Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Crowe in HB was for me a discovery similar, though on a smaller scale, to that of the brighter Rourke in A PRAYER …. Sublime romance, in the truest sense; strong performances from the leads. There are some amazing things in …--Crowe's father prophecies (the karma prophecy), etc.. Crowe himself was in his best shape (like Rourke in the aforementioned action drama, like Gibson in Payback ,like Spacey in The Big Kahuna ,1999). The movie is remarkable and original and shows its good writing from the first frames, from the first scene (the bank robbery, when one of the gangsters gets brusquely lifted up and trapped). It is good as romance, as action drama, as script. The dialogs are well—conceived. It is one of the best action dramas of the '90s. What stands up is the poetry, not the violence. The action is rich and multi-layered and following several threads—a vendetta, a racial confrontation that leads to interesting scenes. The semi—serious brio of some facts is sustained by the high sense of poetry and dramatic ascending ;even more, the characters are likable, distinct, interesting (Crowe, his father, the Japanese girl, the pursuer). Here is romanticism without schmaltz. Here is fun for those who enjoy lively films. As a dramatic hero, a cross of Gabin and Flynn, Crowe is perfect. He was exceedingly charming in a few other movies—but HB remains unequaled. His character is infinitely likable.HB is one of the hidden, _unremarked, unsung jewels of the action cinema.And this is Crowe's defining role.

This movie has to rate as one of the worst ever, especially for Crowe. The plot was ridiculous, the acting wooden at best (yes even Crowe who I rate as one of the best actors around couldn't turn this sorry movie into anything).It reminded me of one of those seventies UK shows, like the Sweeney, but set in Australia with a Japanese angle and lots of pointless, and mostly bloody, killings. In fact I actually thought it was made in the seventies back when Crowe didn't know any better so I was amazed to find it was made in 97! The film just doesn't work on so many levels it's difficult to pin down any one reason why this is an excruciatingly painful film to sit through. That said it did provide quite a few laughs as the characters came out with outrageous lines that had no context whatsoever in the film. But none of the characters was drawn deep enough for you to actually give a damn about what happened to them.And I thought the Wild Women of Borneo was the worst film ever made!

It takes a while to figure out where this movie's headed, but you'll probably be hooked by the time it gets there. Mix "A Life Less Ordinary" with "Reservoir Dogs" and throw in a dash of "Mad Max" and you'll come pretty close. It starts out looking like a drama, quickly turns into a crime thriller and frequently delivers elements of black comedy - with a nice little love story running through the middle of it all. The funny walk-ons (especially Colin Hay and his accordian) make the movie, and once you realise that you shouldn't take it seriously it's highly enjoyable. Wierd but worth watching.

A rather below par road movie, enlivened by Russell Crowe in the lead, and by various other noteworthy characters, such as his father, and a mad ex-KGB torturer! admittedly, Russell plays a rather predictable role, but my wife claims that his god-like physique more than makes up for this! since this is an Australian film, don't expect any great shakes in the cinematography department.