Knockaround Guys 2001

Janice Page, Boston Globe: Despite engaging offbeat touches, Knockaround Guys rarely seems interested in kicking around a raison d'etre that's as fresh-faced as its young-guns cast. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: There's nothing in the half-comic, half-serious Knockaround Guys you can't see weekly in The Sopranos. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: We know the plot's a little crazy, but it held my interest from start to finish. Read more

Loren King, Chicago Tribune: It might hold some appeal to undiscriminating fans of the ultra-bland, tough-guys-in -black-doing -dumb-things genre. Read more

Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times: The action is bloody and brutal. Mr. Diesel is effective as Matty's muscle. But when it comes to father, sons and mob life, stick to The Godfather. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Instantly forgettable. Read more

Melinda Ennis, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Perhaps if co-directors David Levien and Brian Koppelman had spent more time devising a coherent vision for the film, we would not have felt as knocked around after watching it. Read more

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: Even when the film turns serious, the filmmakers can't make up their minds about what kind of movie they're making. Read more

Steven Rosen, Denver Post: Tiresomely derivative and hammily acted. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Knockaround Guys seems to think that it's a character study, or maybe an all-in-the-Family portrait on par with The Sopranos, but it has no twistiness or intrigue. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Trying to sound like The Sopranos, it never registers above a bass baritone; far from Goodfellas, these fellas barely make it to below-average. Read more

Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News: It's like The Godfather crammed into a sardine tin. Read more

John Patterson, L.A. Weekly: A pale Xerox of other, better crime movies. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: It's like a drive-by. You can drive right by it without noticing anything special, save for a few comic turns, intended and otherwise. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie crosses two formulas -- Fish Out of Water and Coming of Age -- fairly effectively. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: One of those strained caper movies that's hardly any fun to watch and begins to vaporize from your memory minutes after it ends. Read more

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle: Lackluster. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: A guilty pleasure. Read more

Ed Park, Village Voice: The inevitable double- and triple-crosses arise, but the only drama is in waiting to hear how John Malkovich's reedy consigliere will pronounce his next line. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: Will only satisfy those who can't tell the difference between the good, the bad and the ugly. Read more