Knockaround Guys Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
How many friends can you trust with your life?
If they don't finish the job, their fathers will finish them
The four sons (Diesel, Green, Pepper, Davoli) of major Brooklyn mobsters have to team up to retrieve a bag of cash in a small Montana town ruled by a corrupt sheriff. Specifically, the story gets started when Matt Demaret (Pepper) goes on a job to deliver the money for his mob father (Hopper) on the advice of his uncle (Malkovich). Things don't go as planned though...
| Barry Pepper | Matty Demaret |
| Andy Davoli | Chris Scarpa |
| Seth Green | Johnny Marbles |
| Vin Diesel | Taylor Reese |
| John Malkovich | Teddy Deserve |
| Arthur J. Nascarella | Billy Clueless |
| Tom Noonan | Sheriff Decker |
| Nicholas Pasco | Freddy the Watch |
| Shawn Doyle | Deputy Ward |
| Kevin Gage | Brucker |
| Dennis Hopper | Benny Chains |
| Andrew Francis | Matty at 13 |
| John Liddle | Heslep the Barkeep |
| Kris Lemche | Decker |
| Dov Tiefenbach | Teeze |
| Brian Koppelman |
5.90 out of 10 (8525 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Great film about the mafia
posted on 09 Jul 2009It'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.
An OK mafia flick--- 6/10
posted on 05 Jul 2009I enjoyed this way more than Road to Perdition. This seemed more real than that piece of crap. But, in no way, shape, or form does this movie come close to Goodfellas, the Godfather, Casino, Scarface, or the King of New York. Barry Pepper has the best performance of them all playing the son, Matty, of crime boss Benny Chains(Dennis Hopper) who is told is not cut out for the mobster life while he cant get any legitimate jobs because of his father's chosen profession. Vin Diesel and Hopper have good performances while John Malckovich has the worst performance i have seen him in. He was superb in Con Air and In the Line of Fire, but his fake accent and unoriginal role didn't seem to do him any good. All in all, a few plot twists and some funny lines make this an enjoyable but overall average modern mafia flick. 6/10
Knockaround Talk
posted on 03 Jul 2009My wife and I rented this movie because the famous actors' names caught our attention. I popped it in the DVD player and the first 30 minutes of the movie was awesome! I even mentioned to my wife, "This is a great movie". However, about 45 minutes to an hour into the movie it became talk, talk, talk, talk, and then more talk. Then at the end, a gun showdown left us wondering what the heck just happened because we were still numb by all the "talk". I recommend this movie if you can tolerate the 45 minutes of nothing but talk. I just thought they could have made the movie a lot more interesting. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
Mafia Jr. Attempts to Muscle In
posted on 17 Jun 2009Mob and gangster movies have long been a part of American cinema. The genre has created stars such as James Cagney, Joe Pesci, and Robert DeNiro to name a few. Sometimes a mob member can even be shown as a sympathetic character that the audience sees as just an average guy doing his job whether he likes it or not. In Knockaround Guys, a new element of the mob variety of films is added that has rarely been seen by audiences: mob's sons."Knockaround Guys¨ stars Barry Pepper (We Were Soldiers) as Mattie Demeret. Mattie, the son New York Underboss Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper), wants to live the straight and narrow life that contrasts his father¡¦s lifestyle. Unable to shake the reputation burdened on him by his old man, Mattie convinces Benny and his uncle Teddy (John Malkovich) to step up in the mob by making a simple pickup in Montana. Enlisting the help of his friends, Mattie is able to make the pickup. But when the package disappears, Mattie and his compatriots will have to decide if they are going to step up in the mob or step back from it."Knockaround Guys marks the directorial debut of screenwriters Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Rounders). The directing duo pens a different type of mobster film. Whereas most criminal movies focus on the main character¡¦s desire and dream of moving up in the gang, Koppelman and Levien concentrate their efforts on the conscience and choices made by the Mafia wannabes. These kids are the kind of people who will never have to work the rest of their lives due to the lifestyle and business their fathers are involved in. Yet they choose to go into this line of work in order to prove to their elders that they are ready and able to handle to business. Most importantly, the junior mafia want to gain the respect and love they felt that their fathers have neglected them. While the script is able show the humanity of gang, it is pretty ordinary in other respects. There are no real memorable speeches or explosions (sans perhaps one monologue by Diesel in a barroom brawl) and it is more of a head case for hoodlums.The superb acting of the cast is almost enough to draw in the audience. Barry Pepper gives Mattie a humanity that is almost unseen in mobster movies. Pepper¡¦s performance as the underboss offspring makes him more of a sympathetic character rather than a cold-blooded killer. Mattie is not out to make a name for himself