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Killing Them Softly is a distinct film on many levels. Its carried by its unique vision from director Andrew Dominik, whose 2006 dramatic western The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford gained attention from critics with its use of visual landscapes that were both a mesmerizing portrait of the gritty American Wild West as well as a character study of an ill-fated friendship between one of America’s most famous bandits and his eventual killer. After five years, Dominik returns with his follow up.
I feel most of all that the film was promoted to be something far beyond its actual purpose. Yes, this is a film about criminals and their criminal activities, but it has an agenda far beyond just being another gangster film. Based on George V. Higgins’ novel “Cogan’s Trade,” which was originally published in 1974, the source material reflected economic and political issues of its time which Dominik has sharply updated to the present. This was never the plan from the start as he intended to keep the book’s setting in the mid 70s, but eventually updated it to reflect our current crisis. Yes, this film has a political agenda, and while some may see its delivery as a sledgehammer, I think its weighing out both sides.
I love not only the way the script flows, but how visceral and thrilling the shots are captured. A dialogue-driven film matched by visual wonderment is a rare gem these days. Each character represents a struggle, a conflict and a side to the story. It stands in its own unique square when it comes to the approach of telling a gangster story, never trying to be this cauldron of stereotypes, but adding an agenda of economic information and a plethora of depth in the matter of our current financial state.
-ADAM KEITH.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
