Review of Killer Joe (2012) by Matthew R — 16 Jan 2014

"This is lovely. Now, who would like to say grace?".

Williams Friedkin's, "Killer Joe", can be categorized extensively: comedic, innovative, dramatic, disturbing, misogynistic, and bizarre; however if you want to keep it meek, "white trash Texas" sums it up. It is clear Friedkin (director of The Exorcist) did not create this film for the mainstream but rather focused this title around the art-house/indie crowd. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering the film is based on a theatre play, and examining Friedkin's recent work( "Bug" for instance)this seems like something he'd try out.

"Joe" is as offensive as it gets and while Friedkin's direction should be noted, you can considerably credit the cast for this. The majority of them are settled into roles that most individuals wouldn't feel comfortable seeing them in and all of them nail it. First, Emile Hirsch, who plays Chris Smith, an annoying, horrid trailer-trash drug abusing-selling kid who wants to have his own mother murdered so he can inherit her will. He's in trouble and owes money. Not having the money could mean death in the near future. Getting his dad (the dim-witted Ansel, played by Thomas Hayden Church) and stepmother (the no-sass, sexy, Sharla, played by Gina Gershon) involved in a plot to have a hit-man murder his mother (also the mother of Dottie, Chris's brain-damaged younger sister who has been wrong ever since their mother tried to smother her, and played to alarming accuracy by Juno Temple).

Finally, in comes cold and somewhat calmly deranged "Killer" Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a cop that murders people on the side as a second job. He will take the job and wait to be cashed out so long as he can have Dottie as a retainer, meaning that he will do with her whatever he damn well pleases. As the story goes on things obviously don't go as planned and things get a little "messy"...... It's not so much the plot that's different here; it's McConnaughey as Killer Joe. I've honestly not found him in many enjoyable roles but here, he delivers one of the most extremely charismatic yet psychopathic and sadistic roles I have ever witnessed and this film is disturbing to its very core. The odd thing is that as disturbing as it is, you're either going to switch off out of disgust for what happens or the things your eyes will catch or if you keep watching, you may very well laugh and find yourself extremely satisfied with the outcome ( I honestly had a mixed reaction).

In the end, Killer Joe is about despicable people and not one of the characters is likable, however, you have to admire the execution and effort given by the actors and the director. And for what it is, the film comes off as fascinating success.

Story: C+.

Acting: A.

Direction: B+.

Visuals: B+.

Overall: B.

*** out of 4 stars.