but to prove his worth to his father. That is the business he has chosen. John Malkovich's supporting role as Uncle Teddy steals the show. A true product of the Mob lifestyle (complete with thick Brooklyn accent), Teddy is the right hand man of Benny Chains. He has seen the Mob change throughout the years and has been able to adjust. In addition, he takes care of the everyday business transactions and irons out the loose ends. Malkovich's performance as both Mattie's mentor and mob cleanup man shows a pretty common element in wiseguy movies. As ruthless as they may be in business, nothing is as important as family. It is this factor that forms the bond between Mattie and his uncle and may drive them apart. Other supporting roles are Vin Diesel as muscleman Taylor Reese, Seth Green as Johnny Marbles, Andrew Davoli as Chris Scarpa, and Dennis Hopper as Benny Chains. While each actor plays a significant role in the film, they are not as central to the story as Mattie and Uncle Teddy are. Hopper's appearance in the film totals about 10 minutes and the rest of Mattie¡¦s crew generally stands by and jumps in at the occasionally fight. Pepper and Malkovich are key players to watch in this movie.For those who are expecting a shoot ¡¥em up, bloody murders, Mafia movie, they will de disappointed. Knockaround Guys takes a different approach in that the characters contemplate on their lives and the occupations they have chosen. Some of them want to be in the business because they cannot do anything else. Others are involved because they have the taste for it. The film is not horrible but it lacks an appeal that audiences have come to expect from gangster movies. The brilliant acting saves the film and makes the movie watchable. But else, you can wait for it on HBO.
Good movie to have in your DVD collection
posted on 18 May 2009If you come into this movie expecting very little, you'll be happily surprised. It's got a few good action scenes, i.e. the Diesel vs. Redneck scene is good. It gives you a somewhat unique perspective of the lesser mob families. For example, the main plot revolves around the fatal loss of $500,000 which to the larger mob families is nothing but to this small family is a fatal blow. Overall, a good flic to have sitting in your DVD collection and to watch with the guys. 7.5/10 BTW, yes I know there are some (i.e. the final scene) Reservior Dogs-like scenes, but after all the main-stream big time mob movies that have been made, there really is very little left in the mob world that hasn't been done yet.
an enjoyable rip-off
posted on 14 May 2009You can feel about two ways when you're watching this movie. Either you make yourself very angry about all the stuff this film steals shameless from other classics in the genre...or you can just sit back and enjoy and don't bother about all the rip-off elements. When I saw it, I was in a 'sit back and enjoy'-mood so my thoughts on this are rather positive. This film is well made and contains all the elements you expect. Like I said, some things are stolen obviously ( the execution GoodFellas-style, the True Romance shoot-out at the end...) but there are at least as much good things to tell about it as well. This film may count on a class A cast. Especially the older generation is great. John Malkovich, even when this guy is acting half as good as he usually does ( like in this movie ) he is still very entertaining. And naturally, Dennis Hopper and Tom Noonan are good as always. There's also a lot of talent in the younger generation: Barry Pepper, Seth Green. And this is even Vin Diesels best film ( besides Saving Private Ryan, but I'm not counting that one) Vin doesn't have too much lines, so that's positive. Overall, this film will be forgotten soon, but it's enjoyable while it lasts
Sure we've seen countless gangster movies about the mob over the years. But what about their kids when they grow up?!
posted on 06 May 2009Sure we've seen countless gangster movies about the mob over the years. But what about their kids when they grow up?! Unaccepted by society because of their infamous families, not respected by the old guys. What a quandry! Actually, I liked the idea and thought if it was a better script it might have had potential as an original idea. Alas, we are given another movie to let Vin Diesel flex his muscles and exude his wannabe toughness. Seth Green thrown in as the bumbling member of the younger posse. And the main character who has tried go the legit route, but poor guy isn't given a chance to be a sports agent. Unfortunately this movie wastes the talent of John Malcovich and Dennis Hopper who do their best to add some legitimacy to this film, but even they can't help this movie. Some of the younger Vin Diesel action fans may find this movie entertaining, but I was so uninterested in the characters or the story it left me unsatisfied.** (Out of 4)
Young man has to decide if he's in or out.
posted on 06 May 2009This is a fairly interesting story of a young man who thinks he wants into his father's business (the mob) but faces difficult decisions along the way.Barry Pepper ("25th Hour") plays Matty, the young man whose father, Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper), is an important figure in a Brooklyn crime family.
