In the spectrum of cinematic Mafia sons, with dim-witted A.J. Soprano on one end and furiously dutiful Sonny Corleone on the other, the protagonist of the New Line Cinema's wry-humored action film "Knockaround Guys" falls somewhere in the middle. New York twenty-something Matty Demaret (Barry Pepper of "We Were Soldiers") is unable to find legitimate work as a sports agent because of his father's notoriety. His father happens to be Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper of "True Romance") who, among other things, is the underboss of a Brooklyn crime family.The film's first scene takes place in the back of a Brooklyn restaurant, circa 1987. Teddy Deserve (John Malkovich of "Shadow of the Vampire"), Benny's close associate and Matty's surrogate father while Chains is prison, presents the 12- year-old Matty with the opportunity to shoot the man accused of being the informant. Unable to kill the rat, Matty is deemed unfit for the Mafia life. His familial ties are severely hindering any attempts he makes at leading an honest life, so he lives an unhappily spoiled life on the illegitimate coattails of his father. With no legitimate options left, he asks his father and Teddy for the chance to prove himself as a capable gangster.

Matty can enter the world of organized crime by delivering a bag full of cash from Washington state to his father. For this simple task, he dispatches his pilot-friend and recovering cocaine addict Johnny Marbles (Seth Green of "Austin Powers"). On a standard refueling stop in a desolate Wibaux, Montana, Marbles loses the bag when the cops badger him at the airport. Because their lives depend on the delivery, Matty and Co. immediately fly to Wibaux and begin a desperate search for the cash.

Replete with a stone-faced sheriff (Tom Noonan of "The Pledge") and local thug, the rural town is completely unaware of the situation. Once the gang of four arrives in town, the film picks up both the pace and quality. The attempts made to locate the cash (which had been acquired by two perpetually stoned 14-year-old baggage handlers) eventually succeed, but not without a lot of problems. The guys from Brooklyn stick out like sore thumbs in this backwater setting, resulting in several darkly humorous moments. Scarpa's smooth talking is completely ineffective to the ladies of Wibaux, and none of the four are able to extract information through bribery. A diner cashier replies to the offering of a one hundred dollar bill with, "I can't break that." Meanwhile, Marbles, who is to blame for the situation, continually tries to avoid his guilt.

What is interesting about "Knockaround Guys" is that it sat on the shelf of the New Line vault for two years after completing filming in 1999, because of a shot of the World Trade Center. The recent emergence of Vin Diesel ("XXX") as a marketable star pushed New Line to finally release it, but Diesel does not play his typical, factory-produced action role. As Taylor Reese, one of the guys helping Matty find the money, Diesel at first seems like the resident toughman, but he carries a deep conscience. This results in some very heartfelt lines, which Diesel delivers surprisingly well.

Green, who made a career playing the annoying sidekick, is just that in this film, but with some real emotion. Whereas his trademark character of Dr. Evil's son is completely detestable, it is unclear whether we want to hit Marbles in the face or forgive him. Pepper, acclaimed for his portrayal of Roger Maris in the HBO film "61*," fills the eager-to-please role of Matty quite convincingly, although he is less convincing as the gang-leader. Matty wants to get the job done, but isn't always sure how to help his friends fix their problems.

The more seasoned actors of "Knockaround Guys" steal the show, especially Malkovich. Clearly more professional than the younger cast members, Malkovich plays more than just a tough guy. Teddy is a cold, calculating and intelligent mobster, but will not restrain himself from resorting to violence. Teddy eventually shows up in Montana with a couple of goombas and, in the best line of the film, replies to Marbles' begging for forgiveness with a vicious response of "I ought to kick you through the uprights like a fucking field goal." Malkovich is just as icy in the movie's climactic "I know it was you, Fredo"-type scene.

Hopper is equally believable as Benny Chains, but he is underused, considering the importance of his character. Chains is a powerful man, and Hopper, who usually plays the ruthless villain, carries the role perfectly. While the film focuses on Matty's botched job, it also is about the relationship between father and son, and at times this aspect is ignored.

Ultimately, "Knockaround Guys" is no "Goodfellas," but it is a refreshing break from the recent wave of big-budget, low-quality action movies. Although there are some faults, it is a satisfactory mixture of dark humor, family drama and violence.