Knockaround Guys 2001
Directed by Brian Koppelman, David Levien · 92 mins · 2,409 views
Synopsis
Trailers
Reviews (101)
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B
“Gone Country” action movies. I like ’em. Watch for Vin’s “500” monologue. It won’t disappoint.
16 2 -
J
Made during that brief period of time (after SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and before BATTLEFIELD EARTH) when it looked like Barry Pepper might be movie star material, KNOCKAROUND GUYS sat on the shelf for three years before being released, was widely panned by critics, flopped at the box office, and was forgotten almost immediately. Like most people, I had no interest in seeing it. But I went anyway (I saw just about everything back then), and to my surprise really liked it. Everyone I recommended it to liked it, also. Still, the DVD has sat on my shelf unwatched for many years, one of those that I was almost afraid to watch again, fearing that I would wonder “What the hell…
24 1 -
M
For some reason I had a memory of this being a better-than-average Tarantino knockoff. The good news is that I was right, it is one. The bad news is that oh boy that’s quite the low bar.
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O
If a movie has Vin Diesel and Seth Green in it, I’m gonna watch it no matter how shitty it is.
23 -
M
Another film that shows how much of a good actor Vin Diesel is, but most of the roles he is given aren’t that great for him to perform with his best ability. Other fun things about this film, I’ve noticed a poster of Wes Anderson’s “Bottle Rocket”, there is a scene where Seth Green speaks almost like Chris from “Family Guy” and John Malkovich’s accent is really bad.
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📀
Cinematic Time Capsule 2001 Marathon – Film #113 ”500 fights… that’s the number I figured when I was a kid. 500 street fights and you could consider yourself a legitimate tough guy.” Badass Vin Diesel, Barry Pepper, and Seth Green are a group of upstart gangsters trying to prove their worth to John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper. When a money drop goes wrong in the badlands of Montana and it’s time to put up or shut up as these New Yorkers are forced to deal with a small-town community and it’s corrupt Sheriff. This decent, yet seemingly forgotten crime flick was actually shelved for 2 years, because it’s younger starring cast was relatively unknown and I don’t think the studio…
38 1 -
C
A totally solid small-town/fish-out-of-water crime picture about the son of a mob boss (and his trio of friends) who fuck up the transportation of a big bag of money for his father. The bag gets misplaced, picked up by some stoners, then picked up by some corrupt small-town deputies, and then the whole dilemma ends in a pretty bloody and satisfying stand-off. It also includes a pretty great cast and a pretty damn good performance by Vin “500 Fights” Diesel. Knockaround Guys is definitely worth a once over if you’re a fan of the mobster movie genre. One last thing, I think the moral of this here story is: don’t use cocaine while committing a crime. That shit will: A) make you paranoid as hell, and B) make you stick out like a sore thumb with all the fidgeting, sweating and acting sketchy. 🧑🏻🤌🏼👦🏻🤌🏼🧔🏻🤌🏼👨🦲✡️🛫❄️🛬🚬🧑🚬🧑🦱🤏👜💵👮🏼♂️👮🔫
53 2 -
K
They tell you at the start of the movie that a Knockaround Guy is a very low-level mafia guy with really low ambition and success. That’s exactly what Barry Pepper’s character is in this movie and it’s really hard to root for him when his character and his boys make some really stupid decisions. After failing to secure a legitimate job as a Sports Agent cause no firm would hire him because he’s the son of mob boss Benny “Chains” Demerit” (Dennis Hopper). He begs his dad for a job in the crew and once he gets it, he hands off the job to Seth Green to collect. Later on, Matty (Barry Pepper) tries to get the money back from…
15 -
M
dennis hopper mob boss with a new york accent my Loveeeeeeeeeee. i liked his glasses and various jumpers and him eating a sandwich. john malkovich is really fucking cool. everything else is shit and i didnt pay attention
41 -
M
Knockaround Guys felt like the perfect palate cleanser after two emotionally overwhelming period romance joints, a deliberate reset into something leaner and more familiar. It’s one of those films I’d absorbed in fragments over the years, random scenes, cable rewatches, cultural osmosis, so finally sitting down with it in full was oddly satisfying. At a tight ninety minutes, it knows exactly what it’s there to do and never overreaches, delivering a solid, workmanlike 2000s crime story that moves at a good clip. The cast is stacked, and while no one is reinventing the genre here, everyone shows up and understands the assignment, which goes a long way in making the film as enjoyable as it is. There’s an easy confidence…
32 -
C
Rewatch als DVD | SD | Warner Bros. | Aus meiner Filmsammlung Eine Tasche – prall gefüllt mit Geld. Manchmal braucht es einfach nur solcher profanen Mittel, diesen beliebtesten aller McGuffins, um einen sauberen und unterhaltsamen Film ab zu liefern. Wenn dann noch verschiedene Persönlichkeiten dem Geld hinterher jagen, kann im Grunde nichts schief gehen und spannende Unterhaltung stellt sich zumeist ein. Einer der Gründe, warum ich Meisterwerke wie No Country for old Men (2007) oder den deutlich schlichteren Knockaround Guys (2001) so liebe. Die Mafia kann sich Fehler und sentimentale Gefühle nicht leisten. Matty (Barry Pepper – Der Soldat James Ryan,1997) lernt das auf die harte Tour, als einem seiner Gang-Freunde eine Tasche voll mit Mafia-Geld in einem Kaff irgendwo…