John Malcovich plays "Uncle Teddy" - his father's top man. Matty wants to become a sports agent, but everywhere he turns in New York, people are afraid of him because of who his father is. Matty had a chance when he was 13 to prove to Uncle Teddy that he had what it takes to be a gangster, but he wanted no part of the killing of the informant who sent his dad to prison. But now things are difficult and he decides to try and become a working member of his dad's gang.With a push from Uncle Teddy, Matty talks his father into letting him do a job for him - delivering half a million dollars someone in Spokane owes him.
One of Teddy's friends, a real lightweight, flies out and picks up the money, but he manages to lose it at some airport in a small Montana town.
In a panic, Matty flies out with two of his friends, Taylor (Vin Diesel) and Scarpa (another mobster's kid trying to move up in the world).Together with Marbles the pilot, the four scour through this little town trying to find out who has the money, but a problem soon arises - the local sheriff, played by Tom Noonan, has it and he wants to keep it. And he doesn't especially care that it belongs to some Brooklyn crime boss.I don't want to spoil it by revealing the ending, but Matty has to decide at some point who his friends are and does he really want to be like his old man.Well-acted. Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Tom Noonan, and John Malcovich all shine in their roles. The pathos of whether to follow in his father's footsteps isn't as interesting as how the characters try to get the money back, but the film is still pretty good.
The kind of picture to watch on a rainy weekend day
posted on 08 Apr 2009Knockaround Guys never goes to achieve much with it's story, and the characters are not terribly important to care about like in past gangster movies (better ones), but it works since it doesn't go for the big-bad rip off and has the feel of a B gangster movie, a decent one. Here, Pepper, Green, Diesel and Davoli play gangster wannabes (although Diesel is more of the muscle-type character than the gangster) who go after lost money in Montana, and are pitted against a crooked Sherrif. Some good fun along the way, mainly from performances from Hopper as Pepper's father and Malkovich as another key character, just don't expect Sopranos-type entertainment if you pay for admission. B
Great cast
posted on 31 Mar 2009I had been waiting to see this movie for a long time!! I love Barry Pepper and I think Vin Diesel is hot so when I found out that they would be together in a film again I knew I had to see it! Seth Green does a funny performance and Vin and Barry have great chemistry together. They worked together in Saving Private Ryan. if you like mobster movies then you'll like this one. It's even better because it has a comedy edge. I suggest you go see it...everyone in this film works together great. It's like Ocean's 11 because it has a big ensemble cast! This movie has been around for a while but I don't know why it took sooooooooooo long for it to be released! I had to wait over a year!!
Ups and Downs, but it barely breaks even
posted on 15 Mar 2009This is a movie that just barely makes it. There's not a whole lot that really makes this remarkable. In a parallel to the plot, the seasoned vets of the cast (Malcovich and Hopper) show the young guns (Pepper, Diesel, et al.) how it's done. Pepper is watchable as Matty, but lacks the charisma and magnetism to make him a truly great lead; Diesel....take a wild guess-dull, dull, dull, I've seen bassett hounds more interesting to watch; Seth Green is amusing, as always, but hey, there's not a lot to his character; Finally, John and Dennis are truly the most interesting parts of the film. The film doesn't do a whole lot to keep the audience into it, it seems to just go through the motions, right down to the fairly predictable "surprise" ending.
only Pepper and Diesel do well in this horrible pic
posted on 13 Mar 2009This movie is nothing more than a perfect example of how to completely screw up a film with a huge, talented cast. In fact, the only two actors to survive the bad writing, the crappy editing, and the total lack of any sort of vision are Pepper and Diesel; even then, one is constantly and painfully reminded that these two actors are worth more than this film, better than this film, and basically the only thing the film has going for it.Through no fault of their own did the other actors fall by the wayside; at one point this must have been a promising project to attract a cast like this, but somewhere the film had to have derailed in the making for the result to be so hideously a waste of everyone's time.Those interested in seeing any of these actors in action - rent something else they've done. Even staring at an image online will treat you better than this movie. I would recommend this only to the obsessed fan determined to see an actor's entire oeuvre. I not only want my money back and an apology, I would like to see all the actors get their time back as well.
The worst movie of the century.
posted on 13 Mar 2009I can't believe how bad this movie is. The script is laughable. All I can say about the performances is, the post office must have been busy when it was made, because it looks to me like the actors just mailed them in. My guess is, John Malkovich couldn't decide whether to play it like "The Godfather" or "Johnny Dangerously." His performance leans more towards Johnny Dangerously. Seth Green is the best of the lot. I was going to put in some info about the unoriginal, uninteresting, ending, but I won't. If you go see this movie, rest assured, the ending dones eventually arrive.
