This
used to be easy for me. Dredd was a
simple film to review. They’re stuck in a building, there’s lots of slow
motion, everyone’s face explodes... bam: one thousand words! Right in the butt.
But
for Killing Them Softly, I may need
to think a little harder.
Adapted
from the 1974 novel Cogan’s Trade,
director and screenwriter Andrew Dominik’s (Chopper
and *deep breath* The Assassination of
Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) crime thriller stars Brad Pitt as
Jackie Cogan, the underworld enforcer who’s called in to tie up all the loose
ends left after Ray Liotta’s mob-controlled poker game is held up by two
amateur criminals (Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn).
Set
against the always cheery backdrop of contemporary-recession America, there’s
an uncanny air of grim realism surrounding Killing
Them Softly. Stylistically (and true to its literary roots), it’s
reminiscent of those classic slow-burn thrillers from the 70s, a la Rolling Thunder, with a strong emphasis
placed on character development and a suspenseful build-up towards an
inevitably bloody climax. But at the same time, a thin vein of jet black humour
can be seen running throughout the picture. Frequent news broadcasts of Barack
Obama delivering sweeping, patriotic speeches about the American peoples’ unity
clashes with the perpetually downtrodden nature of this on-screen world,
furbishing the film with a sharp satirical edge.
How
much you enjoy Killing Them Softly
will likely depend on your level of tolerance for lengthy dialogue scenes. In
Tarantino-esque style, Dominik wants us to fully understand these characters,
regardless of their overall importance to the plot. Take James Gandolfini’s
extended cameo, for example. His grouchy mob hitman, Mickey, arrives to help Cogan
with the necessary targets. These two men sit in a largely deserted bar, where
we learn all about Mickey’s troubles with the law over a spot of botched geese
hunting, along with bothersome marital issues and a rather obvious drinking
problem. Only after all this ground has been covered do we get round to the
whole assassination job crux.
Either
you’ll become fully engrossed in these sequences of flowing discourse, or you’ll be waiting for Dominik to
hurry up and GET ON WITH IT. I found my patience being tried on only one
occasion, luckily, in a scene where the two poker game-robbing smack heads
can’t keep a crucial conversation going due to the overpowering narcotics
they’ve just fired into their bloodstreams. It could have been over in two
minutes, but instead drags on as Mendelsohn’s layabout keeps slipping in and
out of full consciousness, while McNairy repeatedly bellows the same basic
questions at him until I want to kick a puppy.
Slow
as this breed of pacing may be, it’s an experience that’s absolutely worth
sitting through. Dominik’s careful attention to detail is exactly what will
help place Killing Them Softly high
up on many a cinephile’s (creepy word) ‘Top XX Films of the Year’ list. Not
that there isn’t some basic bloodletting to look out for as well, though. But
in keeping with the title, there’s a pleasantly understated side to the
infrequent-yet-graphic violence that’s depicted here. Save for one rather
angelically choreographed take-out, death just... happens here. Sudden,
shocking and unpleasant: just as it would be.
I
don’t pay nearly as much attention to sound design during my reviews as I
should (feels guilty, man), but in this instance I need to make a special
exception. Anything audible – from the slam of a car door, to the pounding of
fists against a victim’s bloodied face; and a shotgun blast that cuts through the
night in terrifying fashion – is packed with a staggering amount of oomph. I
was taken aback on multiple occasions and it remains to be seen whether this
effect will be replicated for home video. The actual soundtrack, meanwhile, is
a memorable assortment of country and blues music (Ketty Lester and Johnny Cash
feature) on hand to lend Killing Them
Softly a tinge of golden oldie quality.
Ah,
but I know what you’re thinking... do we get to hear the infamous ‘Ray Liotta Laugh’? Well rest easy, Ray fans, because we most certainly do. It’s been a
while since Turbulence, but those
manic cackles are once again unleashed upon our delicate, unsuspecting ears;
and Liotta’s happy face remains just as terrifying as ever. Conal Cochran could
patent it for the next wave of Silver Shamrock masks.
Funny
thing: I’m almost finished and Brad Pitt has barely even been mentioned. I
think it’s no secret that in addition to boasting a perfect bone structure
(complemented here by a well-groomed goatee), Pitt’s also a talented thespian.
Usually, anyway. The less said about Troy
the better.
The
tip of an already rock solid cast (almost forgot; Richard Jenkins fans are in
for a treat), Pitt comfortably slips right into Jackie Cogan (who I could swear
remains unnamed for the full running time, that is unless I missed a stray line
of dialogue – corrections on a postcard to the usual address). Though not
introduced until the first act has concluded, Cogan instantly commands our
attention. He’s superficially easy going, but Pitt leaves us in no doubt over
the man’s ability as a professional killer thanks to his trademark steely-eyed
coolness that suddenly makes all male audience members feel obliged to hand in their man
cards.
At
the time of writing, Killing Them Softly is
still roughly two weeks away from being released outside of the UK, Ireland and
Spain; and a there’s a whole two months to go before its US debut. This
staggered release schedule means it’ll be an interesting journey for the film,
which has already attracted near-unanimous critical praise. Whether or not it
gels quite so smoothly with audiences the world over is another story, but
anyone searching for a piece of truly mature filmmaking should jump at the
chance to see Dominik’s latest cinematic endeavour.
Really,
it was so grown up, I had to go watch something stupid afterwards. As luck
would have it, I’d recently imported Samurai
Cop, which was bad on so many wonderful levels... but I needed it.
No comments:
Post a Comment