Review of Killing Them Softly (2012) by Legitsalt — 25 Feb 2020

This is a movie that speaks to the modern-day American strife, i.e. the plight of neoliberalism. Director Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) taps into so much of what causes the white American male to feel estranged that Dominik's Australian nationality might come as a shock.

Killing Them Softly seems at first to be a heist movie, but this falls away fast and the movie quickly turns its focus towards the current neoliberal system and its relations with the largest class of players within it, those being aspirational low-class white men.

The acting and writing are undeniably great, but what sets this movie apart is the use of Ray Liotta (Goodfellas). He returns to his gangster roots and plays out very entertainingly. However, the ultimate arbiter, Cogan (Brad Pitt), takes his toll regardless, and we get a tragically wonderful death scene.

The concepts and politics that this film tackles can be unsettling especially for those that fall squarely liberal or conservative. The film encapsulates a growing epidemic, issuing a challenge.