When Barry Wirth (Sam Worthington) is released from prison on compassionate grounds, he vows to "get square" meaning that he will keep on the straight and narrow and make an honest man of himself. With skills acquired in jail he becomes a cook at a Surfers Paradise restaurant owned by reformed jailbird-turned-restaurateur- turned weight watcher obsessive Darren Barrington (Timothy Spall). Everything goes well until Darren's crooked accountant Warren Halliwell (Steven Tandy) falls under scrutiny by the Crimes Investigation Commission, and Wirth learns that staying honest is a full-time job. Directed by Johnathan Teplitzky this is agreat little crime caper film Reminiscent of the UK's Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The screenplay is by celebrity lawyer Chris Nyst, who's experience with the Queensland judicial system is used to great advantage .
It's got a great cast. David Wenham is excellent as haplesss ex con turned junkie Johnny Spiteri. His scene giving evidence in court is laugh out loud funny. Also with Gary Sweet as underworld kingpin Chicka Martin, David Field as crooked cop Arnie De Viers and Freya Stafford as Barry's parole officer Annie Flynn. Watch for some fleeting appearances from Carol Burns, Gretel Killeen and Ugly Dave Gray.
