Knockaround Guys (2002)

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The Knockaround Guys a crime dramas that try to hit that Goodfellas feel but miss completely. Now saying that it is not bad at all it is entertaining and a fun film to watch. This will add elements of comedy in there some cool action by Vin Diesel of course but the storyline is what it fails at it is just such a lame ass ending that you just think wow they really had no clue where they were going with this.The story is about these four wannabe mobsters when I say wannabe they are in the business but the guys higher up see them as lackeys and use them to do small tasks. Yet each of them want to be higher in the business and seen a equals to the bosses. The four guys are Matty Demaret (Barry Pepper)who is the main mob bosses son and wants to prove himself. Chris Scarpa (Andy Davoli) who is some playboy who just wants more then to run a restaurant, and you got Johnny Marbles (Seth Green) is a recovering addict and just wants to prove he is not a screwup last the big guy Taylor Reese (Vin Diesel) who is actually done with "the life" and can't get out.So the pilot Johnny is to transport a bag of money from point a to b simple but he screws up and loses it which means he will probably die. So he calls his friends the other 3 guys to help him track down the cash. At this point the movie is good seeing these guys being small in the big city go to this small town and be the baddest mothers out there. John Malkovich plays the role of Barry's uncle and he just is not a good mobster he isn't threatening and doesn't seem like his plans are even thought out. The biggest flaw is the ending because with out spoiling anything there is a Mexican stand off that just is a waste of time most because there is no tension and you know exactly what will happen.The writing isn't bad it was written by the same guy who wrote Oceans 13. Acting everyone but John Malkovich was good that is not his fault it was just how his character was.Overall this film is a low rental close to just saying see it on cable but if you rent it you would have some fun. This movie just doesn't compare to the Scorsese mob films. Low Rental

The main lesson out of "Knockaround Guys" is this: if you want to be a criminal or a mobster, you better be a mean and evil son of a mother. Be like Joe Pesci's characters, but a little bit wiser. This film features the sons of New York mobsters who which to emulate their criminal fathers and get a piece of action. Problem is that these young men have been raised in a more privileged upper class manner and lack the brutal attitude found in the older. Matty Demaret (Barry Pepper) wants to be taken seriously by his father Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper) and associate (John Malkovich). Matty send his friend Marbles (Seth Green) to pick up $500.000 in Seattle and fly back in his private plane. Trouble starts once Marbles stop to refuel in a small town in Montana and loses a bag with the money. The ensemble cast is good and solid. While it isn't your average gangster flick, "Knockaround Guys" is good, if albeit under rated. Don't miss the scene where Vin Diesel gives a beat-down to a local tough guy in a bar.

It's easy to understand the attraction the mafia does on modern filmmakers' imagination.The representation of that kind of life represents how society hates that.Since the movies were young that kind of life has been portrayed at both sights,like villains or the anti-heroes.But a lot of movies about that make a glamorization of that sad sight of the human existence.So,it's very weird to see the cruelty and consequences of that activity with honesty and on a realistic mode.Knockround guys has a glamorization about that kind of life but it shows honesty,realism and a face very little seen about that kind of life.When Hollywood's big studios try to tell a story like the one which has Knockround guys,it's common to see how the story finishes on a second sight to take importance the famous actors or director that are the opposite the story requires.We have seen that on films like Casino,which are multimillionaire inversions,but they feel very shallow because of Hollywood's intervention.The best movies of that genre are the independent ones.So,Knockround guys is next to other great films of that genre like The yards,The usual suspects or Reservoir dogs,which their low budgets are better used to tell that kind of stories than the multimillionaire inversions the big studios do.Knockround guys is a great movie,totally fun.Barry Pepper is great on his role and he gives humanity to his character.Seth Green is an awesome actor and he does a superb performance here.Vin Diesel makes a great and very controlled performance and I think this is his best performance.Dennis Hopper and John Malkovich are unforgettable.Hopper has an excellent performance and he brings the movie's best dialogs.Malkovich makes his character very realistic.Knockround guys is a great and very fun film.I had a great time watching it.

The story is pretty simple. The son of a wiseguy trusted his friend to bring like 500.000 $ back from somewhere. But his friend, who was flying the plane got a little high on coke and got a little paranoid, so he placed the bag with the money somewhere while he had his plane refueled. Sadly the bag got on another plane by mistake and well.. He and his friends go to the Town the plane went to. I mean it has interesting characters played by great actors like Dennis Hopper, John Malkovich, Vin Diesel and finally Seth Green. The movie consists of a lot of profanity, a bit of drug use, a little bit of violence. (something for everyone).. Well and it's just light entertainment. You can't expect too much of this movie. The main problem is that the movie itself isn't sure what it wants to be. I mean, is it a comedy or a thriller or what? My final thought: Even though it's produced by Lawrence Bender (Tarantinos Producer), it is NOT a movie that inherits the qualities of most of his other producing ventures. But it is still watchable and a nice avocation so lets say 6/10