Two Hands

"Two Hands" is a good addition to the Australian Film Catalogue.

It is that curious mix of real life, surreal life, comedy, tragedy and love the Australians have developed on their own.

Heath Ledger is basically a good if naive guy. Wanting to get on he falls in with a local "Big" Man Pando (Bryan Brown). But at the very moment he sets a first toe on the dark path to crime he meets Alex (Rose Byrne). Here is the cause of the error to change his life in ways unexpected. After getting on the wrong side of Pando accidentally, things get very bad very quickly and if not for a little otherworldly help this would have been a short sad film. Yes, Jimmy learns a few lessons in life and no one escapes uninjured in one way or another but at the end of it has a feel good feel to it. Although there is a lawless theme through the story, it is not glorified and helps to show how destructive crime can be on normal lives.

Heath Ledger is excellent as Jimmy, innocent and savvy at the same time, Rose is hypnotic as Alex and Bryan is marvellous as usual. This is a small ensemble of characters are believable and I found myself caring about the good guys and disliking the baddies.

This DVD is usually in the cheap aisle so I would recommend adding it too your DVD collection, it would be money well spent.

8 out of 10

A refreshing black comedy starring some of Australia's finest. In the same way that Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels captured the funny side of London gangsters, Two Hands rips through the Sydney underworld. It wouldn't be so funny if it wasn't so close to the bone.

An Australian classic. If Australia could pull more rabbits like this out its hat it might actually have a film industry worth keeping an eye on.

This hillarious film captures the Australian personality perfectly. From Bryan Brown in his Hawiian Shirts and thongs to Blue Monaros and boys (Heath Ledger) too busy chasing girls to worry about their life, this film is wonderful. There are no Koala Bears or Boomerangs in sight in a lame attempt to convince foreign audiences that Australia is a great place with loads of character. It does what it does and says what it says which is just about as Australian as it gets. If you don't get the humour in this film you should go back to watching episodes of "Funniest Home Videos" as the humour must obviously be beyond you.

Wannabe Jimmy gets given a simple delivery job to do for local mobster Pando. When he inevitable messes it up and loses $10K he goes on the run and loins a bank job to try and get the money back. Under the watchful eye of his brother, who has dug himself up from hell to see if Jimmy can learn from his mistake, Jimmy stumbles through a series of misadventures to get to safety.

This is very enjoyable - one of the many modern black comedies that use small time criminals as the starting points of violently funny stories. Here the film follows the hapless Jimmy as he gets himself into and out of hot water of the criminal type. The story is daft - lets be honest! It starts well but gets pretty stretched after we see the scene from the start of the film again, and the tidy conclusion is just very unlikely. However it's all done with such style and wit that you don't really mind. The characters link together tidily and the story is very enjoyable.

The director kicks Australian cinema in the ass by delivering a very stylish package, from the intense scenes of sudden violence, the really visually clever credit sequence right down to the great soundtrack and camera work, this is a stylish feast. The only problem with this is that it highlights the weaknesses of the story.

Heath Ledger is really good and deservedly is a rising star in Hollywood. Bryan Brown is really great and his mob is very funny - barely competent at best, but dealing out violence without a second though. However the real star is the director. Vidler as Jimmy's brother is OK, but his philosophising gets a little tired after a while (but his failed redemption makes sense). Overall it has plenty of weaknesses, but it also has much to enjoy - very stylish, very funny in a dark way and very enjoyable for those that like the current band of `Lock, Stock…..' films.

"Two Hands" is an entertaining, funny story about Australian lowlifes. The screenplay contrasts the world of fast money and deadly acts with the inexplicability of fate and circumstance. In a subtle way we are asked to ponder the concept that major events in our lives are sometimes generated without our being fully aware of the root causes. The forces of fate and circumstance take Jimmy, the main character, into situations that bring about the realization of his shallow dreams and, ultimately, an understanding of a more personally promising world.

The clueless Jimmy, portrayed with acumen by Heath Ledger, is a kid who grew up without opportunity. The high paying world of crime offers the greatest appeal to his blunted senses. The love and help of friends guides him to a higher plateau.

The film is well-directed and well-acted. The band of criminals teeter between likable and despicable, keeping us interested in their crazy antics all through the film.