Review of Killing Me Softly (2008) by Bruce P — 28 Aug 2015

Killing Me Softly is a goofy, unintentionally funny, and oddly stylish erotic thriller. In the tradition of other goofy erotic/thriller films like Sliver, Color Of Night, Basic Instinct 1 & 2, In The Cut, and Passion (The 2012 Brian De Palma version), comes a film no fan of camp should miss out on. It is a gleefully stupid and hilarious film that is waiting to be discovered as the next camp classic. Marvel at the terrible script, gloriously awful dialogue, campy acting, jaw-droppingly awful plot twists, and artsy direction to complement the cheesy tone of the film, and you've got a howler of a film.

The film focuses on a woman named Alice who is a web designer from Illinois who is now living and working in London who enjoys her job and is even in a long-term relationship with a boyfriend whom she is living with. Still, something seems to be missing in her life.

That all changes during a chance encounter on the street with a man named Adam Tallis. During that chance meeting, there is an instant spark between the two, which results in an intense sexual encounter before they end up parting ways.

This one moment causes a massive shift in Alice's life, and she pursues the man who is named Adam, who is struggling with the guilt from a mountain climbing accident which cost the lives of all the members of his mountain climbing team, including his fiance at the time.

Alice ends up leaving her boyfriend and moves in with Adam, which soon results in a marriage proposal, which she is ecstatic about. But in the midst of such happiness, Alice begins to receive mysterious letters and phone calls warning her about Adam's past, which she blows off, going forward with the wedding plans (As well as more intense sexual encounters). But as the letters and warnings continue, a seed of doubt is planted in her mind, and she is determined to get to the bottom of the potential mystery at hand, unearthing shocking secrets that threaten her life.

The story has a lot of interesting ideas, but they are lost in a sea of cheesy character development, an abundance of trashy sex scenes, and plot twists that will have you simultaneously laughing and scratching your head as they unfold. The story is ultimately a mess of romance, thriller, eroticism, and other elements, culminating in many moments worthy of chuckles or outbursts of full blown laughter because of how utterly ridiculous they are. The story is only entertaining on a trashy, campy sort of level. However, I was legitimately compelled during the first 30 minutes of the film before it suddenly derailed into madness and hilarity. While I enjoyed the campy qualities quite thoroughly as a lover of B-movies, it's a shame that a promising start fell apart.

The actors try their hardest and I really can't fault them. It's the fault of a shoddy the script that ultimately dooms them, because they really do try to make the material work. I do have to compliment them for being able to retain a straight face, even during the particularly ludicrous moments of the film (Especially the last 15 or so minutes which produce some of the biggest gut-busting moments in the film). But I will legitimately compliment the performances of the leads, Heather Graham and Ralph Fiennes, because I do feel they did a solid job, even with all the ridiculous shit going on in the film.

Oh man, for entertainment, if you like thrillers filled with gaping plot holes, cheesy characters, and howlers for plot twists, you're in for a real treat, B-movie fan. If you come to watch this film looking for a legitimately good erotic thriller, you will hate it, and your head will probably explode trying to rationalize all the ridiculous things you are seeing.

Killing Me Softly is a glorious trainwreck for an erotic thriller. It's a B-movie classic that is waiting to be discovered by connoisseurs of crap because it offers so much entertainment value. Unless you are a B-movie fanatic, stay the hell away from this film.