Review of Killing Them Softly (2012) by Trevor R — 06 Feb 2014

The run time of "Killing Them Softly" is a bit slight, and I can't help but feel there's a bigger, more expansive story to be told here (Word has it, Dominik's first cut was at least an hour longer). Things don't quite come together in the end as they could have, as some characters just disappear from the narrative, while others are somewhat wasted (like Sam Shepard in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo), but the story we do get is compellingly told and well acted. Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, and James Gandolifini are great as ever, and Scoot McNairy is just magnetic, once again (See "Monsters" and "Argo" for more great work from this guy). Richard Jenkins is another highlight, and his long scenes of dialogue with Pitt are clever and funny.

This is vicious, deeply cynical noir, featuring some incredibly tense sequences capped by explosions of shocking violence. The film practically bludgeons you with the point it's trying to make, but despite the lack of subtly, the movie still worked for me. I'm curious to see what Dominik does next.