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A
2001 Ranked Non-2022 First Time Watches Ranked This movie is a perfect example of the premise being solid but the execution being meh. Like, for a 00’s action movie, the idea of four sons of Mafia dudes trying to crack into the family business should be fun. But this went sort of a different route. Like, the action in this, for what little there actually is, is pretty weak. There is a shootout in one scene and it’s just super bland. As is one of the fight scenes in the movie. So for an action movie, this does not do action well. Also, the writing is pretty bland. Really generic story, full of cliches. But what I did like is…
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G
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Ggotaalight 7 月 27, 2026
Not dark yet needledrop was nice i guess. Overall not that bad. Awkwardly great cast, got that late 90s early 00s vibe and aesthetic. It’s always kinda nostalgic seeing these movies that used to play on Sunday afternoons. If vin diesel were cast as a half jew nowadays, just imagine social media
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B
Super underrated!
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M
Welcome to the tribe Vin Diesel
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D
Haven’t seen this one in at least a decade and while it features some of Vin Diesel’s best acting and some nice dramatic moments from Seth Green it doesn’t hold up as I remember. It feels authentic (Koppleman & Levein grew up in New York with people like this) to what New York mob intricacies are. Their commentary track was very informative. They basically got Dennis Hopper cuz one of their dads played golf with him 😂
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J
Strange film
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L
Underrated film
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B
genuinely such an underrated movie. it genuinely should be more hyped like fight club. its basically another performative teenage boy movie
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R
Great cast and John Malkovich is the best bad guy ever! But its what Dom Toretto always says. It’s all about Family
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N
storia carina ma film noioso
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S
One of my favorites. Great watch. John Malkovich gives a satisfying performance as well.
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F
Knockaround Guys est un film de gangsters très moyen qui donne l’impression de passer à côté de son potentiel. L’idée de suivre les fils de mafieux envoyés récupérer un sac rempli d’argent est intéressante sur papier, mais l’exécution manque de profondeur et de personnalité. Le film ne réussit jamais à créer une véritable tension ni à susciter beaucoup d’émotions. Les personnages sont extrêmement stéréotypés : l’idiot, la brute, le beau gosse et le chef. Aucun n’est suffisamment développé pour devenir…
2 1 -
Z
type of story your uncle tells you
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J
i haven’t logged anything in a while this one was alright funny concept stereotypical mafia movie 4 stars because of the cast
1 -
J
There was a vision and bones for a decent mob-thriller in KG. That being said, any chance at mediocrity was missed with awful casting decisions.
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Y
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R
“500 fights, that’s the number I figured when I was a kid. 500 street fights and you could consider yourself a legitimate tough guy. You need them for experience. To develop leather skin. So I got started. Of course along the way you stop thinking about being tough and all that. It stops being the point. You get past the silliness of it all. But then, after, you realize that’s what you are.” I’ve got to say, I thoroughly enjoyed…
5 -
R
Movie about guys constantly fucking up the job, it’s good to see when Vin Diesel was an actual actor
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K
A Great Ensemble They Don’t Make These Anymore A Good Mob Caper.
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A
Call me a misogynist but I love a mob movie with not a single female character.
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M
ma perché Dominic Toretto è un mafioso?
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S
Familiar but fun mob thriller with a stacked cast, decent needle drops, an entertaining (if predictable) story, and a damn good shootout at the end.
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C
Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Denis Hopper, John Malkovich and Seth Green. Yeah..let’s do this.
1 -
A
Not bad! Especially for a Vin Diesel movie
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D
71/100
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7
500 fights. That’s the number I figured when I was a kid. 500 street fights and you can consider yourself a tough guy. You need it for experience. To develop leather skin. So I got started. Of course along the way you stop thinking about being tough and all that. It stops being the point… Get past the silliness of it all. But then, after you realize that’s what you are. I tell you… You learn a lot of things on the way to 500… None more important than this… 👊 Taylor before getting unleashed
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AAl Berry 5 月 15, 2026
My dad will randomly pull out insane movies like this that I never knew existed. Vin Diesel with a massive star of David shoulder tattoo is an insane visual.
