being drip fed random acts and outbursts also the police officer determined to nab taylor reminds m a lot of the military police officer in The Krays who comes to search their mums house when they go AWOL in The Krays. although the film is not like the film in style or attitude it is almost without the trademark sense of humour that normally distracts me from Australian gangster films although still nowhere near as heavy going as The Krays though and not to say its devoid of humour.
I think this is one more for those with an interest in gangster films and want to trys something a bit different.
This reminded me a lot of a classic British gangster film from the 40s although it isn't mentioned in this film squizzy was regarded a spiv (exactly the same as the spivs of English history and movies our most famous spiv being Darby Sabini spivs in england inspired a whole cycle of films known as the spiv cycle) ie a member of a razor gang who operated at race tracks but just like the crooks of English history he soon progressed to bigger crimes and more serious gangsterism. in some ways the film reminds me of the classic American crime movies with its drive bys and the overall feel of the film is very American although the structure of the film reminds me of English gangster biopic The Krays in that unless you have background knowledge at times it feels like your being drip fed random acts and outbursts also the police officer determined to nab taylor reminds m a lot of the military police officer in The Krays who comes to search their mums house when they go AWOL in The Krays. although the film is not like the film in style or attitude it is almost without the trademark sense of humour that normally distracts me from Australian gangster films although still nowhere near as heavy going as The Krays though and not to say its devoid of humour.
I think this is one more for those with an interest in gangster films and want to trys something a bit different.