Review of The Killer Inside Me (2010) by Jordan W — 26 May 2012

Adapted from a 1952 pulp novel by Jim Thompson, "The Killer Inside Me" is a film of uncompromising ferocity and shocking realism. It stars Casey Affleck as Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford, a well respected law-man in a small west Texas town who speaks softly and tries to mind his manners.

A local construction mogul named Chester Conway (Ned Beatty) finds that his son Elmer (Jay R. Ferguson) is seeing a local prostitute named Joyce (Jessica Alba). On orders from Conway, Ford's boss, Bob Maples (Tom Bower), asks him to confront Joyce (Jessica Alba) and run her out of town. He drives out to see her, and thereafter begins an unexpected, passionate and sadomasochistic love affair with her. He keeps this relationship a secret, and when Joyce refuses to leave, Ford is asked to oversee an attempt to pay her off to leave town. That is when the seemingly simple deputy takes matters into his own hands.

The story is pulpy, and this initial plot of the movie is eventually shown to be a MacGuffin. The real story here is Ford. As his violent sexual tendencies become more and more prevalent, we come to understand that he is a genuine sociopath hiding beneath a harmless facade. He hurts his loved ones, including Joyce and his girlfriend Amy (Kate Hudson), for reasons that he manages to justify through his own twisted logic. The bodies begin to pile up as Ford manages to cover his tracks and set others up for his murders. Affleck gives a powerhouse performance that is sometimes greater than the film surrounding it. This work, alongside his work in his brother Ben Affleck's film "Gone Baby Gone" has quickly led me to realize what an important actor he is. As Lou Ford, he is truly terrifying. He acts on his violent tendencies in a sudden, unpredictable manner, and each time it comes as a complete shock.

As powerful as Affleck's performance is, there is not quite as much intrigue in the character as I would have hoped for. On many levels, "The Killer Inside Me" is a superbly directed character study. It examines Ford's behavior, the cold nature by which he destroy's others' lives, but because Ford narrates much of the movie, which, I have read, goes according to the source material, there is not a lot to think over after the credits have rolled.

There is also the issue of the music in the film. As incredibly graphic, dark events are taking place throughout the film, breezy western swing music plays between scenes, rendering the overall tone of the movie a bit too self-consciously ironic. Director Steven Soderbergh once discussed how some filmmakers abuse music in film, that these so-called music-abusers cannot help themselves. This movie is a good example of what Soderbergh is talking about. What we are seeing onscreen is ultimately abused by the music. It does not work.

The women don't seem to be given much to say or do except get beat to shreds, but the violence is so well-staged that it is effective. There is a lot to admire about "The Killer Inside Me," including the supporting performances by Beatty, Alba and Hudson. There is also a small but great performance by Elias Koteas as a suspicious union leader. He sees through Ford's veil of goodness into his darkness. It actually would have been nice to see more of Koteas' character.

The controversy that surrounded this film at the time of its initial release is understandable. It is not as outwardly gruesome as the violence in the "Saw" movies or in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"-the most violent movie I have ever seen-but it somehow hits harder and has more of an impact on screen. It is a beautifully shot film, and although the final scenes are less convincing than those that come before, Winterbottom has still made a significant thriller with fearless ambitions that, for the most part, pay off.