The Hard Word (2002)

40% of critics liked it
(82 reviews)
44% of users liked it
(1,978 ratings)

Three brothers who would argue that crime does pay have a hard time getting their fair share of the proceeds in this witty action thriller from Australia. Dale Twentyman (Guy Pearce) and his brothers, Mal (Damien Richardson) and Shane (Joel Edgerton), are serving time together in prison for robbery.… More Three brothers who would argue that crime does pay have a hard time getting their fair share of the proceeds in this witty action thriller from Australia. Dale Twentyman (Guy Pearce) and his brothers, Mal (Damien Richardson) and Shane (Joel Edgerton), are serving time together in prison for robbery. Dale is the brains and the cool head of the group, Mal is the eager-to-please nice guy, and Shane is something of a loose cannon. Dale and his siblings are eager to get out of jail, and their lawyer, Frank Malone (Robert Taylor), has pulled a deal that could pare some time off their sentences, though the arrangement is strictly off the books. Mick Kelly (Vince Colosimo) and Jack O'Riordan (Paul Sonkkila) are a pair of crooked police detectives who have arranged with Malone to give the Twentyman brothers day passes from jail in order to pull bank robberies, with the siblings' share held in escrow until they're released. Dale thinks something a bit off in this operation, and his suspicions are confirmed when Malone tells the brothers after they're granted their early release that they won't get their money until they pull one last job -- an ambitious robbery at a Melbourne race track on the day of the nation's biggest horse race. Dale is convinced he smells a rat -- especially since he has good reason to suspect that Malone is having an affair with his wife, Carol (Rachel Griffiths). The Hard Word marked the directorial debut for writer/director Scott Roberts. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Scott Roberts, Scott Roberts (II)
Written By: Scott Roberts
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 13, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Oct 7, 2003
Studio: Lions Gate Distribution

Critic Reviews

Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
It is at most a middling effort.
Michael Booth, Denver Post
The movie-jaded will dismiss The Hard Word as just another slick heist flick with a band of burglar buddies. Too bad for their cynical souls. They'll be missing a grand (theft) time.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Roberts stuffs the film with clever twists that keep us one step behind the plot, which is where you want to be in a heist picture.
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News
Just when you think you've got it all figured out, there's another disorienting jolt.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
'Amiable' is an odd way to describe a crime drama that contains wall-spattering amounts of bloodshed, but it fits The Hard Word.
Tom Long, Detroit News
A Tarantino-esque mishmash of tough crime cliches spit out in Aussie accents.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Undemanding derivative caper film.
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
A nearly unrecognizable Guy Pearce gives a solid performance in an otherwise forgettable film
Tom Grealis, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
You always get the feeling here that Roberts never actually knows where he's going with it.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Every heist movie trope is trotted out and given an Australian accent.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
The film seems unsure what it wants to be about, only that it wants to be edgy while it's doing it.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
This Aussie thriller is all about characters -- interesting characters, and several of them could hold a movie on their own.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
Not everything works... but Roberts' knack for realistic action, hard-bitten dialogue and finding humor in unexpected places keeps your attention to the finish.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Khris N

Watch this if ur into Snatch and Lock Stock style movies - this Aussie version is a great movie along those lines - and worth watching - If your aussie you'll get the jokes no problem.