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Knockaround Guys
Knockaround Guys
Knockaround Guys
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Knockaround Guys
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBrian Koppelman
David Levien
Written byBrian Koppelman
David Levien
Produced byLawrence Bender
Brian Koppelman
David Levien
StarringBarry Pepper
Vin Diesel
Seth Green
Andrew Davoli
John Malkovich
Dennis Hopper
CinematographyTom Richmond
Edited byDavid Moritz
Music byClint Mansell
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release dates
  • September 8, 2001 (2001-09-08) (Oldenburg International Film Festival)
  • November 30, 2001 (2001-11-30) (Italy)
  • October 11, 2002 (2002-10-11) (United States)
Running time
92 minutes
CountriesCanada
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million[1]
Box office$14.1 million[2]

Knockaround Guys is a 2001 action crime thriller film starring Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper. It was filmed in locations in the U.S. and Canada including the small town of Delia, Alberta.

Plot

[edit]

A young Matty Demaret is forced to decide whether to kill or spare the man responsible for his father's arrest by his father's associate Teddy. Unable to pull the trigger, Teddy tells Matty he is unfit for mob work.

Years later, Matty is unable to find a job because employers fear his mob boss father, Benny Chains. He is unhappy doing menial jobs for his father, who apparently does not trust him with more serious criminal business. With Teddy's help, he convinces his father to let him go to Spokane to retrieve a package, which he sees as his chance to prove he's ready to be a real partner.

Matty commissions his friend Johnny Marbles to discreetly fly to Spokane, retrieve the package and return immediately, stopping only for gas. When he lands in Wibaux, Montana, he is startled to find police coincidentally checking the office. Fearing he'll be questioned about the bag, he drops it among baggage to be loaded on a departing flight. While inside paying for fuel, baggage handlers notice his bag is not properly tagged. Johnny returns to find the bag gone and calls Matty with the bad news. Matty brings his friends Chris (also the jilted son of a mobster) and Taylor to help find the bag.

The three look for an informant at a local bar and Taylor savagely beats a man who confronts them. Matty enlists his help to find anyone who might be spending a great deal of money (which was in the bag). That night, he finds out the two teenage baggage handlers have been spending rampantly. Matty, Johnny, Taylor and Chris go to the boys' house to confront them, but the sheriff, one of the boys' father, and his deputy arrive first and confiscate the money. The sheriff, against his deputy's wishes, decides to keep the money. Matty and the boys try to confront them amicably, but get run off. Realizing that they have reached a détente, Matty calls Teddy to help. Once he learns Matty's mob identity and fearing federal involvement, the sheriff agrees to meet with Matty for an exchange at midnight in a warehouse.

Fearing they are in too deep, Chris tries to convince Johnny to leave with him. Johnny refuses and Chris leaves. Teddy's associates ask Johnny where Chris is; realizing he has left but wanting to protect him, he says he does not know and is shot. Matty and Taylor are forced to go to the meet alone and encounter the sheriff and his deputy. Teddy and his associates also appear to even the odds, but the local informant, the sheriff's cousin, also arrives. Chris suddenly appears and kills the sheriff's cousin, triggering an all-out gunfight. Everyone but Taylor, Matty and Teddy is killed and Taylor is hit. Realizing Teddy has really come to take the money for himself, Matty confronts him. He admits that he has been stealing from Benny and aimed to take the money and kill Matty. He tries to discreetly reload and shoot Matty, but Matty kills him first.

Matty and Taylor return the money to Benny, who says he's ready for Matty to join the organization, but Matty refuses.

Cast

[edit]

Release

[edit]

The film premiered on September 8, 2001 at Oldenburg International Film Festival in Northwest Germany, three days before the September 11th attacks. The shots of the World Trade Center towers were kept in the film and never edited out. The film was released in Italy on November 30, 2001 and in the United States on October 11, 2002. It is highly likely this contributed to poor box office performance.

Reception

[edit]

Knockaround Guys received negative reviews from critics. It holds a 21% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes based on 101 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3/10. The website's consensus reads, "Well-acted, but it's too derivative."[3] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 30 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[4]

It also bombed at the box office, making less money than the cost of production. In its opening week in Italy, it grossed $302,273.[5][6]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Knockaround Guys

