Gettin' Square (2003)

Gettin’ Square: Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky. With Sam Worthington, David Wenham, Timothy Spall, Freya Stafford. Barry’s released after 8 years prison with good intentions. He looks for work – difficult with a record. Both his kid brother and friend won’t stay out of crime.

“A solid example of an Aussie crime/comedy caper – but more than that, itu0026#39;s a brilliant display by David Wenham, who deserves much applause (and a good shower) for his portrayal of Johnny u0026#39;Spitu0026#39; Spiteri.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMany things come together to make this a great Aussie film. The cinematography is clever and fresh, the script is, and the acting is superb.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSam Worthington is Barry, recently out of prison, who lands a job as a chef in a struggling restaurant, run by Darren (the wonderful Timothy Spall), an ex-con trying to stay straight. When Darren runs into trouble with a suspect $200,000, and Barryu0026#39;s friend Spit runs afoul of the local gangster (Gary Sweet), they team up for a double-cross – but itu0026#39;s much more complicated than that.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe script is smart and devilish, but while it twists and turns, it never approaches ridiculousness. Written by prominent criminal lawyer Chris Nyst, you wonder who much is fact and how much is fiction – something here seems plausible.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThat might be just the superb acting. Worthington is solid and believable, but Wenham utterly steals the show as the hapless, mullet-wearing Spit. One scene where Spit goes before a court hearing is one of the highlights of Aussie cinema of the last decade. Itu0026#39;s stunningly scripted, brilliantly acted – and very funny.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026#39;Gettin Squareu0026#39; isnu0026#39;t as good as u0026#39;Two Handsu0026#39; – itu0026#39;s uneven at times, slightly plodding early on, and takes 40 minutes to really get into the script – but itu0026#39;s still well worth the entry price.”