Killing Them Softly (3/26/2013)

Rated R for violence, sexual references, pervasive language, and some drug use.

Starring Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini

Directed by Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)

This movie killed me slowly.

Three dumb guys who think they’re smart rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Brad Pitt plays the enforcer hired to track them down and restore order.

The movie is adapted from the 1974 novel Cogan’s Trade, by the late criminal lawyer and author George V. Higgins. From what I understand, the book is filled with lengthy stretches of flavorful wise-guy dialogue and brutal violence. Well Andrew Dominik keeps with the book’s style of sharp lingo and the violence is both brutal and disturbing.

Pitt is perfect as the “cool-as-a-cucumber” mobster who prefers to kill victims “softly” from a distance rather than watching them get “touchy feely” up close. James Gandolfini also shows up as what can only be called Tony Soprano’s twin brother. And Ray Liotta in a mob movie…duh. Well, not so fast. This time he’s hardly a “tough guy.” I’m sure Dominik did it intentionally, but I didn’t like it.

If you watched The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford you know that Dominik is often guilty of focusing too much on the visual art and not enough on the art of storytelling. And there are several very artistic scenes, but the story once again suffered.

So much style, so much cruelty…and what was the point? Well, that was the biggest surprise. I actually felt Dominik used this movie to promote his message – that capitalism and crime are mirror images of the same immoral system. It felt like George Bush and Barack Obama had more screen time than the Hollywood stars. Then there’s Jackie’s cynical declaration, on the night of Obama’s election, that “America isn’t a country, it’s a business.” His words were meant to sting. But by that point, it was just more noise.

I love a good mobster movie, but this wasn’t good or really a mobster film…I say “Skip It.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There are at least two scenes that involve heavy crude banter between male characters in regards to sexual experiences, including references to bestiality, anal sex and several uses of the F-word in a sexual context.

The scenes of violence in the film are limited, but very brutal. A man is brutally punched in the face several times, with realistic sounds of impact, and the man crying in pain as his face becomes covered in blood. The movie shows in slow motion, a man killed by being shot through the head while at a stop-light. You see his facial expression shift as a gun fires; a bullet travels through his hand as he silently screams and it exits out his skull with blood and matter splattering slowly. He is shot at least 4 more times, another car crashes into him and his bloody head breaks the windshield. A man is shot in the chest with a shotgun from long range. The man is bleeding heavily, he cries, moans in pain and is promptly shot again to finish him off, with blood and matter splattering from impact. A man is shot in the side of the head at point blank range, a large amount of blood spurts upon impact and he slumps over. He is then finished off with a second shot off-screen.

As far as profanity, the f-word is a heavy part of the dialogue, being used well over 150 times, with several other obscenities.

CONVERSATION STARTER

1. At the beginning of the movie we see Frankie accepting a job that even he knows is very stupid. Why do you think he accepts the job?


2. What was the most foolish thing you’ve ever done for money? What happened?


3. Read 1 Timothy 6:10
   
   For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
   
   What do you think is the difference between having money in general and “the love of money?”


4. Why do you think the love of money is the root of all evil?


5. What is the opposite of the love of money?


6. What are some things we can do this week to be more content with what we have and not be “eager for money?”