Gettin' Square

Released: October 9 2003
Cast: David Wenham, Sam Worthington, Freya Stafford, Gary Sweet, David Field & Timothy Spall
Director: Jonathon Teplitzky
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rated: M
Running Time: 100 Minutes


Sunny place, shady people

Synopsis:
"Wattsy" Wirth (Sam Worthington - Dirty Deeds) is fresh out of prison and determined to go straight. But like his ex cell-mate, Johnny "Spit" Spitieri (David Wenham - Lord Of The Rings), and reformed gangster Darren " Dabba" Barrington (Timothy Spall - Secrets and Lies), he discovers that getting on the straight and narrow is a lot harder than he thought. On the outside there are old scores and enemies, as well as a few new ones like the newly formed Crimes Investigation Commission. With the CIC breathing down their necks and pressure from underworld boss Chicka Martin (Gary Sweet - Alexandra's Project) and corrupt cop Arnie DeViers (David Field - Chopper), it will take Wattsy, Spit and Dabba all their street smarts and rat cunning to stay one step ahead and become square-heads.


My Verdict:
Sam Worthington plays Wattsy, who desperately wants to go straight after being released from prison on parole to look after his younger brother after their mother dies. He denies the charge of manslaughter that put him in gaol, and maintains that it was a trumped up charge of crooked cop Arnie DeViers (David Field in fine form). Sam has given Wattsy an aloof character that has payback written all over him. He is biding his time, just waiting for the right moment to get even.

However, the movie really belongs to David Wenham's performance as Johnny "Spit" Spitieri. David has perfected the role of a loser junkie that just can't seem to keep himself out of trouble. He plays Johnny as a few cans short of a six-pack yet you can't help but wonder if there really is some sense in him. David's courtroom scene where Johnny gets his wires crossed is worth the ticket price of admission alone. It is simply brilliant and so very, very funny.

Timothy Spall has a great role as Dabba who has retired from his life of crime and spends much of his time deluding himself that he is on a new health regime that will give him a different life. He has some excellent lines in the movie - very dry wit indeed. The rest of the cast are adequate, providing a few familiar faces to Australian audiences, although perhaps underused in some cases.

Gettin' Square is not your average cops and robbers movie. Fortunately, this Australian production has enough class to eventually rise above some of the mediocre movies of late that Australia has been churning out.


- Christina Bruce