This gangster comedy made in 2002 and set in 1969 Sydney was treated very badly upon first release by sneering critics and it struggled at the box office. However, I believe it is a well made farce about criminal life in the seriously changing times of the late 60s set in seedy nightclub strip of Kings Cross. With an excellent cast (look it up) and excellent wry set design and hilarious costume styles so perfect for the time, DIRTY DEEDS looks great on a wide screen and is dangerous and funny in equal measures. Writer-director David Caesar is a suburban everyman who celebrates the ordinary in his Australian films. His previous efforts, especially MULLET or GREENKEEPING are worth seeing in a series that looks at Aussie wannabees and losers and aspirants often well out of their depth or level of ambition. Caesar actually has something to say and it is not just cliché. However, DIRTY DEEDS was released during a spate of OZ crim comedies: TWO HANDS (good); CHOPPER (excellent), BAD EGGS just OK), THE (shoddy miscast) POSTCARD BANDIT... and was unfairly maligned. It captures a time and place perfectly and with some hilarious 'fish out of water' reactions by visiting American criminals allows for the driest humor about 60s Sydney since THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB. Don't' be put off by other bad reviews. DIRTY DEEDS is well worth your time. Tony Collette in her green petal-tile nightclub dress alone is worth the rental.... as is Felix Williamson stranded in his Y-fronts.
Review of Dirty Deeds
