SHORT SYNOPSIS

Sydney - 1969. Crime is cool, cops are crooked and 20 bucks buys you a whole 
night out. For Barry (Bryan Brown), life is sweet. He runs the girls, the clubs 
and the illegal casinos, and not even crooked Detective Ray (Sam Neill) dares to 
stand in his way.

Barry's wife (Toni Collette) wears the pants, his mistress Margaret (Kestie 
Morassi) wears him out and his wide-eyed nephew Darcy (Sam Worthington) is 
learning just how cosy business can be.

When the mafia dispatch two Chicago hoods (John Goodman, Felix Williamson) to 
muscle in on his action, Barry's life takes a dramatic turn. His mistress starts 
making eyes at Darcy, his wife becomes suspicious and the yanks won't take no 
for an answer - BIG MISTAKE.

Barry decides to give the yanks a lesson in outback hospitality.


LONG SYNOPSIS

It is 1969. Tony and Sal, two Italian-American hoods, are sent out to Australia 
to cash in on the money being made through gambling in Sydney, which is going 
through the roof due mainly to the influx of American servicemen on R&R from the 
Vietnam War.

At the same time, a young Australian soldier named Darcy returns to Sydney after 
a tour of duty in Vietnam.

Darcy is met at the airport by his uncle, Barry Ryan, who runs the shady end of 
town - the good time stuff: SP bookies, girls, a bit of two-up and the gambling 
in the illegal casinos.

Barry has an attractive wife (Sharon), an eight-year-old son (Jason), a 
beautiful young mistress (Margaret) and a crooked cop (Ray) on his payroll.

Barry doesn't have everything going his way and his rival, Freddie, wants to 
take over and tries to kill Barry. With Darcy's help Barry survives this attempt 
on his life but Freddie escapes. The attempt on Barry's life makes him believe 
he now has a traitor in his midst.

With Freddie on the loose, Barry is worried about who will be his next target, 
so he installs Darcy in the apartment opposite Margaret and tells him to keep an 
eye on her. One thing leads to another and eventually Darcy and Margaret become 
lovers behind Barry's back.

When Barry discovers Tony and Sal have been sent out to Sydney, he decides to 
get on side with them and show them a good time. He throws a big party in their 
honour.

To flush out Freddie and the traitor, Barry then decides to set a trap and takes 
Tony and Sal on a trip to the outback for a pig hunt.

When they arrive at a remote outback town, Barry and his group take over the 
local hotel. That night Darcy and Margaret continue their relationship, while 
Barry and Sharon enjoy each other's company. Late that night Barry and Darcy 
sneak back to Sydney. We meet them early the next morning, blood-splattered.

In the climax of the pig hunt it is revealed that back in Sydney the night 
before, Barry has killed Freddie and Hollywood, Barry's henchmen. As Sal and 
Tony slaughter a "pork" of pigs, the police arrive and arrest them for killing a 
farmer's pigs and trespassing.

Having been outwitted, Sal and Tony beg Barry to get them out of jail. After 
being left for half a day to endure blistering heat, Tony and Sal are released.

Darcy ends up with Margaret, Tony hides away in the outback, Sal is sent back to 
America, Barry and Sharon win the war and gambling in Australia remains in the 
hands of the Aussies.