Killing Them Softly

2012 • 97 minutes

About this movie

During the economic turmoil of 2008, Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, FIGHT CLUB), an enforcer, is hired to restore order after three idiots rob a mob-protected poker game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Also starring James Gandolfini (TV's THE SOPRANOS, 8MM), Richard Jenkins (THE VISITOR, STEP BROTHERS), and Ray Liotta (GOODFELLAS, IDENTITY).

Ratings and reviews

Give it a watch if you like Brad Pitt or James Gandolfini, otherwise the 90+ min storyline is going to have you yawning. The character development is so minimal that the second half of the film has very little impact. The back drop of the 2008 financial crisis does create some cool moments of suspense, but unfortunately they are far and few between.

This is a brilliantly conceived and executed movie, pairing moments of excruciating revelations of human failure with the heartless aftermath that same failure makes necessary. Allusional rather than symbolic, the viewing experience needs time to register for all of the layered richness to become apparent. This is a credible, authentic and painful reveal, but that revelation is not for the fainthearted. Time will treat this movie well.

Waste of time and talent! So disappointed. Whenever you have actors like Brad, Ray, and James working together, it should be nothing less than a masterpiece. Give these same actors to Martin Scorsese or Brian DePalma and see how the outcome of the film would drastically change. Anyway, rent it on Redbox for $1 if you really don't believe the majority of the world's population.