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Knockaround Guys is a American action crime thriller film co-written, co-produced, and co-directed by and in their directorial debut. The story centers on four young men—Matty Demaret (Barry Pepper), Taylor Reese (), Johnny Marbles (), and Chris Scarpa (Andrew Davoli)—who are aspiring members of New York crime families led by figures such as Benny Chains () and Teddy Deserve (). Tasked with retrieving a of laundered from a remote town after a botched errand, the group encounters complications from a corrupt local (Tom Noonan) and his enforcer deputy (Kevin Gage), forcing them to prove their loyalty and competence amid escalating violence. The screenplay by Koppelman and Levien draws from their lifelong friendship and observations of "sons of wiseguys" from mob circles. Produced by under , principal photography took place in locations including and , with a reported of $15 million. The film features a score by and cinematography by Tom Richmond, emphasizing gritty urban and rural contrasts to heighten the narrative tension. Released theatrically in the United States on October 11, 2002, Knockaround Guys earned $11.7 million domestically and $12.8 million worldwide, falling short of its production costs. Critical reception was generally negative, with a 21% Tomatometer score on based on 98 reviews, where critics praised the performances but criticized the derivative plot and lack of originality compared to films like . Audience response was more favorable, holding a 51% score.

Production

Development

The original screenplay for Knockaround Guys was written by and , who also made their directorial debut with the film after co-writing the 1998 poker drama . The duo, friends since childhood, drew inspiration from low-level figures in the criminal underworld they encountered during research for Rounders, encountering the term "knockaround guys" to describe aspiring mob affiliates who hovered on the fringes of . Development commenced in the late 1990s under producer , renowned for his work on Quentin Tarantino's (1994), after Koppelman and Levien sold the script in a competitive bidding war to with the stipulation that they direct. The initial concept centered on young men—sons of established mobsters—striving to escape their fathers' shadows and prove their worth, merging classic 1970s tropes with a contemporary fish-out-of-water narrative that relocated New York protagonists to a remote town, blending crime drama and Western elements to appeal to a millennial audience. Pre-production encountered delays stemming from rigorous casting searches to secure actors capable of conveying ensemble chemistry and multigenerational tensions. The production maintained a budget of $15 million, fully financed by New Line Cinema.

Filming

Principal photography for Knockaround Guys took place from late September to November 1999, spanning approximately ten weeks across locations in Canada and the United States. The production primarily shot in rural Alberta, Canada, where the small town of Delia stood in for the fictional Montana community of Wibaux, and the badlands near Drumheller doubled for Makoshika State Park. Additional filming occurred in actual Montana sites including Glendive and Glasgow, as well as urban exteriors in Brooklyn and Coney Island, New York, to capture the film's Brooklyn sequences, with some interior work wrapping in Toronto, Ontario. The film was co-directed by writers and in their feature directorial debut, with cinematography handled by Tom Richmond, who sought to blend the gritty urban aesthetic of New York with the expansive, unforgiving Western landscapes through wide-screen anamorphic lensing. The schedule allocated about three weeks to the remote Alberta exteriors before shifting to the more accessible New York and sets. Logistical challenges arose from the isolated rural shoots in , which required transporting crews and equipment over two hours from amid the region's dinosaur fossil-rich badlands, contrasting sharply with the dense, fast-paced urban filming in New York. Action sequences, including bar fights, high-speed chases, and a notable airplane taxiing stunt, demanded coordinated stunt work to ensure safety without reported major injuries. Post-production wrapped in early 2001 after significant delays, with editor David Moritz focusing on a tight, rhythmic pace to heighten the film's tension between mob intrigue and small-town isolation.

Story

Plot

Matty Demaret, the son of powerful mob boss Chains, has long struggled to earn his father's respect after failing a crucial initiation task as a young man. Desperate to prove his worth, Matty is given a chance when Benny assigns him to retrieve a bag containing $500,000 in laundered money from a in Spokane, Washington, by having Johnny Marbles fly there to pick it up. To accomplish the task, Matty assembles a crew of his lifelong friends: the cocky pilot Johnny Marbles, the hot-tempered enforcer Taylor Reese, and the street-smart low-level thug Chris Scarpa. The plan quickly unravels on the return flight when , inexperienced with such high-stakes cargo, panics during a refueling stop in the remote town of Wibaux and leaves the bag behind. Upon arriving in the dusty, isolated community, Matty discovers the bag has been intercepted and stolen by the corrupt local , Decker, who runs the town like his personal fiefdom. As Matty and his crew attempt to recover the money without drawing attention, tensions escalate into a series of brutal confrontations, including a savage bar fight where Taylor's violent tendencies nearly derail their efforts, high-speed chases through the rural backroads, and tense standoffs with Decker's armed deputies. Complicating matters further, Matty's treacherous uncle, Teddy Deserve—one of Benny's most trusted enforcers—arrives in Wibaux on his own mission to retrieve the cash, but with ulterior motives to claim it for himself. The conflict reaches its climax in a deadly multi-sided at the local Beef Terminal, where Matty confronts Teddy, who reveals his and attempts to eliminate the young crew. In a desperate act of , Matty shoots and kills Teddy, securing the bag but forever marking him with the violence he once avoided. Returning to with the money, Matty defiantly rejects the cycle of mob life that has defined his family, choosing instead to forge his own path while reconciling with on his own terms. The film, running 92 minutes, is structured in three acts: an initial setup establishing Matty's quest for legitimacy, a middle act of mounting chaos and violence in Wibaux, and a resolution focused on his and personal transformation.

