Killing Them Softly
Killing Them Softly
(2012)
A Review by Grant Kanigan
Directed by: Andrew Dominik
Written By: Andrew Dominik, based on
the novel by George V. Higgins
Starring: Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta,
Richard Jenkins, Ben Mendelsohn, Scott McNairy
Rating: 18A
Release Date: November 30th 2012
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| Brad Pitt in Killing Them Softly © 2011 - The Weinstein Co. |
Killing Them Softly follows Jackie Cogan, a highly regarded contract killer in the United States, in the year 2008. The recession is in full force and even the mob is having to tightening its belt. When two dimwit criminals, Frankie and Russell, (Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn), rob the mob's gambling operation, run by the exhausted Markie Trattman, (Ray Liotta), they set in motion a desperate search for the cash and a trimming of the mob's fat. For Jackie Cogan, this means business is booming; for everyone else, their 'business' is about to come to a close. With a premise like that, you'd think people would be beating down the box office to see an all star shoot-out, (much like the trailers promised), but they would be sadly mistaken. Killing Them Softly is just like it's title; slow, cool, calculating, and deadly.
Part of the reason Killing Them Softly did so poorly at the box office, (it only made a few thousand more than it's $15,000,000 budget domestically), was its misleading marketing. Trailers showed Liotta being beat up, Pitt firing shotguns, and created an all around sense of chaos. Having not seen the trailers, I was delighted to see a film that built up the reasoning and characters behind it's violence; it's not mindless. It's refreshing to see a character pondering whether another, real, human being deserves to die because of a simple robbery that probably wasn't their fault. Running like a group lecture from the most experienced in the business, the script for Killing Them Softly is brilliant and fascinating, transplanting Higgins' 1974 novel of the same name to recessionary United States, circa 2008. This leads to a compelling metaphor for business ethics, (or lack-thereof), in modern capitalism. While we simply see an overweight, semi-retired killer, (James Gandolfini), ramble incoherently about killing, hookers, and debauchery, we're also viewing a clever metaphor for the longing of experienced businessmen for the easy days of the early 1980's or late 90's, where any schmuck with some chutzpah could make a killing in the stock market. Dominik's film slowly reveals itself to be a thinly veiled allegory for the 2008 recession, the commercialization of everything, the throes of capitalism, and back door political dealings. At just 97 minutes, it's amazing Dominik has the ability to squeeze in monologues in between brutally executed and beautifully shot scenes of extreme violence.
While quite a few may find the film too talkative, I personally found that to be its strong suit. Featuring a moody, sad performance from the under-appreciated James Gandolfini, in one of his last roles, the film has some killer monologues. Gandolfini is fantastic, Richard Jenkins is dependably firm, Liotta is thoroughly convincing as a tired conman trying to finally be honest, and Pitt is absolutely hypnotic. Although most of his ranting throughout the film is spellbinding, his final scene with Jenkins is explosive, (the clip is below). I haven't seen such powerful line delivery in years. This is absolutely one of Pitt's best performances, among many in a long and varied career.
Overall, each viewer will either love Killing Them Softly or hate it. It's a complex, talkative, philosophical thriller that takes its time to explore the nature of business and the ethics of killing. It's a brutal, challenging film, but even for the last scene alone - it's worth the price.
Grant's Rating: 4/5 Stars
Brad Pitt & Richard Jenkins in Killing Them Softly: "Pay Me"
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