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Knockaround Guys

K. Wyatt | St. Louis, MO United States | 10/30/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I went to this movie with a little trepidation, considering that the trailer just didn't do it a lot of justice. It was more or less a case of this being the best choice of what was available at the theater. What I thought would be a mediocre film, turned out to be a very good film starring a couple of today's best young actors, Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel. The premise: "Knockaround Guys" is a wonderful story about four young, second generation mobsters. Most of them have grown up in the shadows of there fathers who think that they are not capable of anything more than being delivery men. That is of course, with the exception of Vin Diesel's character who just likes to fight. Barry Pepper's father, played by Dennis Hopper, especially doesn't feel he's capable of going very far in the business. In an attempt to prove his mettle to his father, he persuades him into letting him run an operation. He's allowed to do so and immediately screws it up by relying on one of his other friends, who, in essence is a screw up and completely blows it. Barry Pepper and the rest of the mobsters all get in a plane and fly to nowhere where his other friend lost the "item." From there, we have a wonderful and intriguing movie, which displays how good some of today's movie stars can be.While not being "Goodfellas," this is one of the better "mob" films to come out in quite some time. I would definitely recommend that you see this film."

Should KNOCKAROUND the competition...

K. Wyatt | 10/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Knockaround Guys is, to me, an instant classic. It's up there with TRUE ROMANCE and ROAD TO PERDITION - though at times it feels a little more like STAND BY ME with mobsters than your usual post-Tarantino noir. Don't be fooled by the SNATCH-like ad campaign. Although SNATCH and KNOCKAROUND GUYS both involve some bumbling criminals, KNOCKAROUND GUYS is much less comical (though still very funny at times) in its portrayal, and will probably turn off most of Vin Diesel's FAST AND THE FURIOUS crowd. It is an infinitely smarter and more emotional film than Vin's previous efforts. The plot revolves around Berry Pepper's character, the son of underboss Dennis Hopper, who is trying to break free of his family name and become a legitimate sports agent. His efforts are in vain, however, and in the end, he thinks that the only way he can be respected is to work for his father. With the help of his uncle, John Malkovich, he convinces his father to give him a shot. Unfortunately, one of Pepper's less reliable friends (Seth Green) throws a rather large wrench in the gears and unintentionally wreaks havoc in Pepper's life. Pepper, Green, Vin Diesel, and Andrew Davoli head into a small hick town to straighten things up, but the chaos only escalates. The cast is brilliantly assembled. The always likable Berry Pepper receives what is perhaps his best role, and Vin Diesel manages to rise above his Rob Cohen taint and shine in one of the film's more standout performances. Seth Green plays a sympathetic loser surprisingly well (provided you can forget he ever appeared in RAT RACE), and newcomer Andrew Davoli takes a memorable turn as the playboy of the bunch. We haven't seen Tom Noonan have this much fun with a villainous role since he was the Nuke-addicted heavy in ROBOCOP 2. On top of that, veteran performers John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper help solidify things. Aside from a stellar cast, the script is well-written, the music is well-chosen (in a complete contrast to THE TRANSPORTER), and there's never a dull moment. This is a modern look at the gangster film genre, and treats the material as such. There's never a scene in which somebody gets gunned down to the mellow sounds of Luciano Poveratti (thank goodness), so it's clearly not the stereotypical stuff. KNOCKAROUND GUYS has heart, but it also has enough brutality and levity to keep you interested. In short, I loved this movie."

It's tough being a Mobster anymore

Joseph Haschka | Glendale, CA USA | 03/16/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In my days at a young age, a pre-teen boy might simply aspire to a Scout merit badge. In KNOCKAROUND GUYS, 11 year-old Matty has already demonstrated to his father, Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper), that he doesn't have what it takes to join the Old Man's business. Benny is a Chicago Mafia kingpin. So, by the time the boy's a young man (now played by Barry Pepper), he's completely without direction. Matty has long accepted the fact that he hasn't got what it takes to work for and impress Dad, and he can't seem to land a legit 9 to 5. So, now what?Then, opportunity knocks. Benny needs a handbag picked up at the Spokane airport and brought back to the Windy City. Matty begs for, and receives, the assignment. Rather than go himself, he gets his friend, Johnny Marbles (Seth Green), to fly his Beechcraft to Washington to make the connection. Marbles, who has the reputation for being a screw-up, is also a mobster's drifting kid. On his return flight, Johnny manages to lose the bag - filled with $500,000 - on a gas stop at the tiny airport that serves Wibaux, Montana. (Yes, Mabel, there really is a Wibaux - on Interstate 84 just west of the North Dakota state line.) Matty and two other discontented pals of Mob lineage, the dapper Chris (Andrew Davoli) and tough guy Taylor (Vin Diesel), arrive to help recover the dough before Benny goes ballistic. That's when things really go into the toilet.KNOCKAROUND GUYS is a coming-of-age story with a twist (albeit at an unusually late age for such Hollywood fairy tales). Part of the film's attraction can perhaps be traced to the viewing public's current love affair with such murderous offerings as THE SOPRANOS. Certain scenes in KNOCKAROUND GUYS are decidedly violent. And then there's the challenge of perceiving any of the main characters as likable enough to root for, much less invite home for Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps we should instead be looking for personae of interest. Taylor and Teddy are the most watchable. Vin Diesel as the former is more substantial in a supporting role than his "XXX" lead. Taylor's just a buffed-up, uneducated, street-smart brawler. But, he's intensely loyal to Matty, and has no illusions about how he's wasted his life to the present. John Malkovich is mesmerizingly venomous as the psychopathic Teddy, Benny's right-hand Good Fella. There's one delicious scene in which Teddy bemoans the fact that, whereas before a hit man could just get the job done, now one has to be concerned with everybody's feelings.After viewing KNOCKAROUND GUYS, I was mildly surprised to realize that there was no actress in either a lead or significantly supporting role. There's no romance here. Not even any vaguely warm and touchy-feely moments. This is a hard-bitten Guy Flick for the boys on their night out."

Great film

adead_poet@hotmail.com | Beaumont, tx USA | 02/28/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Knockaround Guys didn't spend much time in the theaters (at least not around here), but it is a movie I wanted to see badly. And it doesn't disappoint. Barry Pepper gives a great performance. Vin Diesel actually acts in this movie, rather than just relying on his size and 'action-hero' status. Seth Green's performance is uneven, but more often than not he plays his role (as an unlikeable guy) very well. Dennis Hopper plays Benny Chains, the mob underboss. There's nothing spectacular about his performance, but it is solid. John Malkovich is brilliant, even if his accent is not. Tom Noonan is the breakout star here. He plays his role as a crooked sherrif great (and very dark). This is Brian Koppelman and David Levien's first time at directing, and they also wrote the film (Lawrence Bender produced it). All in all, it is a pretty good movie. Well worth seeing. It's a mafia movie that is both what we expect and something new. The dvd contains a handful of deleted/alternate scenes (with and without commentary) and an insightful commentary track by the directors."