SummaryAdapted from George V. Higgins novel and set in New Orleans, Killing Them Softly follows professional enforcer, Jackie Cogan, who investigates a heist that occurs during a high stakes, mob-protected, poker game. (Weinstein Company)
SummaryAdapted from George V. Higgins novel and set in New Orleans, Killing Them Softly follows professional enforcer, Jackie Cogan, who investigates a heist that occurs during a high stakes, mob-protected, poker game. (Weinstein Company)
The dialogue is sharp and so are the performances. Andrew Dominik directed this neo-noir in a low-key comic style that's alternately gritty and fancy. The gritty stuff is best.
Like Glen-Garry Glen Ross? Same brutal portrait of human scum same mamet-like dialog. Same great acting by all participants. Otherwise, stay away because it is like a REAL depressing tale of human frailties greed, stupidity, arrogance, etc. Also, don't think the city is New Orleans. Cold weather northeastern city Boston perhaps. The protaganists are wearing overcoats and appear to be freezing to death at times.
10 out of 10 stars. One amazing movie and I was blown away. If you are smart you will get this movie and understand its meaning. If you are dumb u will not like it. If u are dumb stay away.
Killing Them Softly isn't anything major. But it's a pungent minor film only vaguely resembling the one The Weinstein Co. is advertising, and that's fine with me.
A good, efficient crime thriller, let down by clunky social commentary but lifted by excellent performances, including perhaps Brad Pitt's recent best.
As with his previous film "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," Dominik's ideas get the better of his creative handiwork as he throws off his pacing to follow points he has already made.
its mean street version..
Killing Them Softly
Killing Them Softly is a character driven dramatic thriller about a part time killer hired to wipe out minor issues that started creating havoc in the criminal world. The structure of the script is distributed in various dramatic sequences that is almost long as an act; a wise choice by the writers to keep the substance flow and the audience tangled in its mean street bubble. It is surprisingly hilarious with bits of tiny notions that draws out chuckle every now and then. The songs are aptly edited and installed, the art designing is of sweat drop precision, the choreography of the physical sequences is mesmerizing and the sound effects are sharp along with jaw dropping cinematography, fine editing and decent background score. The conversations are pragmatic and weaved out like never before where in an action thriller like such, the audience starts rooting for those benign immature conversations. Pitt is reserved and lethal as always with a bit distracted Liotta, convincing Jenkins, hilarious duo McNairy and Mendelsohn and Gandolfini delivering unflinchingly as always. Dominik offers enough range and space to these characters and milks out the best from the cast of caliber like such. Armed with such an elaborative script Dominik's action definitely speaks louder with stunning sequences executed that leaves a long lasting impression. Whilst pulling off such raw gut wrenching script, the political satire unfortunately gets lost amidst all the whimsical notes and explosives, even though they bring it back to that point the audience couldn't care less for it, till then. The pragmatic conversations, electrifying dramatic sequences and Pitt amping up the heart are the high points of the feature. Killing Them Softly is an homage to those Scorsese's mean street crime world and on that note, it is a tremendous success, beyond that it probably is gripping at best.
Pretty much every scene with Ray Liotta and Brad Pitt is great, especially Pitt's car talking scenes which actually worked really well, and the robbery scene was superb, but the two robbers themselves and their scenes together were incredibly dull and irritating and I felt James Gandolfini's character was pointless and just a distraction from the plot. Also, what's with the incredibly heavy handed political commentary? Overall, I liked it, but it was very uneven in its highs and lows
Gratuitously obscene dialogue, extremely thin plot and mostly useless violence. However, the main element in that movie that disappointed me was the pseudo-moral about capitalism and the economic crisis that is totally laughable.
I wouldn't recommend this film to anyone, well I take that back. If you detest all the films your girlfriend/wife/mistress etc make you go see then I suggest this film, cause she'll be miserable after it. But then again, you will be too so.