This film captures sensibilities of a by-gone era in Australia. Thankfully David Atkins and the film's makers understood that crims like Squizzy knew how temporary and relatively small-time they were. Atkins' portrayal is spot on because he has Squizzy revel in his unexpected "fame" and success as only a boy from the gutter can due to his underlying fatalism - "When you live, live in clover; cause when you're dead, you're dead all over." Atkins' Squizzy knows the score, lives for the moment and smirks at the ridiculousness of a world that has temporarily turned in his favour.
The film is infinitely better than the Underbelly T.V.series "depiction" of Squizzy because it didn't glamorize him or use language or attribute motivations to him that were just not representative of Australians of the 1920-30's. I hate films that pander to modern day sensibilities because the makers think that it will sell the film to an audience - eg. "Titanic".
Jackie Weaver, as always, jumps off the screen at you. Again, it was the world that turned to meet her rather than Jackie changing or improving anything she was doing. She was always a star. Think of how Geoffrey Rush would probably still be doing bits and pieces of stage work in Australia without "Shine". Jackie, like Squizzy, must be smiling at the thought that people want to take so much notice of her after years as a relatively small-time actress.
Great to see another very talented actor/writer in Fred Cul Cullen in one of his last roles. He deserved at least as much fame as his younger brother Max Cullen but many remember his Logie award winning script "The Friendly Fellow" - an episode of Homicide. When the part of the central character became unavailable, Cul played the part. All rounders like Cul were products of the times. I just wish that I could sit down and have a beer and a yarn with Cul.
Lastly, it is good to see parts of Melbourne that have since been torn down and "developed".
