The Hard Word

40% of critics liked it

42% of users liked it

In theaters Jun 13, 2003
R, 2 min.

Movie Info

Director: Scott Roberts, Scott Roberts (II)
Rated: R
Running Time: 2 min.
Genre: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy
Theater Release: Jun 13, 2003
DVD Release: Oct 07, 2003
Synopsis: Three brothers who would argue that crime does pay have a hard time getting their fair share of the proceeds in this witty action thriller from Australia. Dale Twentyman (Guy Pearce) and his brothers, Mal (Damien Richardson) and Shane (Joel Edgerton), are serving time together in prison for robbery. Dale is the brains and the cool head of the group, Mal is the eager-to-please nice guy, and Shane is something of a loose cannon. Dale and his siblings are eager to get out of jail, and their lawyer,

Critic Reviews

  • It is at most a middling effort. More...
  • The 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. More...
  • Roberts stuffs the film with clever twists that keep us one step behind the plot, which is where you want to be in a heist picture. More...
  • Just when you think you've got it all figured out, there's another disorienting jolt. More...
  • 'Amiable' is an odd way to describe a crime drama that contains wall-spattering amounts of bloodshed, but it fits The Hard Word. More...
  • A Tarantino-esque mishmash of tough crime cliches spit out in Aussie accents. More...
  • It's fun as far as it goes, but that isn't very far. More...
  • Aside from the obviously Australian flavor to everything -- which can be entertaining at times -- there's no X factor to justify the whole exercise. More...
  • The Hard Word may not be the last word in underworld thrills, but, like eternal patsy Pearce, it possesses a certain wild-eyed affability. More...
  • Much of The Hard Word feels like hard time. More...