Stressed To Kill

2016 • 102 minutes

About this movie

After suffering a heart attack, Bill (Bill Oberst Jr.) takes his doctor's advice literally and begins eliminating the stresses from his life. His murders attract the attention of a psychotic cop (Armand Assante) who isn't so sure he wants to arrest him.

Ratings and reviews

More black comedy than thriller, this film has Bill Oberst, Jr. doing what we'd all like to do to all those annoying asshats we encounter in our daily lives....kill them. Under doctor's orders to reduce his blood pressure following a heart attack, Bill (with the help of his chemist best friend Stan) eliminates those human stresses that plague him. Hot on his trail is an unconventional detective (Armand Assante) who forces these amateur serial killers to devise an ingenious endgame. The plot and pacing is solid but is somewhat weakened by stilted dialogue and occasional uneven acting. Oberst and Assante do well enough to smooth over these pitfalls, though. If I'm honest, I recommend this movie based on one incredible scene. It's the one where Assante takes Bill for a midnight ride in his ice cream truck (don't ask). The dynamic between these two is electric, even mesmerizing. The other scene that stands out is near the beginning when Bill chases an annoying asshat and then witnesses the asshat get creamed by a truck. The resulting smile on Bill's face is one of childlike joy that is both beautiful and utterly terrifying. Upshot: It's a good film and worth a look.

I love Armand Assante, so was super-excited to watch this. OK, Armand didn't let me down. Even though he's a little older now, he's still got that magical spark and charisma. He's amazing in this. The film is a thriller with lots of dark, comic moments, too., and that was a surprise. I didn't expect it to be so funny. Mind you, the story is quite original, and I like that the lead, Bill Oberst Jr., is on the warpath killing people who piss him off. I shared his frustrations. The film looks great, Armand is to die-for, and the music is really cool, too. Best film I've seen for a few months. Thanks, Google!

Deceptively off-beat, this film speaks to the human condition. On the surface it is a witty and well-performed tale of a man at his wit's end, but underneath there is the hint of a commentary about the effect of influence on society. Armand Assante's Detective is supposed to represent law and order but the line between him and Bill Oberst Jr's troubled sociopath is quite blurred. Ultimately, the film asks questions about how a person can become 'fed up' and consider violence as an option, how does society address and deal with such individuals, and what influence do common, everyday annoyances play in the escalation of violence. Bonus points to the Florida setting, allowing for Armand Assante to go ballistic on perps while wearing the cheesiest of Hawaiian shirts, and for Bill Oberst Jr to be at his squirmy, overheated best when he kills people while strolling by palm trees and cooling down in air conditioned movie theaters...where people won't turn off their smart phones. Bill has more work to do!