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P
Yeha I know but couldt help it seeing carlo with dino, Malkovich and hooper were great and disel was good too, gotta love Barry Peeper! Movie was fun woukd def rewatch!
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D
Feeds into my theory that Vin Diesel is a legitimately good actor he just gets tough guy roles. Underrated and forgotten movie that I like to put on from time to time.
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JJess_vanhaeften 5 月 12, 2026
Import Blu-Ray/Region A pressing. When a Brooklyn gangster’s son and his pal mess up a money transfer in a small town, things get out of hand and the violence escalates, as their buddies, a corrupt sheriff, and the mob get involved. Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel head a top cast in an offbeat, entertaining movie! Special Features: Interactive Menus/Chapter Search
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A
Dom Toretto origin story
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M
Great cast but the picture never really engages you. Noonan, who I normally love, is miscast as a small town sheriff.
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S
there are few eras i love more than Hot Vin Diesel Era and what a fantastic installation this picture is to that collective I WANT TO GO TO THE BEEF TERMINAL
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J
Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper are all wasted in this wannabe gangster crime thriller. At first, it had my attention but then it lost me and I was bored by its predictability. No wonder I’ve never heard anyone talk about it.
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SSam 4 月 12, 2026
Mark Sinclair could’ve been Eli Roth in Basterds
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M
Phenomenal acting across the board and this cast is stacked from top to bottom. With plot and runtime that’s short sweet and to point. I don’t know how the flew under my radar for so long but what an underrated gem of a mafia flick. Vin Diesel gives an incredible monologue about being a tough with fist fight that’s absolutely one sided. Overall pleasantly surprised by this.
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A
I might be a mark for this kind of movie but this one really worked for me. I just love a “how are they gonna get out of this situation?” movie. This is a great version of that formula. Koppelman and Levien are so deft here at constructing a plot and universe that has you excited and guessing. It actually felt like a perfect double-feature to pair with Fargo. Small-town intrigue and the cast of characters making it up are…
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F
i was confused as to why seth green was cast as a mobster until it was made clear he’s here as the fuckup who drives the plot
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K
Surprisingly entertaining little crime thriller of the sort Hollywood used to crank out by the bushel, this one somewhat elevated by a strangely good cast.
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R
Y a rien de bien original dans ce film de gangster, sauf peut être là remise en question existentielle de ce groupe de jeunes caïd face à leurs aînés. Qui cherche une reconnaissance d’un héritage imposé qui n’est peut-être pas inévitable. Il y a quelques choses de touchant dans ce groupe naïf qui échoue.
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M
Simple mob movie that has early day performances from Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel and latter day performances from Malkovich and Hopper. Honestly there’s nothing wrong with it and if it was made today, I bet it’d be a four season FX original series.
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K
Okay Mob comedy movie. Not really much to laugh at in this one. Has a stacked cast, with Berry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper. Dennis Hopper looked like he was past his prime in this too.
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A
If vin diesels character has the most dramatic range and his portrayal is the most nuanced there’s something very wrong happening
1 -
J
When the Diesel is the one doing the heavy lifting, acting-wise, you might have a problem.
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C
my god..
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D
There’s a lot to like about this film, I ultimately found the pacing to be super weird though. Not really what I was expecting but it’s still an interesting and an enjoyable film nonetheless. The cast is absolutely insane and Barry Pepper gives a good leading performance. The twist at the end got me and the final shootout was crazy. Not a bad movie, I just think it might be a bit forgettable admittedly. The title is badass though
1 -
K
“In the old days, you could just whack a guy and be done with it. Now, everyone’s feelings are involved.”
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A
So we all knew he’d fuck it up, but he did NOT deserve to die. He did NOT deserve to get shot like, what, 6 times. R.I.P. Johnny
1 -
L
ts buns
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L
Tellement mal aimé qu’il était impossible d’avoir des sous-titres, vous connaissez votre go j’ai tema qd même. Que ne ferait pas une cinéphile ( m’appelez jamais comme ça plutôt mourir que d’être ça, #regegorilla’shateaccount) tourmentée par la mort pour s’éviter de penser, je vous le donne en mille. Bah c’était pas si terrible le fond de l’histoire, en mode fils de riche mafieux qui veut se faire un nom est un peu claqué. Mais le plot est très bon, j’dois…
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T
Been over 20 years since I’ve seen this. Wasn’t good than. Wasn’t good now.
