Knockaround Guys (2001) / Thriller-Drama

MPAA Rated: R for violence, language and some drug use
Running Time: 92 min.

Cast: Barry Pepper, John Malkovich, Seth Green, Tom Noonan, Vin Diesel, Dennis Hopper
Director: Brian Koppelman and David Levien
Screenplay: Brian Koppelman and David Levien
Review published October 10, 2002

My review for KNOCKAROUND GUYS will probably be one of my shorter ones. It's a complete throwaway film, shelved by the studio for almost three years, that is neither good nor bad and requires no investment on any viewer's part except time spent. In fact, I'm in great haste to write what I can, like Guy Pierce in MEMENTO, as this film is so forgettable I fear all memory of it will be gone before I am finished.

As a young boy, Matty Demeret knew he didn't have what it took to follow in his mob boss father's footsteps. He just didn't have the killer instinct, but he's family. He has to spend much of his time as errand boy to his father because no one wants to hire the son of a notorious criminal. Not able to do anything else, yet not feeling like enough of a man, he asks his father for an important assignment to prove his worth, and commits another loser at the end of his rope to fly a package cross-country. But the delivery is flubbed somewhere in the middle of nowhere (Montana), and Matty and two other guys have to travel to recover what turns out to be a half million dollars taken by someone in that small town.

There really isn't anything to the movie except some "goodfellas" travel to Montana and get into fisticuffs with the local rednecks and sleazy sheriff. The actors are fine, as is the action, but there's no meat to the story and as easy to watch as the film is, one gets the sense it's all filler released to capitalize on the recent success of Vin Diesel, who plays a supporting role. If you like dramas like THE SOPRANOS, it might be worth a peek, but there's not enough here to justify anyone's time and money otherwise.

Qwipster's rating:

©2002 Vince Leo