Themes

The film centers on the theme of legacy and inheritance, particularly through Matty Demaret's over whether to reject or accept his father Benny "Chains" Demaret's position in the criminal underworld, juxtaposing his initial inexperience against the unforgiving demands of . As an improbable successor to his father's role, Matty embodies the frustrations of mob offspring navigating a fading era of traditions. This motif underscores generational divides, where younger characters inherit not just power but also the obsolescence of their fathers' world, marked by shrinking opportunities and evolving societal norms. Loyalty and betrayal emerge as intertwined motifs, illustrated by Uncle Teddy's concealed motives and the unwavering support among Matty's circle of friends amid escalating dangers. The narrative emphasizes brotherhood forged through long-standing friendships, with the group functioning as surrogate bound by mutual dependence, as one character notes: "Matty’s been friends with these guys since they were kids and they’re like the only brothers he has. So even though we’re not blood, we’d do anything for each other." These elements highlight trust as a fragile of mob life, strained by external corruptions and internal missteps. A of macho posturing within mob culture runs throughout, depicting the protagonists as posturing toughs whose bravado crumbles into disillusionment and failure, diverging from the romanticized glamour of earlier mob films by focusing on the era's irrelevance. The characters' awareness of the "fast gangster life they grew up admiring" as now outdated amplifies this commentary on performative in a changing . The story incorporates a coming-of-age dimension for the titular "knockaround guys," tracing their shift from aspiring delinquents to sobered adults confronting the repercussions of their familial legacies. This arc reflects a broader reluctance to replicate their fathers' paths, as the young men grapple with undefined futures and diminished "hunger for the street." Subtle commentary on small-town versus urban corruption appears through the remote setting, which symbolizes isolation and ethical gray areas, contrasting the structured hierarchies of city mob life with rural unpredictability and . This dichotomy intensifies the characters' disorientation, revealing corruption's permeation beyond metropolitan confines.

Cast and roles

Principal cast

The principal cast of Knockaround Guys features a ensemble of actors portraying interconnected figures in the , each bringing distinct dynamics to the narrative. stars as Matty Demaret, the film's and a hesitant mob heir whose aspirations for legitimacy are overshadowed by his family's expectations, driving him to seek validation through a high-stakes errand. Pepper's performance captures Matty's internal conflict as the adult son of a mob underboss, hindered by his criminal ties and his father's reluctance to fully integrate him into operations. Vin plays Taylor Reese, the muscle-bound enforcer whose physical presence and no-nonsense demeanor add intensity to confrontations, as he collects payoffs from local businesses and provides brute force to the group's efforts. Diesel's portrayal emphasizes Reese's imposing strength, making him a key asset in tense, action-oriented sequences. embodies Johnny Marbles, an anxious and unreliable pilot grappling with personal demons, including a that undermines his ability to secure legitimate flying jobs and contributes to pivotal mishaps. Green's anxious energy highlights Marbles' vulnerability as Matty's cousin, whose errors propel the central conflict. Andrew Davoli portrays Chris Scarpa, an eager but inexperienced thug who manages his father's restaurant while yearning for greater involvement in mob activities, often displaying a spoiled and womanizing side. Davoli's depiction underscores Scarpa's immaturity and overconfidence as another son of a , contrasting his daily routine with his impulsive ambitions. John Malkovich takes on the role of Teddy Deserve, Matty's cunning and villainous uncle, characterized by his smoothly sadistic nature, eloquent sarcasm, and manipulative influence over family dealings. Malkovich infuses the character with a chilling , positioning Teddy as a sardonic within the mob . Dennis Hopper appears as Benny Chains, the authoritative mob boss and father figure to Matty, whose underboss position and slightly crazed demeanor reflect a protective yet domineering approach to shielding his son from the family's violent legacy. Hopper's commanding presence establishes Benny as the patriarchal force reluctant to entrust Matty with serious responsibilities.

