Who doesn't enjoy a good "heist-gone-bad" flick? That's why there are so many of them. The Hard Word represents Australia's take on this genre -- with a bit of The Three Stooges thrown in for good measure. It's about the Twentymen gang, robbers who don't have to worry about shooting straight -- the guns they carry aren't loaded. "No one gets hurt," is their guiding principle.

Dale (Guy Pearce), the leader of the gang, can't help worrying about how much they should trust Frank (Robert Taylor), their slick, well-dressed lawyer. He's the one who sets up the gang's action, then manages to bail the guys out so they can pull off more of his gigs. And he just might be having an affair with Dale's sexy wife (Rachel Griffiths). Shane (Joel Edgerton) works out compulsively and wants to be called "Muscles." Mal (Damien Richardson) knows his stuff when it comes to being a butcher, but he's a real klutz as a robber.

When Frank involves the Twentymen in a job involving a daring heist from big-time race-track bookies, everything goes wrong. People get killed in a bloody shoot-out; the gang goes on the run; betrayals are discovered. Can the Twentymen still live happily ever after? Not if Frank has his way.

Although quirky enough to hold my interest throughout, The Hard Word disturbed me during its light-hearted treatment of cannibalism. (Watch out for those sausages!) I also thought Pearce's changed appearance seemed unnecessary. Like Nicole Kidman in The Hours, Pearce sports a prosthethic nose that completely altered his looks. Come to think of it, this actor frequently displays his chameleonic ability. When I interviewed him concerning L.A. Confidential, Pearce looked nothing like the uptight detective he played in that movie. His spiked hair and leather jacket gave off rock star, not movie star, vibes. And in The Count of Monte Cristo, Pearce morphed into a physically dissipated villain. Obviously, this superb actor needs no prosthetic devices to undergo dramatic changes.

On the other hand, Griffiths (The Rookie) is also almost unrecognizable in The Hard Word, and that didn't bother me. This time out, she's a sensual blonde "femme fatale" with a few surprises for everyone. And she's terrific, as usual. Her smoldering eye-contact, suggestive costumes, and torchy vocal inflections create a character whose roots lie in those wonderful old film noirs like Double Indemnity. 

Although not as well-made as similar heist movies like The Score, The Hard Word features enough originality and excellent performances to merit a look-see, especially from  fans of this particular genre.        
       
(Released by Lions Gate Films and rated "R" for strong violence, language, sexuality and brief language.)