Two Hands is a stylish Australian crime comedy featuring a phenomenal cast and a decent story. I mean, it’s not very original but it sure as shit is entertaining. It reminded me of Martin McDonagh’s movies In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. And you can also sense a little bit of Coen Brothers in there what with the whole inept criminals thing. The clash between the casual vibe of the movie and the harsh realities of life of crime creates this strange and engaging atmosphere. We will be following several stories and characters, seamlessly shifting between them. They will show us a different side of Sydney, far from the tourist hot spots. However, the main one is this coming-of-age story of a young guy who thinks that the life of crime is the best option for him.
I just love that thick Australian accent. It makes everything seem funnier than it is. Plus we get some pretty hilarious nicknames. I mean, the main bad guy is called Pando. Now say that with an Australian accent. Fucking adorable. We also have Acko, Kiwi Bob, and motherfucking Wozza in the house! Now, I’ve tried watching another “stylish Australian crime comedy” Dirty Deeds, and found it to be quite boring. This was not the case with Two Hands. Heath Ledger was very good as Jimmy, a young guy trying to find the right path in life. And you can bet your sweet ass Bryan Brown gave another great performance. As a bonus, we get young Rose Byrne as Alex, a quirky photographer falling for our guy Jimmy.
After a couple of stunts, young strip club promoter Jimmy has been finally noticed by the local crime boss Pando. He has a job for Jimmy, a simple delivery mission that will net him $500. All he has to do is deliver an envelope with $10.000 to an address. However, this will prove to be much more difficult than he initially thought…
Two Hands opens quite strongly, with our main guy beginning for his life and Pando pointing a gun at his head. Then we go back in time to get the full picture. This little gimmick was quite effective and it immediately set the mood for the rest of the movie. For the most part, this is an easygoing and casual drive through the Australian criminal underworld. The characters we will meet are all funny and memorable. We’ve seen the British criminals, we’ve seen the American criminals, now it’s time to meet the Australian ones. We will even get a bank robbery to make things even more interesting.
The cinematography is sleek and urban setting vibrant and chaotic. This gives the movie a certain excess of energy that transfers onto the viewer. Now, almost twenty years after its release you can say that there’s even a strong nostalgia vibe. So, if you’re looking for something with a Ritchie or Tarantino vibe, you’ve just found it. And if you’re looking for more of the same, check out Gettin’ Square starring Sam Worthington.
Director: Gregor Jordan
Writer: Gregor Jordan
Cast: Heath Ledger, Bryan Brown, David Field, Tom Long, Kiri Paramore, Rose Byrne, Mathew Wilkinson
Fun Facts: Acko’s car, the XA Falcon is actually director’s, Gregor Jordan’s car.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145547/
