It is at most a middling effort.
Comment
07/31/03
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The Hard Word (2003)
36
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:25
Fresh:9
Rotten:16
Average Rating:5.4/10
Consensus: This caper flick lacks the originality necessary to elevate it above other films of its genre.
Theatrical Release:Jun 13, 2003 Limited
Box Office: $400,844
Synopsis: Three prisoners are about to be released on bail - DALE (GUY PEARCE), MAL (DAMIEN RICHARDSON) and SHANE (JOEL EDGERTON). Meet the Twentyman brothers. Hard experience and an unspoken bond of... [More]
Starring: Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Robert Taylor, Damien Richardson
Director: Scott Roberts
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Reviews for The Hard Word
Top CriticThe movie-jaded will dismiss The Hard Word as just another slick heist flick with a band of burglar buddies. Too bad for their cynical souls. They'll be missing a grand (theft) time.
07/31/03
Top CriticJust when you think you've got it all figured out, there's another disorienting jolt.
07/17/03
Top CriticClick to read the article
07/09/03
Top Critic'Amiable' is an odd way to describe a crime drama that contains wall-spattering amounts of bloodshed, but it fits The Hard Word.
07/08/03
Top CriticA Tarantino-esque mishmash of tough crime cliches spit out in Aussie accents.
07/08/03
Top CriticIt's fun as far as it goes, but that isn't very far.
07/03/03
Top CriticAside from the obviously Australian flavor to everything -- which can be entertaining at times -- there's no X factor to justify the whole exercise.
07/01/03
Top CriticThe Hard Word may not be the last word in underworld thrills, but, like eternal patsy Pearce, it possesses a certain wild-eyed affability.
06/28/03
Top CriticNothing new or earthshaking here, but The Hard Word is tense and compelling, with the added charm of a mischievous spirit.
06/28/03
Top CriticThe film has an appeal for lovers of the genre. Little else in this unpredictable thriller by first-time director Scott Roberts requires immediate attention.
06/28/03
Top CriticThis movie could obviously go on fooling us forever, but we are good sports only up to a point, and then our attention drifts.
06/28/03
Top CriticThe Hard Word never steals our hearts, though it does kill time.
06/28/03
Top CriticThe Hard Word strains to be light on its feet but piles too much on its plate: characters come and go, changing personality at the director's whim, and you're never quite sure who's getting the shaft.
06/28/03
Top CriticA wannabe gritty Australian crime drama.
06/27/03
Top CriticIt's the kind of predictable programmer that used to fill the bottom half of double bills, but it's worth the effort to catch Ms. Griffiths.
06/26/03
Top CriticThe entire cast perform ably, but Mr. Pearce and Ms. Griffiths ... are something special in their native habitat.
06/26/03
Top CriticFew opportunities are seized.
06/20/03
Top Critic[T]here's a real art to moving characters around in a caper film like this and in this film, I felt like I could see the hand of the director moving those pieces about ...
06/16/03
Top CriticThe gore is intended as Tarantino-style black comedy, but instead, it's just weirdly grotesque.
06/13/03
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