Review of The Killer Inside Me (2010) by Austin S — 19 Mar 2012

âThe Killer Inside Me,â? one of the most talked about and controversial movies of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival certainly proved one thing to me upon its viewing: setting aside its beauties and its flaws, the film deserved the chatter, talk and debate it received. Facing criticism, âThe Killer Inside Meâ? remains fearless throughout and never tries to makes it easy for its audience. Itâ(TM)s challenging, thought-provoking, disturbing and, at times, its beauty is almost surreal given the plots current state of affairs. Yet, âThe Killer inside Meâ? isnâ(TM)t perfect.

In âThe Killer Inside of Meâ? sheriff Lou Ford (Casey Affleck) is sent to rid the town of a prostitute (Jessica Alba), but has a wrench thrown in his plans when he ends up forming an interesting relationship with her. From there starts a line of murders, stacking up one upon another, when things get out of hand.

With so much possibility at the nucleus of its lead, âThe Killer Inside Meâ? stumbled with its co-stars. For one, Lou Ford is a deranged serial killer; however, due to the audienceâ(TM)s ability to connect with him through his excess screen time and the creation of the character to make it seem as though he were mentally unstable, itâ(TM)s almost easier to sympathize with Ford than it is his victims. While it is true that this connection between viewer and Ford strengths the foundation of the story laid by Ford, one in which the town believes they know everything they need to know about him, it points out a glaring flaw: the rest of the cast is underdeveloped. For the females of the story, there is no connection. They are simply the prostitute and soon-to-be-wife (Kate Hudson), both making the unfortunate mistake of falling for Ford, and nothing else is truly divulged of them. These characters are so shady and vague that one must wonder whether in fact the intent was for the audience to see the situation from Fordâ(TM)s perspective. One in which nothing else mattered, from love to motive; it all ended the same way. It could go either way depending on how you look at it, but for the most part a series of brutal murders did not strike a nerve; a nerve in which the moral humanity usual prevails, a nerve in which emotion for and connection to characters did not exist.

As for Ford, itâ(TM)s difficult to wrap oneâ(TM)s head around just what he is. Again, the details of his past and such are hazy, but in this case it adds to the story; to his overall attributes as a character. On the outside it seems as though Ford is nothing more than a serial killer, but itâ(TM)s his chillingly cool persona that makes one want to dig deeper. Appearing as sane as the average person, Ford is horrifying character and it is things, like his past, which make him intriguing. Without the full details, the audience is treated to task of trying to dissect what makes Ford tick and what makes him act as he does. It is obvious throughout (via flashbacks) that heâ(TM)s been âup to no goodâ? since his youth, but could spousal abuse truly have as large of an impact on Ford as it seems to have had? In the end, Lou Ford becomes one of the most interesting characters to breakdown whether it be present day Ford or the younger Ford who picked up the habit of spanking from his father and/or mother.

The casting of âThe Killer Inside Meâ? is surprisingly powerful. While Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba certainly arenâ(TM)t poor actresses, their respective roles seemed like a reach for each. However, both handled their task with flying colors. Alba is especially moving given the fact that she sees a much smaller portion of time on the screen. Playing the rough, tough and sexy role spot on, she also has the benefit of being one of the prettiest faces on the big screen; thus, there still is some sympathy when she meets her fate, even if her written character didnâ(TM)t seem to warrant much. The remaining of the co-stars, from Ned Beatty to Elias Koteas to Tom Bower, stand their ground and make the most of their smaller roles. Unsurprisingly, it is Affleck who is deserving of most praise. His calmness, poise and overall mind state through are un-phased and he always gives off a radiant, yet daunting feeling to the point of constant foreboding. Though creepy isnâ(TM)t the right word, Affleckâ(TM)s acting job as Lou Ford can certainly be described as haunting, chilling and persistently eerie.

Sadly, âThe Killer Inside Meâ? wonâ(TM)t be seen by a great amount of eyes nor will it draw large audiences; however, that almost adds to the films impact. Ford, a serial killing sheriff in a small town who thinks they have him figured out will now move on to another small audience just waiting to try and figure him out for themselves. Almost built like a character study, âThe Killer Inside Meâ? is a beautifully shot film that reflects how ordinary the story may just be while at the same time capturing the horror and suspense of it all. Though it may struggle with developing some of its characters, âThe Killer Inside Meâ? boasts a wonderful cast, striking cinematography, a worthy script and a story that keeps ones attention from start to finish.