The Custodian

This is a real gem. Gritty Australian thriller about a worn-out policeman who decides to blow the whistle on the corruption in his department. Trouble is, he has to implicate himself. Anthony LaPaglia - an underrated actor - gets into his character really well. Hugo Weaving (known from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) is really creepy as his partner, who's 'on the take'. Convincing all around: score 9. So, for once, don't rent one of the 50-or-so copies of blockbuster X (all action, no story), and try to find this one.

If you are a die-hard Anthony LaPaglia fan then you'll love all the moody shots of him. However as a film poor old Anthony and Hugo Weaving struggle manfully with bad script, bad directing and appalling editing. The whole plot clunks along. It's a pity as Weaving and Lapaglia are great actors. I would like to say I enjoyed this movie but I'm afraid I didn't. The introduction of love interest into Quinlan's life was particularly ill-conceived as it had precisely nothing to do with furthering the story. If you have seen Lantana then this will be a bit of a disappointment. My advice is forget this, watch one of LaPaglia's other good films instead. There are enough to choose from!!

This movie is about a good cop forced to undergo severe hardship in order to do what he knows is right. The dialogue is very natural and excellently performed. The plot is intriguing all the way through. LaPaglia, Weaving, and Otto, and the other actors were fantastic. As a die-hard LaPaglia fan, I couldn't be more pleased!

If you're looking for a solid cop story with a touch of heart (but nothing soppy), I highly recommend this film.

The only downside to this movie is it occasionally has slightly cheesy music and a few other hints that it was produced on the cheap. Still, if this is the kind of gem that can come out of inexpensive production, what excuse is left for big studios to turn out so much crap? This movie shows that good writing and acting are the most important parts of any film. See it!