Review: This film seemed cheap and it wasn't that funny. Kevin Spacey's Irish accent was appalling, along with the silly storyline that just wasn't that realistic. The gang seemed to get away with the bank jobs, way to easy and you can tell that it was made before the days of forensics. I thought that I would give the movie a chance because of Collin Farrell, who doesn't really say a word throughout the movie, so I just lost interest from the beginning. As for the storyline, I think that the director was attempting a comedy/crime caper, but it went totally wrong when he decided to cast an American in Ireland with a Irish voice, who is surrounded by Irish actors. Disappointing!Round-Up: I wasn't really expecting that much from this film because I hadn't heard of it before, even though it has Collin Farrell and Kevin Spacey in it. After watching it I can totally understand why they kept this movie under the radar because I am sure that its one that they would like to forget. The amazing thing is that its supposed to be based on a true story, which means that the director really cocked up the project because it all seemed a bit of a mess.I recommend this movie to people who are into there Irish crime capers. 1/10

This movie may be titled Ordinary Decent Criminal, but it could just as easily be called The Kevin Spacey Vanity Project. I have to give Spacey some credit, though. When most actors have enough success and get enough clout to do a film like this, they do the most pretentious, self-important, artsy fartsy crap imaginable. Spacey decided to dust off the traditional British Crime genre and do a halfway decent rendition of it. However, it's only halfway decent.Michael Lynch (Kevin Spacey) is the sort of criminal who only exists in the traditional British Crime genre. While America's fictional gangsters, thugs and crooks are often charismatic, they're almost always different than normal folk. There's something about them that sets them apart from others. The traditional British Crime genre, though, presents us with criminals who are fundamentally no different than the next guy on the street. T hey may be crooks, but it's just another job. They rob banks the way dentists clean teeth or veterinarians care for sick pets. In the British Crime genre, working class hoods are just like garbage men or factory workers. The upper class thieves are like doctors or engineers. And the crime lords? They're like politicians or captains of industry. These people don't turn to crime because they're greedy or selfish or lazy or otherwise dysfunctional. It's like they went to school with everyone else and the guidance counselor just told them "You'd make a good criminal".Michael Lynch is an exceptional criminal. The sort who is not just one, but always two steps ahead of the law. Lynch, an Irishman, and his gang rob banks, welfare offices and just about anything else that catches their fancy in Dublin. They plan their crimes like football coaches planning for the big game or salesmen strategizing over their next big sales meeting. Even while Lynch is on trial for one robbery, he and his gang are committing more. And Lynch's plans are always brilliant enough that no one ever gets hurt and they always get away clean.Lynch also has a genuinely unusual family life. He's married to Christine (Linda Fiorentino), sleeping with her sister Lisa (Helen Baxendale) and he has kids by both of them. The kicker being…everybody knows about it, including Christine and Lisa. It's de facto polygamy, with Lynch having one house with Christine and another with Lisa and everyone seems perfectly fine and happy with it all.Things start to go wrong for Lynch when he runs afoul of the IRA and falls in love with stealing a 30 million dollar painting. His gang manages to nab the painting, but they can't get rid of it. It hangs around their necks and draws more attention from the police than they ever imagined. An IRA man also takes a dislike to Lynch and schemes to break up his gang and see Lynch dead or in jail. Lynch has to deal with the cops, the IRA and his own desire for fame and glory over money.This isn't a bad film. As I mentioned, it is unrealistic in the way the traditional British Crime genre is unrealistic, but if that doesn't bother you, Kevin Spacey fans will likely enjoy Ordinary Decent Criminal a good bit. Spacey's Lynch dominates the story, with the other characters getting very little if anything to do, but Spacey is very charming in the role and seems to be having a great time with it. There are several fun capers throughout the story where the twists and turns are clever without being ridiculously contrived.The whole movie, however, is awfully shallow. The polygamy thing with the sisters is never examined. The conflict between the middle class ambition of Lynch and the more working class aspirations of his gang is barely touched. Lynch's own struggle with his need to be recognized and applauded is dealt with in a perfunctory manner. The ending also gets quite stupid, asking you to believe that Irish cops have never heard of a wiretap, fingerprints or DNA; that a huge amount of cash somehow teleports out of a bank and into the hands of one of Lynch's gang; and that when Lynch comes up with a plan that totally depends on a guy getting shot in the face by random chance, the guy manages to get shot in the face by random chance.Idiotic ending aside, there's nothing aggressively wrong with Ordinary Decent Criminal. But…there's nothing all that great about it. If spending 94 minutes with Kevin Spacey, Linda Fiorentino, a very young Collin Farrell and the woman who played Emily on "Friends" sounds appealing, rent this film.By the way, was I the only one bothered by Ross and Rachel naming their baby Emma? I mean, Emma's not to close to Emily for comfort? Wouldn't that be like George W. Bush and Laura adopting a black child and naming him Barick?

Previous comments about this movie is a testament to the fact that Kevin Spacey is one of the most over-rated actors in cinema. American Beauty, I'll admit was a very good job, but was still over-hyped. 'Verbal' Kint, very possibly could be the crowning achievement in his acting career. And that was in 1995. Just because a one or two dimensional actor is cast in many different types of roles, doesn't mean they can pull of a quality and believable portrayal of the character. And this film is the definitive proof of that. Spacey always has some stupid smirk on his face, and his accent makes him sound closer to a Newfie/foundlander than an Irishman. Especially when you hear the authentic brogue. It'll make you wish his role was a non-speaking part, which is inexcusable as it's the lead role. And the emotion is either so cheesy or flat that (a) It makes Clyde the Orangutan look like Laurence Olivier, and (b) Makes all the other actors seem brilliant, which is a good thing because, contrary to what you made read in other comments, it is the merry band of followers and not Spacey's lead which carries this movie. Now I know this film is supposed to be a crime-comedy, and the movie does have a few bright moments; but Pesci in "GoodFellas" was criminal that was funny; Spacey is more like a clown that is supposed to be a criminal, and doesn't emote any of the suave and charm his character is supposed to have.I don't really mean to be so harsh to the film itself, and wanted to give it a 6, but since the character that's in your face most of the time is the one stinking up the joint, I have to take an extra peg off. Better off with 'Lock, Stock..', 'Snatch', 'Layer Cake', or even 'Rancid Aluminum' if you've seen all others.

Very amusing crime comedy with Kevin Spacey as the star of the show. We already knew that Spacey is capable of playing any role and also in this movie he truly delivers. Kevin Spacey is Michael Lynch, an ordinary decent criminal who loves playing some games with the cops. I think you can compare him to Thomas Crown (performed by Steve McQueen in 1968 and by Pierce Brosnan in the remake 31 years later). A criminal, a gentleman and womaniser in one person.Kevin Spacey was excellently casted as the male lead. Furthermore we see Linda Fiorentino as Lynch's wife, Peter Mullan ("My Name Is Joe") as Spacey's right hand and a very small part for Colin Farrell. The story is very well written and it contains a lot of twist. A must see for a Saturday night. Not a deep or difficult story, just fine Saturday night entertainment.Recommendable! 7,5/10