The Hard Word

Starring Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Robert Taylor, Joel Edgerton, Damien Richardson and Dorian Nikona. Rated MA.

I love Aussie movies. Regardless of budget size or star status, good old Aussie humour, inventiveness and quirkiness shine through to make even the roughest diamond sparkle.

The Hard Word is no exception.

Three brothers Tweetyman spend their time either in jail or robbing banks. The jail time is simply an occupational hazard and is never long lasting, especially with a few bent cops and a crooked lawyer, Frank (Taylor) on your side.

In fact, it's a team effort in all aspects of the job.

The cops gather the inside running on the heist, the boys pull it off and Frank minimises their time in the big house.

At least he would if he wasn't banging Carol Tweetyman (Griffiths), Dale Tweetyman's (Pearce) missus.

But, the working relationship of the tight-knit gang is a nicely symbiotic relationship all round until the lawyer gets a little too greedy.

Cutting the cops out of the picture for one last big score before splitting for some exotic overseas sanctuary, Frank again springs the boys out of the pen, to take on the Melbourne Cup of all Aussie robberies - the Melbourne Cup.

But on a job of this size, and without the two cops on the team, extra help must be hired.

And here in lies trouble. Hiring a bit of muscle to take care of the boys once the job is done - because the Tweetyman brothers won't be needed after this big, final score - Frank takes on more trouble than anyone bargained for when he engages Tarzan (Nikona).

All goes well until about a poofteenth into the job when the hired help looses the plot and messes up the boy's thus-far unbloodied on-the-job record.

Guy Pierce is excellent as Dale, the obviously-smarter natural leader of the brotherhood of bandits.

Mal (Richardson) is the not-so-bright meatarologist of the gang while Shane (Edgerton) provides the quick-tempered muscle.

The three work brilliantly together, not just as bank robbers, but in carrying the film's humour.

And, yes, it is basically a comedy, albeit a rather dark one, especially towards the end when things start to go sour.

It also has some very comic romance.

Shane puts the hard word on his psychiatrist, drawing her into the forbidden world of doctor/patient relations in a very moving, male-fantasy-fulfilling scene.

Mal, too, falls in love, snaring his new mate with the very usable (all boys take note) one-liner - "You smell better than Christmas dinner" (my good mate Toyboy (name changed to avoid embarrassment) learned a thing or two to add to his smooth repertoire - proving the old adage there's education in entertainment! I eagerly await his report).

Rachel Griffiths is great as the gangsters moll (you'll never look at a smiley face in the same way again!).

Caught between her love for Dale or the glamour, money and stability that Frank can offer, she walks a dangerous and deadly tightrope that can only lead to a bloody end, given the company she keeps.

The Hard Word is an excellent Aussie flick, full of excellent Aussie humour, more than a few surprises and with a real twist in the tail.

It was a little on the slow side at times, but this never became a drag.

Well worth seeing, especially if you liked Two Hands, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.