Two Hands

"It was only one mistake, but it was a big one."

1999 1h 43m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

🍅

75%

FRESH

⭐

7.1

IMDB

★6.6TMDB · 171🍅75%Rotten Tomatoes★7.1IMDB · 14,508

ComedyCrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

19-year-old Jimmy is just scraping by in the red-light district of Sydney. When local crime lord Pando offers him a shot at working for his syndicate, Jimmy jumps at the chance to deliver a costly package. But, when Jimmy gets jacked by a couple of kids, he's indebted to the dangerous gangster for $10,000. Running out of time, he schemes to rob a bank to save himself and a beautiful girl he desires from a gruesome demise.

“It was only one mistake, but it was a big one.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Heath Ledger
Jimmy
Bryan Brown
Pando
Rose Byrne
Alex
David Field
Acko
Tom Long
Wally
Tony Forrow
Eddie
Mariel McClorey
Helen
Susie Porter
Deirdre

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Gregor Jordan
Writers: Gregor Jordan
Languages: English
Countries: Australia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

27 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Gregor Jordan, shot by Malcolm McCulloch. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Cezary Skubiszewski. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lee Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Heath Ledger and Bryan Brown and Rose Byrne carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "It was only one mistake, but it was a big one.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0145547 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gregor Jordan directs. Malcolm McCulloch behind the camera. Cezary Skubiszewski scores. Lee Smith cuts. Produced in Australia. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

127 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Gregor Jordan, shot by Malcolm McCulloch. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Cezary Skubiszewski. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Lee Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Heath Ledger and Bryan Brown and Rose Byrne carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "It was only one mistake, but it was a big one.".
7IMDB entry: tt0145547 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Malcolm McCulloch
Original score: Cezary Skubiszewski
Editing: Lee Smith
Production design: Steven Jones-Evans
Costume design: Emily Seresin
Makeup / hair: Jason Gardner
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Two Hands (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes: 75% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 7.1/10 · 14,508 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

15 wins & 14 nominations total

AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
AACTA Award for Best Editing
AACTA Award for Best Direction
AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
AACTA Award for Best Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Gregor Jordan

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

terrytowel19562023-03-19
★ 7/10
Two Hands is a simple and clever crime film about its effect on Australia's youth accurately and with the special Aussie Touch. It also has a charming performance from young Heath Ledger still in his Australian youth so that altogether the result is great. My choice for best Australian movie of all time. Heath Ledger hasn't played anything as good since, however Bryan Brown steals the show as Pando. No doubt one of my favourite characters. And David Field as Acko follows closely behind. Fantastic!
dfle32025-03-31
★ 10/10
A great black comedy about the Australian underworld Many years ago I saw this movie (on television maybe?) and loved it. So I decided to rent it on DVD the other day to see whether it still held up in my estimation. It did. Set in Sydney's notorious King's Cross district (where prostitution, drug abuse and sex stores thrive), it tells the story of "Jimmy" (played by Heath Ledger). Jimmy is a young man...maybe late teens or thereabouts, who hasn't had a stable family background. He is on the fringes of society, and works as a 'tout' for a sex club (encouraging people to enter the store). He is aware of an underworld figure called "Pando", who is a local bigwig in the Cross. It's Jimmy's hope that he will find himself on Pando's radar and get 'in' with him...a short-cut to upward social mobility, he hopes. One night Jimmy meets the beautiful young woman Alex (played by the charming Rose Byrne). You just know that a love story will play out between them. On that night as well, Jimmy is first contacted by Pando (played by Bryan Brown). Pando has a 'job' for Jimmy. It's the 'foot in the door' that Jimmy has been waiting for! To reveal too much more would spoil the many surprises that this movie has in store for the viewer. Stylistically, if you like Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie movies, you should be in tune with what to expect...twists and turns and black comedy. What's so great about this movie is its very 'Australian-ness'. It's no mere knock off of Tarantino or Ritchie, but a genuine Australian contribution to the genre. A fascinating aspect to this movie is how it all hangs together. Sometimes you are introduced to characters who you wonder what the hell they're doing there. In the end, all these 'loose ends' tie together beautifully. It's sort of like a celluloid Moebius strip. A highlight of the movie is Bryan Brown's character of Pando. Pando likes puzzles, and it's fun to see him play games with his cronies. It's the little details revealed about him which are so enjoyable...his taste in music, for starters! Of the Heath Ledger movies I have seen (The Dark Knight, 10 Things I hate about you), this is perhaps his best role. Wasn't taken with "10 things". If you are a Heath Ledger fan (Ledger recently died a tragic, accidental death), this is a chance to see him in his greatest Australian role, I think. There is great chemistry between Ledger and Byrne in this movie-so, on one level, it functions as nice love story. This movie doesn't have some of the horror of Tarantino and Ritchie underworld movies, but it does have some adult themes...scenes that surprise you with their coldness and beauty. In that sense, it's not an ideal movie for very young viewers, but it's not a movie that gore-hounds will get excited about either. Lastly, I have to say that it is great that Australia can make great movies like this. Usually the kind of movies my home country makes can be uniniviting. This movie has strengths where many Australian movies have weaknesses...i.e. it has a great story, great acting and a great script. We need more popular, quality movies like this to be made here in Australia. Highly recommended. Other Australian movies I have loved include: Breaker Morant (10/10) Mad Max 2 (10/10) My Brilliant Career (not reviewed here by me yet) Proof (nr) The Devil's Playground (nr) The Year My Voice Broke (nr) Bad Boy Bubby (nr. A great, dark comedy) The Dish (nr. A great, charming comedy) [Originally posted on another site 19 December 2008 according to their dating.]