Two Hands (1999 film)

Two Hands is a 1999 Australian crime comedy film written and directed by Gregor Jordan.^[3] The film stars Heath Ledger as Jimmy, a young man in debt to Pando, a local gangster played by Bryan Brown, and also stars Rose Byrne, David Field, and Susie Porter. It won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film in 1999. It was screened at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, but did not receive a theatrical release in the United States, where it was instead released straight-to-DVD by Miramax Films on 6 December 2005.

Two Hands
Australian DVD cover
Directed by	Gregor Jordan
Written by	Gregor Jordan
Produced by	Marian Macgowan
Starring	Heath Ledger Bryan Brown Rose Byrne David Field
Cinematography	Malcolm McCulloch
Edited by	Lee Smith
Music by	Cezary Skubiszewski
Production companies	CML Meridian Films
Distributed by	REP Distribution
Release date	29 July 1999 (1999-07-29)
Running time	93 minutes[1]
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	$4.4 million[2]
Box office	$5.5 million[2]

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999 the soundtrack was nominated for Best Original Soundtrack Album.^[4]

Plot

Jimmy is a nineteen-year-old who lives in a run down block of units in the inner suburbs of Sydney. He earns money by working as a barker outside a strip club in Kings Cross with his friend Les, and by partaking in underground boxing matches. However, he aspires to follow in the footsteps of his deceased older brother, Michael, in joining the ranks of the local criminal element led by the charismatic, yet ruthless and feared mob boss, Pando.

While working one night outside the club with Les, Jimmy is approached by Pando who says he has work for him which Jimmy enthusiastically accepts. The same night he is introduced to Alex, the sister of another friend, Rocket. Alex is visiting Sydney from the country, and forms an immediate connection with Jimmy.

The next day, Pando gives Jimmy $10,000 to deliver to a woman in Bondi, but when she appears not to be home, he decides to wait at nearby Bondi Beach. In the sweltering heat, he becomes tempted by the water and goes for a swim.

Jimmy buries the envelope containing the money in the sand, however he is unaware that he has been scoped out by two street kids who steal the cash while he is swimming, leaving him heavily indebted to the furious Pando and his gang. The street kids, Pete and Helen, go on a spending spree with their newfound wealth.

The car Jimmy was using on the job — a Ford Falcon belonging to Pando's associate Acko — is stolen by a young man and taken to a mechanic with the intention of selling it. The mechanic happens to be a friend of Acko's, who, displeased at the news of his car being stolen, suspects Jimmy's involvement.

Acko arrives to recover the car but on the way there his car hits and kills street kid Pete. Helen watches in disbelief as he simply picks the dead boy's body off the street and dumps it in the gutter, concerned more about the damage to his car. Acko drives off leaving Helen alone, crying by her dead friend.

Jimmy contacts his friend Deirdre for help. Despite her appearances as a suburban housewife, Deidre is also a part of the criminal underworld, arranging a variety of 'jobs' around Sydney, and is implied to have previously been in a relationship with Jimmy's brother. Jimmy seeks to pay off his debt by asking to join one of Deidre's upcoming jobs, to which Deidre reluctantly agrees. She sets up Jimmy for a bank robbery the next day in Bankstown along with two others; leader Wozza and getaway driver Craig.

Meanwhile Alex, staying at Rocket's unit, is visited by Les and subjected to his clumsy attempts at asking her out on a date despite her obvious lack of interest. His advances are interrupted by a phone call to Alex from Jimmy, and the two make plans to meet at a pub near Chinatown. The meeting's arrangements are overheard by Les who is jealous of Alex's attraction to Jimmy and also keen to get in with Pando's gang.

After Les informs the gang of the couple's whereabouts, Jimmy is forced to flee the pub with Alex, attempting to escape on the Sydney Monorail, however the escape proves unsuccessful and in front of a terrified Alex, Jimmy is beaten and stuffed into a car to be taken to a remote location where Pando and his gang plan to kill him. To Jimmy's horror, he learns Pando and his gang were responsible for the death of his brother Michael, as Acko casually mentions to Pando that they are in almost exactly the same spot where they killed and buried him years earlier. Through the indirect intervention of Michael (who acts as a guardian angel throughout the film), Jimmy is able to escape and make his way back home to prepare for the bank robbery.

The robbery is not without its problems. When returning with the cash bags, Wozza attempts to jump over the bank counter, but fails and lands unconscious on the bank floor. He is dragged by Jimmy and Craig into the car, and comes round just as police arrive to begin shooting and returns fire. Craig is killed by the police but the robbery is otherwise successful.

Jimmy gets the money he needs, escaping in a stolen Toyota Celica with his remaining accomplice. The stolen car’s radio station bumper sticker is spotted by that station's competition team, who give chase attempting to award Jimmy a $10,000 prize. Not wanting to be identified after the robbery, Jimmy rams them off the road.

