Killing Them Softly 2012

Nate H. reviewed Killing Them Softly (2012)

Killing Them Softly is Neither Soft Nor Rock Solid

If you have read through my reviews, you will know that I am a stickler for realism in movies that should command it. This is my outlook and if you are watching something with me, its to the point of being annoying. But it is what it is. And Killing Them Softly suffers early on from a plot point which is so unrealistic that it affects the level of the rest of the film. But let me give a brief rundown of the setup here.



Its 2008, and the economy is collapsing. The underlying parallel drawn throughout Killing Them Softly is that the downturn has carried over into the underworld as well. Criminal organizations have lost their clout, street level cons don’t respect the bosses, no one is making any money. Its in this setting that semi-wiseguy Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) recruits a hapless thief named Frankie (Scoot McNairy) to rob an underground card room frequented by goons and ran by Markie Trattman (Ray Liotta). The kicker of their plan is that it is common knowledge amongst local wiseguys that Trattman himself orchestrated the last robbery on his card room. So if the card game is robbed again, everyone will blame Trattman, thinking he set it up himself. Of course, things do not follow said plan, and once the robbery has happened, the big shots call in hitman Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) to track down the bandits.



Killing Them Softly is brilliantly acted. Pitt is spot on as a frustrated button man who belongs in a different era where those who violated the gangster code were dealt with severely. James Gandolfini also shines as New York Mickey, an old school fixer who is way past his prime. Cogan summons for Mickey thinking he needs a veteran partner to get the cleanup done properly. However upon Mickey’s arrival, Cogan quickly realizes that he may be a liability instead of an asset as Mickey is a boozehound broken up by his failing marriage. The scenes between the two are like watching a couple of prizefighters speculating on MMA boxing, two old warriors being left behind by a world that has moved on without them. Likewise with Pitt’s moments onscreen with Richard Jenkins, who stops in as the unnamed middle man between Cogan and the unseen crime bosses.







But back to the aforementioned unrealistic plot point. It is revealed early that these gangsters were robbed once already by Liotta’s character and they decided to let it slide because he is so likable. To me, that just kills the culpability of the rest of the film. It may be that director Andrew Dominik was trying to point out that that is just how far these gangsters have slid to let a disrespect like that go unpunished. But I feel it is an unforgivable error, and the film is kept from being great due to it.

A private user reviewed Killing Them Softly (2012)

Review from the comment

I am just going to throw this out there. Why is there so much hate for this film? Is America that stupid and brain dead that they have to watch drivel like Twilight or Not Another Teen Movie 22 in order to find movies that are good? By no means is this an instant classic but, it is filled with solid acting, interesting characters and some amazing cinematography. The premise is basic, it's not hard to follow and I appreciate a film that's made like this. KTS may not have had the guns blazing panache of The Killer (Not many flicks do)or the slick cool of a let's say Kill Bill. However, Killing Them Softly is one that I'm glad I watched to prove that it wasn't crap, but a legit 97 minutes of my time.