Supporting cast

The supporting cast of Knockaround Guys bolsters the film's gritty atmosphere through a mix of seasoned character actors who portray key secondary figures in both the mob scene and the remote town. plays Sheriff Decker, the corrupt local lawman who intercepts the lost and escalates the conflict by leveraging his authority against the protagonists. His performance underscores the film's theme of from unexpected quarters, adding tension to the rural standoffs. Arthur J. Nascarella portrays Billy Clueless, a seasoned mob associate in who offers pragmatic guidance to the young gangsters navigating their family's criminal legacy. Nascarella's understated delivery highlights the generational wisdom within the mob hierarchy, providing brief but pivotal counsel that influences the group's decisions. Kevin Gage embodies Brucker, one of the rough local thugs who collaborates with the to pursue the money, intensifying the physical confrontations in the small town. Gage's menacing presence contributes to the ensemble's portrayal of opportunistic small-time criminals clashing with big-city mob elements. Dov Tiefenbach appears as Teeze, a peripheral figure in the bar brawl sequence that heightens the early chaos and draws the protagonists into deeper trouble. His role, though minor, helps establish the volatile dynamics among the locals, amplifying the film's sense of escalating peril. These supporting roles, alongside brief cameos like Pasco as Freddy the Watch, create a layered ensemble that enriches the narrative without dominating the principal characters, fostering a , interconnected feel of mob life spilling into unfamiliar territory.

Release and distribution

Theatrical release

The film had its world premiere at the Oldenburg International Film Festival on September 8, 2001. Following the premiere, Knockaround Guys received its initial theatrical release in on November 30, 2001, marking the start of its limited rollout in European markets during early 2002. Subsequent releases included on April 19, 2002, and on June 21, 2002. The U.S. wide release was postponed several times before occurring on October 11, 2002, in approximately 1,800 theaters. Distributed by , the film was positioned as an action vehicle for rising star , leveraging his breakout successes in The Fast and the Furious and xXx to boost visibility amid competitive scheduling. Marketing efforts highlighted the ensemble cast, including Diesel, , and , alongside the crime thriller's themes of mob loyalty and small-town conflict. Trailers prominently featured the intense sequence, underscoring the film's gritty action elements. International distribution continued to vary by territory, with the release on January 22, 2003. The film's theatrical performance opened modestly in the U.S., grossing $5 million in its first weekend.

Home media

The home video release of Knockaround Guys began with its DVD edition from New Line Home Entertainment on February 25, 2003, presented in format and featuring tracks by directors and writers and , along with deleted and alternate scenes. A version was issued concurrently by the same distributor on the same date, available in select international markets including and prior to the widespread shift away from the format in 2005. The film received a Blu-ray edition on April 7, 2009, remastered in high definition with carryover special features such as the directors' commentary, deleted scenes, and production featurettes. No 4K UHD release has been produced as of 2025. Special editions include a 2020 double-feature DVD bundled with Vin Diesel's , marketed as a collector set for fans of his early action roles. Digitally, Knockaround Guys became available for streaming on HBO Max in the early 2010s and remains accessible on platforms such as and as of 2025, with options for rental or purchase on services like Apple TV and . International home video variations featured region-specific packaging and , such as French-language editions in released shortly after the U.S. DVD launch.

Soundtrack

Score

The original score for Knockaround Guys was composed by , who gained prominence for his haunting electronic-orchestral work on (2000). Mansell's score features tense, minimalist cues blending electronic elements with orchestral textures, creating a moody atmosphere that underscores the film's criminal underworld. This approach includes dark, brooding synths and subtle percussion to evoke urban isolation and escalating tension, while string arrangements provide emotional depth during character-driven moments. Key tracks highlight the score's versatility, such as "Facing Facts," which builds opening with sparse ; "Teddy Deserve," a motif underscoring through dissonant tones; and "No Talk - All Action," driving the climax with rhythmic percussion and urgent . The original music totals approximately 27 minutes, focusing on pivotal scenes to amplify the narrative's grit without overwhelming the licensed songs interspersed throughout. Mansell's composition integrates seamlessly with the film's sound design, particularly in bar confrontations and high-stakes chase sequences, where electronic pulses and layered effects heighten the sense of immediacy and isolation, thereby enhancing the overall pacing and immersion. The film Knockaround Guys incorporates several licensed songs to heighten its tension, action, and emotional depth, blending classic rock and soul tracks with the story's mobster dynamics. "Romeo's Tune" by Steve Forbert plays during the film's iconic bar fight sequence, its upbeat folk-rock rhythm contrasting and underscoring the escalating chaos of the brawl. "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by features in the early mob sequences, its soulful lament evoking the gritty urban struggle and familial pressures central to the protagonists' world. Tracks such as "Trampoline" by Marc Higgins and "Bang One Out" by Dante Ross appear in driving and tension-building montages, providing a high-energy pulse that mirrors the characters' frantic cross-country journey and rising stakes. "" by is used in reflective moments tied to Matty's personal arc, its melancholic introspection amplifying themes of regret and inevitability. These selections draw from soul and rock genres appropriate to the early setting and mob film genre, though no official of the featured songs was released in 2002.