Jimmy returns to Pando's office to pay off his debt, but thinking he has a gun the gang once again attempt to kill him. He is able to give them the $10,000 he owes, and impressed by his resolve, is offered more work by Pando as a result. Jimmy refuses and leaves in disgust after pulling a gun on Pando, no longer drawn to him or the criminal lifestyle. As Jimmy leaves, Helen the street kid passes Jimmy, and in retaliation for the death of her friend Pete she shoots Pando, Acko and the rest of the gang dead, before once again claiming the $10,000 for herself. Jimmy and Alex buy tickets at an airport to 'The North Coast' away from the pressures of life in Sydney.

Cast

• Heath Ledger as Jimmy
• Bryan Brown as Pando
• David Field as Acko
• Tom Long as Wally
• Steve Vidler as The Man: Jimmy's deceased brother Michael
• Dale Kalnins as Kiwi Bob
• Kiri Paramore as Les
• William Drury as Jesus Freak
• Mathew Wilkinson as Rocket
• Rose Byrne as Alex
• Mariel McClorey as Helen (Short Haired Girl)
• Evan Sheaves as Pete
• Ignatius Jones as Airline Worker
• Susie Porter as Deirdre
• Steve Le Marquand as Wozza
• Kieran Darcy-Smith as Craig
• Jerome Ehlers as Busker

Alternate Versions

Two main cuts of the film exist; both are on file at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

The original cut of the film ran for 103 minutes (99 min. PAL), however, after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1999, the director made a number of trims and cuts, particularly to scenes involving Jimmy's dead brother. Subsequently, the commonly available version of the film runs for 93 minutes (89 min. PAL) and is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Director's Cut", despite being the version ultimately released theatrically in Australia and on home video overseas. Some German releases were also further cut for censorship reasons.^[5][6]

Nevertheless, the original cut of the film does occasionally surface on TV, and UK & Scandinavian VHS and DVD releases are also the longer cut.^[7][8]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack featured the Powderfinger single "These Days," the video for which was compiled with footage from Two Hands. Other songs were mostly contributed by Australian artists. Cezary Skubiszewski also contributed original music to the soundtrack

Track listing

1. "These Days" by Powderfinger
2. "Lucky Star" by Alex Lloyd
3. "Walking Kings X" by Cezary Skubiszewski
4. "What Does it Matter" by Primary
5. "Stadium" by Skunkhour
6. "Dark State of Mind" by Tuatara
7. "Belter" by Powderfinger
8. "Staircase" by Cezary Skubiszewski
9. "Down in Splendour" by Straitjacket Fits
10. "Heavenly Sublime" by Tracky Dax
11. "Fletcher's House" by Cezary Skubiszewski
12. "Two Hands" by Kate Ceberano
13. "Love Theme" by Cezary Skubiszewski
14. "This Guy's in Love" by The Reels
15. "Kare Kare" by Crowded House

Reception

The film garnered mostly positive reviews from critics, with a 71% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Joel Meares, from FilmCritic.Com, praised director Gregor Jordan, saying, "Jordan, here in his firecracker of a debut, has created a fast moving, and ultimately genuinely moving film." Scott Weinburg, of DVDTalk.Com, stated, "Boasts Jordan's slick and efficient film making, two excellent performances by Ledger and Brown, and that always-welcome air of offbeat Aussie attitude." On its release in July 1999, many critics were calling it the "Australian Goodfellas." Pete Cascaldi, from ABC.net, claimed, "Two Hands is a beautifully written and executed, fast and sexy street-wise romp through inner city villainy. Sporting the perfect cast, it's the story of innocence and the 'hardway' colliding with a mix of brutality, gentility and just a little mysticism" and praising the director, "Jordan delivers in Two Hands a tale that will more than tickle your fancy and touch your heart."

Awards and nominations

AFI Awards:

• Won: Best Film
• Won: Best Director (Gregor Jordan)
• Won: Best Supporting Actor (Bryan Brown)
• Won: Best Original Screenplay (Gregor Jordan)
• Won: Best Film Editing (Lee Smith)
• Nominated: Best Achievement in Costume Design
• Nominated: Best Achievement in Sound
• Nominated: Best Original Music Score
• Nominated: Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
• Nominated: Best Supporting Actress (Susie Porter)

Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards

• Won: Best Film
• Won: Best Supporting Actress (Susie Porter)
• Won: Best Supporting Actor (Bryan Brown)
• Nominated: Best Actor – Male (Heath Ledger)
• Nominated: Best Cinematography
• Nominated: Best Director (Gregor Jordan)
• Nominated: Best Music Score
• Nominated: Best Screenplay (Gregor Jordan)

Stockholm Film Festival

• Nominated: Bronze Horse (Gregor Jordan)

Queensland Premier's Literary Awards

• Won: Film Script – the Pacific Film and Television Commission Award (Gregor Jordan)

Box office

Two Hands grossed $5,478,485 at the box office in Australia in 1999.^[9]

See also

• Cinema of Australia