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1
Romeo’s Tune in sottofondo ha salvato il film
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T
Esto le pasó a mi amigo Christopher Moltisanti
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V
Well… I think I’ve seen every Vin Diesel movie now.
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G
I have literally run out of old fun sci-fi Vin movies to watch so now I’m stuck watching the cityboyification of him, I hate it here.
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E
Un bon casting, un côté sympa, un film basique des année 2000 mais ça passe bien le temps.
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T
I used to have a huge poster for this movie on my ceiling above my fan. In the middle of some random night, it fell. I’m a night fan person, so when it fell into the fan making this loud thunderous noise, I wet myself. You better believe I wet myself. This is in the dead of the night for crying out loud. Besides that, this wasn’t as good as I remembered! But Vin has a nice monologue about 500 that you should look out for.
1 -
C
6/10 🙂
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A
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R
The ultimate 2.5 star movie
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D
Very cool had Vin Diesel in it!
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A
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E
Don’t know what it is but this movie is such a good time. I will like almost any mafia movie and having Barry Pepper + Vin Diesel just added to that.
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J
Pretty standard crime movie. Worth the watch.
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S
Vin Diesel really has to have a monologue in every movie he’s in, huh?
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B
I’m not sure how this ended up on my watchlist but I’m glad it did. It’s nothing special, but it’s pretty entertaining.
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M
Knockaround Guys felt like the perfect palate cleanser after two emotionally overwhelming period romance joints, a deliberate reset into something leaner and more familiar. It’s one of those films I’d absorbed in fragments over the years, random scenes, cable rewatches, cultural osmosis, so finally sitting down with it in full was oddly satisfying. At a tight ninety minutes, it knows exactly what it’s there to do and never overreaches, delivering a solid, workmanlike 2000s crime story that moves at a…
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P
Not a bad movie but also kind of ridiculous. Vin diesel is goated though. The ending seemed very abrupt based on what happened not even like 5 min before
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S
Good performances and solid cast chemistry, even if the plot is basic and packed with cliché gangster tropes — in the end, it does its job.
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M
film carino che volevo vedere da molto.
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W
I had memories of this being pretty good when I watched it in high school. Doesn’t hold up as well, John Malkovich seems out of place as the mobster uncle. I remember thinking Barry Pepper was going to be a bigger actor as time went on.
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E
J’ai pas compris
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C
Un polar à l’ancienne avec casting High level . Cela fait tjrs plaisir de revoir de film noir américain comme on en fait plus dommage . Une pépite à voir absolument
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S
Incredible
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G
young vin diesel in a white tank top: wow what an exceptional film, a hidden gem, high art literally everything else: this is boring trash
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😶
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R
I like this movie quite a bit. It’s the reason ive been watching vin diesel movies religiously for years. His character is pretty great but all 4 of the mains are great. All around fun mobster movie.
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C
A solid, watchable film – nothing groundbreaking, but it gets the job done. Vin Diesel and Barry Pepper carry most of the weight here, and they do it well. There’s a good dose of attitude and a few badass moments, but overall, it’s just a decent crime flick that doesn’t leave a huge impression. Entertaining enough while it lasts.
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M
✈️
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A
This is a true masterpiece. Dennis Hopper’s finest work. This movie has it ALL.
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J
Shoutout Waingro
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U
LOVE THEM
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G
Película normalita de mafiosos pueblerinos de poca monta con un giro de guion que tampoco quita el sueño precisamente.
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H
No country for young men?
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W
Watched on YouTube Premium
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E
si poteva evitare? sì.
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T
Not much to say about this one, it was ok.
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E
Fun and underrated that people should talk more about.
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M
This is a movie my dad and I loved watching. Not sure why because it’s just okay. Not a great gangster movie and also not a great character-led movie like it tries to be.
- Synopsis
- Four sons of well-known New York mobsters must retrieve a bag of cash from a small Montana town ruled by a corrupt sheriff.
- Director
- Brian Koppelman, David Levien
- Writer
- David Levien, Brian Koppelman
- Studio
- Lawrence Bender Productions
- Country
- USA
- Language
- English
- Year
- 2001
- Runtime
- 92 mins
- Germany08 Sep 2001
- Italy30 Nov 2001
- Spain19 Apr 2002
- Portugal21 Jun 2002
- USA11 Oct 2002
- Iceland13 Dec 2002
- France22 Jan 2003
- Mexico24 Jan 2003
- Australia13 Mar 2003
- UK26 May 2003
- Netherlands27 May 2003
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