The Nugget (2002)

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Lotto (Eric Bana, perhaps the only actor known in the States in this film), and his two buddies Wookie and Sue (yes, a boy named Sue), work for the road department. They live in semi-rural Australia and, while the jobs pay the bills, these guys dream big. To bask in extreme wealth, that's their goals. But, too often, to the chagrin of their wives, they blow money on bets and frivolity. Lotto even uncovers a 100 thousand dollar ticket but, bad luck, the tiny scratch off falls in a drain, never to be seen again. Desperate, the men have heard that "there's gold in them ther hills" nearby. Purchasing an expensive metal detector, they spend every weekend searching for treasure. What a way to make mates happy! Nevertheless, they find a HUGE nugget of gold and, very joyful, bury it. But, someone has watched them. Now, they must resort to trickery to get it back. Can they do it? Oh, and they have already told their boss to take their jobs and shove em! This is a fine Australian comedy with the one and only Eric Bana, made just as he was reaching stardom. He is funny and, along with his two co-horts, form a great new trio of stooges. The rest of the cast is nice, too, as is the scenery, script, and fun-filled direction. You won't be a fool to go for the gold with this little winner!

Just a simple fun film to watch. I have watched it a few times and enjoy it each time. I am not Australian and still get the humor (or humour).Characters are very good. I love the voice over even though someone said it was bad. I think it made the film.It is also nice watching a film without mega stars and in this case some new faces to me.The plot is simple but leads to some great humor. I also like the ending and the fact that money does not have to corrupt and people can more or less continue a nice life with their friends.

"The Nugget" is really lightweight material, not unlike an extended TV sitcom, only without the laughs. Eric Bana, Stephen Curry, and Dave O'Niel, come across as sophomoric (think teen comedy with 30 year olds), and the script is weak enough to expose inept acting from all concerned. The Australian dialect really wasn't a problem, as I had feared. The whole thing just sort of stumbles along a very predictable path towards a fantasy conclusion that is totally out of place. The frequent narrations only add to the weakness of the storyline. I think most viewers will have extreme difficulty finishing this mess. I know I did. - MERK

It is now some time since I saw The Nugget. I found it entertaining and chuckled througout it's entire length. The humour may be lost on non-Australians and maybe even on those Australians who haven't spent much time outside of inner Sydney or Melbourne. But if you have grown up or spent some time in rural or regional Australia you will definately appreciate the humour in this film.