Reception

Critical reception

Upon its release, Knockaround Guys received predominantly negative reviews from critics, with an aggregated approval rating of 21% on based on 98 reviews and an average score of 4.3/10. On , the film holds a score of 30 out of 100 from 26 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. Critics praised the film's strong ensemble chemistry and charismatic cast, particularly highlighting Vin Diesel's imposing physical presence and the memorable sequence featuring his character Taylor's on toughness. Reviewers also noted the energetic direction from debuting filmmakers and , appreciating the sharp dialogue and wry humor that lent a cool criminal to the proceedings. However, the film faced significant criticism for its derivative style, heavily borrowing from Quentin Tarantino's and Martin Scorsese's in its blend of dark and , resulting in implausible scenarios and predictable plotting. Many found the characters underdeveloped, with the narrative failing to balance its influences effectively, leading to an overall sense of unoriginality. Roger Ebert awarded it 2 out of 4 stars, describing it as competent in crossing fish-out-of-water and coming-of-age formulas but more interesting for its generational themes than for bold innovation. Variety acknowledged the throwback gangster vibe but critiqued its outdated stylistic choices despite the engaging cast. In retrospective assessments since 2010, the film has garnered some cult appreciation for its nostalgia, particularly Diesel's standout bar fight scene, though it remains middling in reputation with no major reevaluations elevating its status by 2025. Critics have pointed to the uneven tone as a persistent flaw, questioning the low aggregated scores while affirming its modest entertainment value.

Box office performance

Knockaround Guys had a production budget of $15 million. The film earned $5,016,852 during its opening weekend of October 11–13, 2002, across 1,806 theaters in the United States, ranking fifth at the domestic box office. Its domestic run totaled $11,715,637, representing the bulk of its earnings. The film's performance declined sharply after its debut, dropping 51% in its second weekend and continuing to fall, with fourth-week earnings of approximately $808,580 from 1,304 theaters. Worldwide, Knockaround Guys grossed $12,806,614, including $1,090,977 from international markets. Several factors contributed to the underwhelming results relative to its budget, preventing a theatrical profit. The U.S. was delayed for over a year after completion due to various studio and scheduling issues, which diminished promotional momentum. It also faced stiff competition from high-profile releases like Red Dragon, which earned $17.6 million in its second weekend. Internationally, the film achieved modest returns from major markets, with no significant boosts or subsequent re-releases as of 2025.

References

  1. https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/knockaround-guys-2-1200552553/
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211465/fullcredits/
  3. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/knockaround_guys
  4. https://cinema.com/articles/1383/knockaround-guys-production-notes.phtml
  5. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Knockaround-Guys
  6. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl4166813185/
  7. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-oct-13-ca-backstory13-story.html
  8. https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/New_Line_Cinema
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  12. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/11/movies/film-review-he-who-steals-from-a-thief-will-pow-splat-regret-it.html
  13. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/knockaround-guys-2002
  14. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/knockaround_guys/cast-and-crew
  15. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/7501-knockaround-guys/cast
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211465/fullcredits
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211465/releaseinfo/
  18. https://variety.com/2002/film/news/new-line-s-guy-finally-gets-a-break-1117869231/
  19. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2002-10-10/now-knockaround-guys-has-diesel-power
  20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JybfIN6MugE
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  24. https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_New_Line_Home_Entertainment_releases
  25. https://blurayauthority.com/standard-dvd/knockaround-guys/
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  29. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Knockaround-Guys-Blu-ray/4074/
  30. https://www.nonesuch.com/albums/requiem-dream-soundtrack
  31. http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Reviews.asp?ID=3345
  32. https://theost.com/2001/knockaround_guys.html
  33. https://www.ost.co/965-knockaround-guys.html
  34. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211465/soundtrack/
  35. https://www.searchingforagem.com/Soundtracks.htm
  36. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/knockaround-guys
  37. https://decider.com/2023/09/28/vin-diesel-knockaround-guys-500-fights-monologue/
  38. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/knockaround-guys/critic-reviews/
  39. https://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/youtube-hof-fill-it-up-with-diesel/
  40. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/oct/14/news
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