Did you people see the same film I saw?

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Yes, it has low budget. Yes it has mostly no starry names. But (Knockaround Guys) pulled off being a solid and catchy crime movie. I loved how it won many positive points..The script managed to discuss the corruption in the human, whereas some are born with, and live by, it (the boss). Others have it, yet wait till having the chance to declare it (the sheriff). And few have it, yet choose not to go with it (the lead at last). So, it's in every one of us, however it depends on the desire to exploit it, or what's known as the moral choice.For more than that, it explored (Barry Pepper)'s character, the relationship between him and (Vin Diesel)'s character, and embodied their characters as organized mind and big muscle, respectively, in front of the other 2 friends whom embodied, both, whimsical, if not coward, heart.The pace is tight, and the scenes are deeply thrilling, without using any flashy style or expensive backgrounds. Some moments reached perfection; like the speech of (Diesel)'s character before hitting some bully; I nominate it as the movie's best effort.The performance hit the mark, with always low tone. For instance, look at (Tom Noonan) as the evil sheriff. He was nasty and menacing while not needing any kind of cheap tricks or theatrical acting. (John Malkovich) did right, but also did it for the money. I know the guy from some interviews, and know that he hates doing any role that doesn't have something different (such as this one !). All the cast, including (Seth Green) and else, was good. However, (Vin Diesel) was there. He simply stole the lights, not due to his truthful performance only, but mainly due to being the most charismatic among the cast. True (Barry Pepper) was so fine, giving a top performance as little (Matty), but being charismatic was the only test he lost in front of (Diesel). However, what I consider the movie's real problem was in the script. At the end, the lead, (Matty), already passed the way from the child who can't shoot a friend for betraying his father, to the man who shot his own uncle for betraying his father. Though, he eventually chose not to be a part of the gang of that father, or any gang for that matter. This is the movie's moral about having "corruption", and choosing another way than it, a more legit one. The thing to complain about though is that the script presents (Matty) as someone who refuses the way of crime since the very start, which weakened the conflict and made his final choice kind of obvious. Sure surrendering to the life of the Knockaround Guys, then developing a conscience that pushes to get out of it, would have made stronger conflict and more unpredictable ending. It's sad that (Knockaround Guys) was kept on the shelf for 3 years after finishing it, maybe for not having big budget, big names, or big nudity ! But I loved it. It has some reasons to be memorable. The last one of them is representing the appropriate transformation which (Michael Corleone) didn't have in (The Godfather), since I've always believed that his transformation to crime wasn't that convincing. Here, the lead of (Knockaround Guys) has a more convincing journey which logically pushed him to pull the trigger at its end, despite that he, unlike (Corleone), didn't choose walking the way of crime to the end.

"Knockaround Guys" meanders around the main plot of Matty Demaret (Barry Pepper) who is the offspring of a top notch crime boss Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper). Benny feels that his son just doesn't have the fortitude to fill in his father's legacy, brought on mostly from his uncle Teddy Deserve (John Malkovich). It's a common trend that mobster offspring's can't handle this line of work, so we should take this situation like a grain of salt, but Matty is still desperate in finding a job. The principal obstacle is not that he lacks credentials, but the main roadblock comes from his very own family who refrain him from finding work in other fields. So after much persuasion, Benny and Teddy finally give in and employ the young man in the field of transporting something and to avoid him from killing anybody.His mission is to transport cash from Spokane back to New York. The cash is if from another mob as some assurance to support Benny as he tries to repair some of the tribulations of his organization. One of Matty's best friends is a dim-witted pilot named Johnny Marbles (Seth Green) and Matty assigns him to fulfill the mission. However, on his way back to New York, Johnny has to stop at an airport for gas and avoid anyone from being suspicious, he foolishly ditches the loot. But when he gets back, the money is nowhere to be seen.Matty sends down his closest allies, Chris Scarpa (Andrew Davoli) and Taylor Reese (Vin Diesel) to join Johnny who has found out that the money is in some small hick town in Montana. Two caricatured skateboarder airline workers have got a hand on the cash and have gone on a bit of a spending spree with the cash. That is until the Sheriff Decker (Tom Noonan) who happens to be the father of one of the workers catches on and finds the hoards of cash and eventually issues a bounty to have Matty and his friends killed so that Decker and his deputy can split the cash for themselves.Matty's gang start using mobster methods in order to win back their cash, though Matty has to report everything back to his father. Fortunately, his uncle comes to the rescue. And the final result is that Matty and Teddy manage to make it in one piece and with the money. The twist in the end turns out that Teddy was the one responsible for stealing Benny's money.Okay so I gather this is a new and refreshing turn on the mobster movie genre in which mobster offspring's go on a mission in trying to get a hard lesson in what it is to be a mobster. But however there are still plenty of flaws that make this movie undesirable to say the least.The main flaw is that why the hell Benny would put his faith in trust in Matty's friend Johnny as he's a scrawny little recovering doper? This guy can't be trusted into doing the simplest tasks let alone transport cash from city to city. And since Benny is one of the most powerful men in New York, why didn't he use his resources and persuasion and find Matty a real job? Is that too hard to ask for? And then there's the whole debacle involving Uncle Teddy and his taking Benny's cash without his consent It seemed out because the twist did not come equipped without a reasonable angle to lead up to it. It was just too sudden. At first I thought Teddy was a decent individual, next thing you know he's stealing his brother's cash with no real motive at all. It was like it was padded on just to turn things around, but if fails. It makes the audience confused. There were other flaws, but I just wanted to pinpoint the main ones.The performances were pretty solid, but nothing really to write home about. John Malkovich was effective as the back-stabbing Uncle Teddy, but I can't see him play another mobster flick ever again. Seth Green was being his usual Seth Green self. The rest of the ensemble manage to hold their own, except when they start to get all philosophical and it was painful to see Vin Diesel be that way too. Stick to action films Big Vin! Granted this movie had its moments, but I really don't give that much high praise for it. The pacing was slow and was heavily flawed and the twists were not very convincing. Unless you like one of the performers in the cast, then I guess you will appreciate it, but if you're not a fan of any of the cast members, I would suggest you avoid this movie as a whole

This films proves the consistency of Murphy's Law. If anything can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible time. Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green and Andy Davoli are all the privileged sons of mob bosses and it shows. They are caught in between their fathers' world and the straight word, and neither world has a place for them it seems. Dennis Hopper and John Malkovich play the boss and underboss to the hilt, two old school "Gumbas" who have a heavy rep and a lot of street cred. When Matty and his "crew" are finally given a chance to prove themselves, Marbles, who swears he is off the nose candy, screws up and forces them to come to his location to bail him out. Seth Green is Marbles, and out of the entire cast, he is the most believable character. I mean, face it, Seth Green has made a living out of being the perpetual screw up, and will likely continue in that role forever. Barry Pepper makes an effort to come off as the crew leader, but he is relying on everyone else to make decisions and call the shots for him. Vinnie comes off as a typical enforcer, a street thug who does have one of the best scenes in the film when he beats the hell out of Brucker, the small town hood who "runs" Wibaux. Andy Davoli has the smoothness of Hugh Hefner when it comes to the ladies, but lacks the mobster mentality. You have to ask yourself what he is doing in the crew. Tom Noonan gives an adequate but two dimensional performance as the Sheriff, and the entire movie comes off like a bad cartoon. Rated R for violence, drug use, and language, this one can stay on the shelf for a long time before anyone rents it, and then its gonna be someone who really likes one of the great actors in the film. Not collectible, and I am sure some of these actors are trying to buy up the copies.

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.