Killing Them Softly
Starring: Brad Pitt, Ben Mendolson, Ray Liotta, James Gandolfini
Directed By: Andrew Dominik
Reviewed by Danielle Muir

[Rating: 4/5]

Money.  People die for and over it.  The world revolves around it because we made it so.  Writer/director Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James, Chopper) has sought to remind us that even the perceived scum of society can make a buck out of the bloody hands business, but it never outweighs the cost of constant over-the-shoulder viewing that follows.

Enter the world of Jackie Coogan (Pitt), professional enforcer and the one you’re looking over your shoulder for.  After a bunch of low-life crims hold-up a mob’s poker game, Jackie is sent to uncover the events that transpired, and whose teeth need kicking in.

This is a great modern mobster tale with a heavy political undertone and dabs of unconventional storytelling to boot.  As always, Brad Pitt is fear-inspiring as Coogan, and delivers one of the most powerful final lines I’ve heard on screen in a while.  But it’s Ben Mendelsohn who really steals the show as filthy, drug-using Russell.  Together with Frankie (McNairy), they provide both the comic relief and nurture a sense of quiet disgust as to what they are and how they live.  The men in these films are shameless.  Money, whores, in whatever order.  Everything and everyone is replaceable by a newer model that probably costs less, so watch out.  The only negative is James Gandolfini, whose retired assassin Mickey really serves no purpose other than drinking and sitting around being generally despicable as soon as he arrives.  And he just can’t shake The Soprano’s connection.

Killing Them Softly is not for the squeamish – but every piece of violence is presented in a uniquely, almost experimentally beautiful fashion.  The unconventional techniques are reminiscent of 2011’s Drive – a seemingly mainstream film from the outlet that has more than a few visual surprises up its sleeve.

There’s also some seriously clever camera work which makes you cringe in suspense – in this film anyone could get popped spontaneously and there’s no warning.  Writer/director Dominik is controlling your emotions and toying with your sense of security, as he is with his characters.  It’s definitely an…experience.

The film is strung together by various clips of Obama sprouting his words of truth, which can get a little heavy-handed and in your face at times but still provides food for thought – and makes the final scene’s dialogue even more powerful.  Seriously – no bathroom breaks after halfway, you do not want to miss a single moment.

So if you’re in the mood for a good mob film with a little comic relief, a little debauchery and a lot of glorious brutality, then Killing Them Softly is the right choice.

If you’ve read this far we have ten in-season tickets to Killing Them Softly. To win a pair of tickets send an email with Killing Them Softly to and put your best postal address in the body of the email. Good luck!