After being pushed back for 2 1/2 years, this ridiculous little gangster film is finally being released by New Line. If you’re going to see it, you’ve probably got about a week to do so.
The release is most likely to cash in on the current popularity of Vin Diesel, who co-stars with Barry Pepper as sons of Brooklyn Mafia figures. A third friend, played by Seth Green, botches a job and loses a satchel full of cash in rural Montana, leading Diesel, Pepper and yet another friend (Andrew Davoli, the only one of the lot who passes for Italian-American) to fly out and try to save the day, all to avoid angering their underworld parents and uncles (among whom are John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper).
Co-directed and co-written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien (the team who gave us “Rounders”), “Knockaround Guys” has a few amusing moments but mostly takes itself too seriously — a shame, since the dialogue and acting are laughable. It is essentially a parade of actors like John Malkovich and Seth Green trying to convince us they’re mobsters, and I, for one, ain’t buyin’ it. Even the stalest “Sopranos” episode is better than this.
C- (1 hr., 32 min.; )
