Review of Killing Zoe (1993) by Michael W — 28 Feb 2017

Killing Zoe: B+.

Sure it's Roger Avary's 1st film, and yes Tarantino was involved in the production, but this film prejudicially gets a bum rap. Critics slam the film as ugly, predicable, flat, and average in most aspects however, one great quality does prevail. The art of putting you into the film is as much of an art as you let it, and Avary did a fantastic job of drawing the viewer in... that is of course if you let him.

I first watched this film without any expectations and obviously before I unfairly had Avary's or Tarantino's recent portfolios to compare. I was captivated from the start through Eric Stotlz's unassuming character Zed and led vicariously along the way. I fell in love with a prostitute, meandered through Paris's conspicuous underground nightlife, got obliterated on heroin, oh and by the way had a bank heist go worse than my hangover. Also, there is Julie Duply, Zoe, equally as alluring as Arura seducing Flash Gordon...less the bore worms. How can you not be smitten with a 19yr old strawberry French hooker who just "fits"?

There has been a love it or hate it sentiment out there and either you are drawn in from the start to simply enjoy the ride or you are arms-folded waiting for the Vega brothers to save the day. Killing Zoe earned a balcony seat on my shelf somewhere near True Romance, Run Lola Run, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Boondock Saints, Dog Day Afternoon, and Mean Streets. I'm sure there is a "better on weed" following here too, the very same that finds Donnie Darko as real as it gets and Big Lebowski funnier than Blazing Saddles. But, as I noted, Avary did a fine job of giving you that high with dark tones, panicked drama, grungy soundtrack and some unique camera work.

Le Mange!