The inspiration for this film was the fact that American Gangsters are well dresses, but the Aussies, well when you might kill a guy as soon as look at the blighter, then you can dress as badly as you want and people won't criticize you.

Jimmy is fighter, an illegal boxer, sometimes bouncer and is offered work by Pando, the local gangster boss in the cross (That is, Australia's notorious Kings Cross District, not the Cross of London fame as many a British backpacker finds out the hard way).

Due to feelings of love he stuffs up a job, loses a lot of money and has to get it to Pando before Pando and his heavies can kill him.

Lots of dark humour, interesting action, revelations about the Australia's underside and human nature. It is very centred in the Australian nature and explores the nature of Australian criminals (versus the American and British ones).

One problem is that each of the elements of the story don't have enough substance and depth, but it is a painting with broad strokes that covers a lot of area not covered previously, so as an overall package it is worthwhile.

Team it up with "Chopper" and "Dirty Deeds" for your Aussie Crime fest or "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Miller's Crossing" for an International falling short of the criminal gangs fest.

By the way, Bryan Brown is a great actor who has just done a huge number of really bad movies. Here is one of his great movies.

This deceptively laid-back, low-key, casually paced Aussie crime thriller unravels with a casual ease and relaxed self-confidence that's a delight to behold. Eager beaver working class kid Jimmy (an appealingly feckless Heath Ledger) yearns to make something out of his unrewarding ordinary life. Jimmy gets his big break when local crime kingpin Pando (an outstanding Bryan Brown) assigns him an easy courier gig which entails delivering $10 grand to an old lady. Jimmy finds himself knee deep in serious trouble when he loses Pando's money. Writer/director Gregor Jordan's engagingly simple tale of how things aren't always what they're cracked up to be, young love, all actions having consequences and that hoary old chestnut about how crime doesn't pay works like a charm thanks to a wonderful wealth of well-observed minor quirky details, a strong subtext concerning man's duel capacity for both good and evil, a nice sense of unforced irony, the chillingly matter-of-fact way the violence is presented, and the marvelous grounding of the assorted complexly drawn warts'n'all low-life characters in an instantly recognizable and totally believable banal day-to-day reality (e.g., Panda is shown playing Scrabble with a flunky and at one point interrupts a business conversation with a fellow hood to talk with his son over the phone). Judging from his finely shaded and two-fisted portrayal of the cunning, not to be trifled with Pando, Bryan Brown undoubtedly qualifies as one of the finest actors to ever grace celluloid. A sturdy and satisfying little sleeper.

Talking to fellow IMDbers about their favourite films,I found out about an early Aus Noir that Heath Ledger had made.With it being a leap day,I decided to grab the movie with both hands.

The plot:

Killed by underworld gangster Pando,a mysterious man comes back to life.Realising what the gangsters have done,the man is horrified to find that they now have their eyes on his brother Jimmy.

Making ends meet by working as a security guard at a strip club,Jimmy takes an offer from gangster Pando to work for him.Given $10,000,Jimmy is told to drop it off at an address.Finding no one at the home,Jimmy decides to pass the time by going swimming (as you would!) Whilst Jimmy is swimming,two kids find the cash under a sandcastle and take it. Finding no sign of the cash,Jimmy gets into a similar debt with Pando which led to his brothers death.

View on the film:

Splashing neon-lit credits across the screen,writer/director Gregor Jordan & cinematographer Malcolm McCulloch peel open the dark side of the Aus sun,as the (largely) shot on location streets and drug dens are awash with mouldy colours which reveal the moody Film Noir grip that Pando has on the city.Dipping into the Horror genre,Jordan swings close-ups and fading colours across the mysterious man,whose shadow looms over the underworld that Jimmy is entering.

Placing Jimmy in an outsider position,the screenplay by Jordan threads Jimmy's debt with a darkly comedic edge,which along with making the set pieces sparkle (such as a funny failed bank robbery) also gives the title a sinister Noir atmosphere,as Pando's bitter laughs engulf the gritty underworld.Looking pretty different to how she appears in wonderful TV series Damages, Rose Byrne gives a sweet,care-free performance as Alex,whilst Bryan Brown unleashes Jordan's un-clipped dialogue in a blistering manner as Pando.Working for the first of two times with Jordan, Heath Ledger gives a striking performance as Jimmy,thanks to Ledger initially giving Jimmy a confident swagger which is smashed against a Film Noir loner,as Jimmy slides his two hands into the Aus underworld.