The out-of-towners
posted on 11 Mar 2009Four wannabe gangsters (with fathers who really are gangsters) try to recover some lost money in order to earn some respect. However, their big-city-mob-guy tactics does not impress on the townsfolk in the hillbilly community where the money is lost.Knockaround Guys feels like an attempt to slightly renew a well used formula by making their leads into young amateur mobsters, something that also allows for some audience drawing casting possibilities. Hence, we have Barry Pepper as our main star; a bit conflicted as to what to do with his life, Vin Diesel as his tough guy best friend; Seth Green as the miscast badly-hair dyed screw up; and a fourth guy whose name I can't remember. Throw in veterans like Hopper, Malkovich, and Noonan, and you have a pretty interesting mix.Unfortunately, the script is pretty weak. It jumps back and forth between genres (though, thankfully without a bunch of shooting and explosions) in a way that didn't really work for me. Some of the dialogue feels awfully forced and unnatural and the plot leads down to a conclusion that's been done many times before. It's not a complete waste of time, but some more work on the script and a touch of re-casting could have made it a lot better. [4/10]
Can we decide please?
posted on 03 Feb 2009I would like to know the story for this movie, through production and post-production. i remember seeing the preview for this movie the first time about the same time as Moulin Rouge. Unfortunately, i think something got lost along the way. Now, don't get me wrong, i enjoyed the movie quite a bit. However, they really needed to decide what type of movie they were making and go with it. as it is, there was almost no focus, and it was almost a waste of all that talent. It was, however, much worth it to see Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, John Malcovich, Seth Green, and Dennis Hopper all in the same movie, all in fine form. Seth Green was a highlight, and the dynamic between Barry Pepper (underrated) and Vin is magic. Three beers and it would be very watchable.
Trouble in the edit room
posted on 30 Jan 2009The premise isn't bad, the acting is at least average, but the editing is really
substandard. It feels like one of these cases where the movie ran out of money
before filming was completed, and they decided to put it together anyway. Astitch here, a nip there, and a bit of an unfocused mess as a result.
Typical hood movie looking for boxoffice probably because of Diesel's and possibly THE SOPRANO'S current popularity.
posted on 24 Jan 2009Nothing special here, but a watchable gangster feature that works well enough thanks to a well-chosen cast. The highlight of the picture is co-star Diesel's hardass battering of a redneck tough guy. I'll say this, Vin is one of the few current action stars that has the presence to sell toughness on screen, particularly in an era where short, lightweight, pasty leading men seem to be in vogue. Worth checking out.
Decent action fare
posted on 01 Dec 2008This is what I call a standard "guy flick," and it works. Every once in a while, I do enjoy movies where the male characters beat each other at the drop of a hat and use the f-word like punctuation. Now, I'm sure the majority of the reviews (though I haven't read them yet) are horrible, because there's always an added stigma to films that end up sitting on the shelf years after production has wrapped. The plot of "Knockaround Guys" is far from original, yet I wasn't bored. For one thing, the central characters are worth rooting for. Barry Pepper is a good, underrated actor and I liked his role in this movie. As for John Malkovich, he's always fun to watch, even in a role like this where he was severely miscast. As much as it hurts me to badmouth a performance by Malkovich, I barely found him convincing as a tough-as-nails gangster. First off, he puts on a ridiculous accent. I'm guessing he was trying to do some sort of Brooklyn accent, but comes off sounding like an old Jewish lady. Yet I still liked him in this movie--that's how much screen power Malkovich has. Dennis Hopper is another actor who's always reliable, and he does a great job in this movie. Seth Green obviously doesn't have much range as an actor (as of yet), but he does a good job at playing...well...Seth Green. As for Vin Diesel, I still don't believe he has any talent as an actor, but since he doesn't play a huge role, I can't say I minded much. This isn't a movie I can rave on and on about, but it makes worthy entertainment--in my eyes at least. My score: 7 (out of 10)
Pretty good movie
posted on 11 Nov 2008From the perspective of a 23 year old, this movie is pretty good. Very exciting. I have seen GoodFellas and I think this one is better even though it's quite the copy.This movie is about these untouchable mafia guys that are trying to get something back which every time they get close to it it gets worse and you think they will never get it.I need a minimum of 10 lines for my comment, thats odd. Line 10 here it is. Hm, blank lines don't count. Line 10 again. Wow, this is really frustrating, wen't through all the trouble of creating an account and now this crap.
much better than i thought
posted on 30 Aug 2009Knockaround Guys was a lot better than i thought it would be. For one, it had a story. Second, decent acting coming from Pepper, Diesel, Green, Malkovich, and Hopper. The accents were a little strange, but worked with the background fro the characters. Good movie. 8 out of 10.